Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Verb Tenses
I hate reading a renowned piece of literature and finding tense discrepancies. It bothers me so much when author's switch from past to present and back again. Fitzgerald continues to do just that. Chapter 3 begins in past tense ("There was music...") but on the second page of that same chapter, it changes to present tense ("By seven o'clock the orchestra has arrived..."). The third page of that chapter it's back to past ("I had been invited."). Each time I come across a section written in a difference tense it throws me off. Maybe this is just my issue. The question I want to pose is: Why? It does not seem to add anything to the story, so why change it? Does it indeed add something to the story? Or is it simply an editorial mistake? You tell me.
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By chaning the tense in the story, it shows Nick's reflection and thoughts about his souroundings. With the present tense it shows whats happening around Nick. When refering to the past, it shows him giving his own opinion about the situation or thinking back to a past memory. When he says "There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights," he is remembering past summer nights. Later when he says "By seven o'clock the orchestra has arived..." he is currently at the party recording what is happening.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a sense of "timelessness" to Gatsby's parties, as if they are happening in the present moment, always. In addition to his ethereal descriptions of the guests, music, food, and atmosphere, the present tense seems to give them a dream-like quality. I agree, Justine, that they are noticeable!
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