e speaks about how the guests have come, not even having known Gatsby, just forthe party, with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket (45). At this point, Nickdoes not even know why Gatsby holds these parties, neither knowing his guests, nor hisguests knowing him for that matter. But Nick continues to stay there, drifting along withall the other party-goers, having a good time, enjoying Gatsbys enormous mansion, eatinghis splendid food, and dancing the night away. The fact that all of these people can justenter someones house, and use all of that persons commodities without even thanking oracknowledging the host, shows quite clearly the standpoint of the 1920s population. People floating along with what was fun, what others were doing. This also shows thedifferent moral standards that most people at the time had as well. It was no longerunacceptable to not greet and thank the host, let alone be invited, or even know him. Once there[,] they were introduced by someone who knew Gatsby[,] and after that theyconducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with amusementparks (45). Gatsbys parties, and the people who went to them are an imitation of theway people conducted themselves in the 1920s: adrift, and going with whatever othersdid, doing whatever makes them happy at the moment.The parallels between the characters of The Great Gatsby and the real people ofthe 1920s are skillfully created by Fitzgerald in the novel. By choosing the most unsettledcharacter in the book for the narrator, the floating theme is developed even moreeffectively. Because the story is told through Nick Carraways eyes and voice, the themebecomes more prevalent than if it had been told by any other character. Through Nicksexperiences and descriptions of Daisy and Toms house, the train station, and Gatsbysparty, it is shown that the characters in The Great Gatsby, like most people in the 1920s,were adrift, floating through the moti...
