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In his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald integrates a wealth of car imagery to expose the immorality of his characters, who have chosen to retreat to the East. To begin with, the author successfully exemplifies the undaunted recklessness of many of the novel’s individual characters through the employment of this motif. As Owl Eyes, the philosopher who first made his appearance in Gatsby’s library, drunkenly leaves Gatsby’s lavish party, he foolishly becomes involved in an automobile accident; even as Nick questions him of his driving abilities, the odd man simply replies, “But I wasn’t even trying” (59). Apparently, Owl Eyes feels no remorse for either the careless act of drinking and driving or for the fact that he endangered the life of another individual. Paralleling Owl Eye’s lack of awareness, Jordan Baker repeatedly engages in arguments with Nick pertaining to, what Nick deems to be inattentive maneuvering. One of their frequent quarrels arises from an incident where Jordan “passed so close to some workmen that our fender flicked a button on one man’s coat” (63).
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