"Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand. They think deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensations and refuges of life for ourselves. Even when they enter deep into our world or sink below us, they still think that they are better than we are" (Fitzgerald, 152).
This paragraph, introducing "the very rich" sets the tone for the rest of the story as it delineates the boundary between the social classes. "We" refers to the middle and lower classes, or anyone who is not one of the ultra-rich born into wealth. I noted that Fitzgerald specified being "born rich" and did not include those who become rich as a result of hard work. This story invites us to peek through the window into the lives of those "born" rich, but it is not the fairy tale where we get to enter their world and become part of it, like a Cinderella story. We love to read about the rich, fantasizing about their lavish lifestyles. Still, this was no Cinderella story and there is no happy ending.
The main character, Anson Hunter, moves through life with ease taking what he wants from each relationship and not taking responsibility for the pain he causes the people he takes advantage of. It is interesting that Fitzgerald named his lead character Anson "Hunter," because throughout the story, Anson is a hunter searching for the perfect game. He goes through Paula, Dolly, and other women who cross his path. He claims he loves Paula, but he can never commit. He never finds what he's looking for because he's never found happiness inside himself. Contentment was something even his wealth couldn't buy for him. So he self-medicates by excessive drinking and joining lavish parties, firm evidence of his attempt to escape from himself.
Discussion question: Fitzgerald never precisely tells the readers why Anson has so much trouble in
maintaining long-term relationships. Why do you think that Anson cannot commit and why wouldn't Fitzgerald share more depth of Anson's character?
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Flaw in an Armored Shield
“In the evening he went out as usual, saying nothing of what had occurred; he was cordial, humorous, unabstracted. But one thing he could not help—for three days, in any place, in any company, he would suddenly bend his head into his hands and cry like a child."
This is the only point in the story where the nakedness of Anson Hunter's vulnerability and weakness is shown in its entirety to the readers. In a place and time where gender roles are strictly delineated, to cry like a child, in that moment of occurrence, is to forgo one's strength and masculinity. Hunter spent much of his time in the story manipulating women and thinking them highly simple and exasperating creatures. Despite this, however, a major low in his life, and one may argue the start of his downfall, was in fact caused by a woman. His presumed superiority, a characteristic well tailored since a rather young age, and swelling ego is immediately shattered by his sudden outburst of emotion in front of the many members of his social group. Though it lasted for only three days, this particular moment allows the author to show that despite having wealth and the luxuries that come of it, it does not make one invincible. Fitzgerald does well in demonstrating that even the rich are not exempt from the rawest of human emotion-- heartbreak and ultimately, loneliness.
The wealth possessed by Fitzgerald's characters propels them to the top ranks of social class creating a world apart from those below them. At what other points in the story does Fitzgerald shatter the illusion of a perfect world?
“In the evening he went out as usual, saying nothing of what had occurred; he was cordial, humorous, unabstracted. But one thing he could not help—for three days, in any place, in any company, he would suddenly bend his head into his hands and cry like a child."
This is the only point in the story where the nakedness of Anson Hunter's vulnerability and weakness is shown in its entirety to the readers. In a place and time where gender roles are strictly delineated, to cry like a child, in that moment of occurrence, is to forgo one's strength and masculinity. Hunter spent much of his time in the story manipulating women and thinking them highly simple and exasperating creatures. Despite this, however, a major low in his life, and one may argue the start of his downfall, was in fact caused by a woman. His presumed superiority, a characteristic well tailored since a rather young age, and swelling ego is immediately shattered by his sudden outburst of emotion in front of the many members of his social group. Though it lasted for only three days, this particular moment allows the author to show that despite having wealth and the luxuries that come of it, it does not make one invincible. Fitzgerald does well in demonstrating that even the rich are not exempt from the rawest of human emotion-- heartbreak and ultimately, loneliness.
The wealth possessed by Fitzgerald's characters propels them to the top ranks of social class creating a world apart from those below them. At what other points in the story does Fitzgerald shatter the illusion of a perfect world?
The Effect of Class on Self
In Fiterzgerald's "The Rich Boy," we meet Anson Hunter and immediately he is introduced by the narrator, Anson's later-on friend, that his family is very rich and that Anson possesses an early sense of superiority. As a young man, we are told that Anson "had a confident charm and a certain brusque style, and upper-class men who passed him on the street knew without being told that he was a rich boy and had gone to one of the best schools" (Fitzgerald, 154). We are told that Anson is thick-set and not quite handsome, though this seemingly has no effect on his confidence or sense of standing on the class scale to which he is sure he is at the top.
Anson's sense of superiority over others seems only to swell as the story continues and as Anson grows older. In my opinion, the following passage is a hard-hitting moment where the reader must no longer doubt his callous attitude, even considering the kind acts that Anson does for his friends throughout the story: "There were so many friends in Anson's life -- scarcely for whom he had not done some unusual kindness and scarcely one for whom he did not occasionally embarrass by his bursts of rough conversation or his habit of getting drunk whenever and however he liked. It annoyed him when any one else blundered in that regard -- about his own lases he was always humorous" (Fitzgerald, 165).
My questions for consideration is this: How does the innate sense of superiority and upper-classness in Anson effect not his relationships with others which all eventually fail, but rather his relationship with himself?
Anson's sense of superiority over others seems only to swell as the story continues and as Anson grows older. In my opinion, the following passage is a hard-hitting moment where the reader must no longer doubt his callous attitude, even considering the kind acts that Anson does for his friends throughout the story: "There were so many friends in Anson's life -- scarcely for whom he had not done some unusual kindness and scarcely one for whom he did not occasionally embarrass by his bursts of rough conversation or his habit of getting drunk whenever and however he liked. It annoyed him when any one else blundered in that regard -- about his own lases he was always humorous" (Fitzgerald, 165).
My questions for consideration is this: How does the innate sense of superiority and upper-classness in Anson effect not his relationships with others which all eventually fail, but rather his relationship with himself?
The Personalities of Love
Although Anson Hunter seems to have everything he could
possibly want, the reader finds that his life is ultimately restricted by the
emphasis he has placed on social status and the feeling of superiority and
control associated with such status. As a result, he struggles to enjoy even
the most basic of human desires: love. Fitzgerald demonstrates this when he
writes,
"He dominated and attracted her, and at the same time
filled her with anxiety. Confused by his mixture of solidity and
self-indulgence, of sentiment and cynicism - incongruities which her gentle
mind was unable to resolve - Paula grew to think of him as two alternating
personalities" (Fitzgerald, 160).
Anson's
oscillation between his two "personalities" is indicative of his
inability to completely open up to Paula. His withdrawn personality can be
attributed to class and superiority as they fill Anson with a belief that he is
invulnerable and in complete control; however, love strips its victims of all
protective mechanisms, making them utterly and completely defenseless.
Arguably, this vulnerability Anson feels challenges his control, thereby
discounting two things that have protected and aided him throughout life (i.e. social
standing and superiority). Therefore, he feels the need to remain guarded in
his relationship with Paula in order to keep his emotions from spiraling out of
control. His personality shifts between that of a cold, inaccessible alcoholic
to a warm and charming individual. In maintaining two very different
personalities, Anson, in his mind, is able to discretionary power over his vulnerability.
Moreover, his incapability to set his control aside and plunge into love costs
him Paula's affection and instead leaves him completely alone.
Are
personal securities such as superiority and class distinction worth a life
without love?
Mobility
Throughout F.Scott Fitzgerald’s, “The Rich Boy”, we observe as Anson Hunter moves in and out of such a title-- in other words, we observe shifts in his maturity, his economic means, and his social tendencies. As we see in the following passage, Fitzgerald’s story suggests a mobility between classes and social dimensions:
“ Meanwhile, he plunged vigorously into all the movement and glitter of post-bellum New York, enticing a brokerage house, joining half a dozen clubs, dancing late, and moving in three worlds-- his own world, the world of young Yale graduates, and the section of the half-world which rests on one end on Broadway. But there was always a thorough and infractible eight hours devoted to his work in Wall street, where the combination of his influential family connection, his sharp intelligence, and his abundance of sheer physical energy brought him almost immediately forward. He had one of those invaluable minds with partitions in it; sometimes he appeared at his office refreshed by less than an hour’s sleep, but such occurrences were rare. So early as 1920 his income in salary and commissions exceeded twelve thousand dollars.” (Fitzgerald, 161)
We see mobility in several different ways in this passage. Firstly, there is the notion of existing in “three worlds”. Not only does this stress that Anson is not pigeon-holed into one place in the system as Paul was in “Paul’s Case”, but it is interesting to note that the following list of worlds includes a “half-world” and a world vaguely labeled as “his own world”. By calling the “Broadway” world a half-world, Fitzgerald is suggesting that Anson does not consider that to be necessarily a real part of his life, or a part of his life that can have consequence on other parts of his life. However, as the story progresses, we see that it does in fact ultimately affect his relationships, and who he is as a person. Additionally, by not adding a specific description to “his own world”, Fitzgerald suggests that Anson’s “world”, or in other words his place in the infrastructure, is not something that can be clearly defined or pinned down.
Another place where we see mobility is in the description of Anson moving forward in his job. The mere fact that he is going somewhere indicates mobility. However, there is also the reason’s why he is moving up-- reasons that are various and not completely connected to birth. Also, there is the final mention of his salary, a device that we see Fitzgerald use throughout the story as an indicator of where Anson is in “The Rich Boy” scale.
The question that I pose for discussion is: How do the different parts of Anson’s life affect each other, and what message is Fitzgerald trying to convey with this idea of multiple worlds?
"The trouble with the world is that it's always one drink behind."
In Fitzgerald's "The Rich Boy", Anson Hunter, a man of seemingly immeasurable wealth, leads a life in which he defers to "the world of high finance and extravagance, of divorce and dissipation" as his ultimate reality (Fitzgerald 164). Accepting no one as his equal and maintaining a strong will throughout his youth, there are a but a few moments where his faint disdain for the simple-mindedness and predictability of his peers takes center stage. But when he reaches age thirty, the lack of intimacy in his life causes him an immense depression as old friends settle down and the Hunter family name is reduced to a shell of its former self. When nearing the end of his tale, Fitzgerald recalls a revitalized form of Anson taking control as the two meet up for drinks. Without even the slightest hesitation, he begins to discuss "the girl in the red tam" and his plan to take her out to dinner (Fitzgerald 187). The story ends with the author's final analysis of his companion, proclaiming that he didn't feel as if "he was ever happy unless some one was in love with him."(Fitzgerald 187)
This moment, to me, crystallizes the entire aesthetic of the incredibly wealthy New England communities that were in full swing during the early twentieth century. Fate dealt to them a hand that provided limitless amounts of material pleasure and with it temporary remedies to their internal emptiness. Such quick fixes came in the form of exquisite liquor, cigarettes, and a few deck of cards. And unlike human beings, they were instantly replaceable. Once more, since the society which they belonged to and preserved was never short of pretty faces, there was always the option of forgetting emotional issues with a lover to give your heart away to someone else or play with their own if it were necessary. Even after Paula's passing and the abrupt end to his fling with dolly, Anson still had in his disposal enough human capital to begin another affair. All that was missing in his situation was the correct remedy. Once applied, he could continue on with his lavish yet meaningless existence, and it would appear in the end this is exactly what he did. Infatuation might be the bare minium for a relationship, but for Anson, coupled with a class of whiskey, it is all that he needs.
What other moments of character development or potential motifs cultivate Fitzgerald's twentieth century aesthetic?
This moment, to me, crystallizes the entire aesthetic of the incredibly wealthy New England communities that were in full swing during the early twentieth century. Fate dealt to them a hand that provided limitless amounts of material pleasure and with it temporary remedies to their internal emptiness. Such quick fixes came in the form of exquisite liquor, cigarettes, and a few deck of cards. And unlike human beings, they were instantly replaceable. Once more, since the society which they belonged to and preserved was never short of pretty faces, there was always the option of forgetting emotional issues with a lover to give your heart away to someone else or play with their own if it were necessary. Even after Paula's passing and the abrupt end to his fling with dolly, Anson still had in his disposal enough human capital to begin another affair. All that was missing in his situation was the correct remedy. Once applied, he could continue on with his lavish yet meaningless existence, and it would appear in the end this is exactly what he did. Infatuation might be the bare minium for a relationship, but for Anson, coupled with a class of whiskey, it is all that he needs.
What other moments of character development or potential motifs cultivate Fitzgerald's twentieth century aesthetic?
Weight a Minute
Towards the end of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Rich Boy", the main character Anson Hunter wanders around New York desperately and unsuccessfully trying to find something to do. This significant moment of confusion and loss is displayed in the following passage:
"He was a dignified, impressive young man, rather stout now, but otherwise unmarked by dissipation. He could have been cast for a pillar of something--at times you were sure it was not society, at others nothing else--for the law, for the church. He stood for a few minutes motionless on the sidewalk in front of a 47th Street apartment-house; for almost the first time in his life he had nothing whatever to do" (Fitzgerald 181).
Anson's weight gain is alluded to numerous times in the short story and it becomes a metaphor of his increasing resistance to the changing times. Notably this paragraph is very clear about Anson's massive weight. By the time he finds himself wandering the streets of New York he is irrelevant to his peers and a monument to the way things were. He is weighed down by antiquated notions of class, women, and relationships therefore he cannot adapt to his new environment. He is stout meaning he is unyielding as well as fat. Fitzgerald is arguing that class is an ever changing notion and that those who do not compromise their old ways of thinking become stuck in time.
What other devices does Fitzgerald use to illustrate how class evolves?
"He was a dignified, impressive young man, rather stout now, but otherwise unmarked by dissipation. He could have been cast for a pillar of something--at times you were sure it was not society, at others nothing else--for the law, for the church. He stood for a few minutes motionless on the sidewalk in front of a 47th Street apartment-house; for almost the first time in his life he had nothing whatever to do" (Fitzgerald 181).
Anson's weight gain is alluded to numerous times in the short story and it becomes a metaphor of his increasing resistance to the changing times. Notably this paragraph is very clear about Anson's massive weight. By the time he finds himself wandering the streets of New York he is irrelevant to his peers and a monument to the way things were. He is weighed down by antiquated notions of class, women, and relationships therefore he cannot adapt to his new environment. He is stout meaning he is unyielding as well as fat. Fitzgerald is arguing that class is an ever changing notion and that those who do not compromise their old ways of thinking become stuck in time.
What other devices does Fitzgerald use to illustrate how class evolves?
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