Examples Of Epigraph In The Great Gatsby

An epigraph is brief quote or saying that is placed at the beginning of a novel to hint at its central theme. Additionally, epigraphs may be used to indicate authorial intention or act as a warning about what is to come. This technique can be incredibly potent as it often sets the tone for an entire book. Many of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century, such as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, employ epigraphs that not only hint at the plotline of the story, but also evoke curiosity within readers.
The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald is another example of a famous novel that opens with a highly effective epigraph. In this case, rather than a quote or saying, Fitzgerald uses a short poem

by Thomas Parke D’Invilliers, “Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; / If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, / Till she cry “Lover, gold-hatted, high- bouncing lover, / I must have you!”. Although this prose can be interpreted in many different ways, it communicates an overall story of a man who will do absolutely anything to get with the woman he desires, until she cannot help but fall in love him. Moreover, the idea of “bouncing high” may be representative of the man’s wealth or his going above and beyond to impress this woman. This directly correlates with the metaphor of the “gold hat” as it is indicative of the man using his wealth to purchase valuable items for the woman.
Fitzgerald’s intention behind using particular poem for his epigraph is to essentially manifest the central theme of The Great Gatsby: obsessive love. The story of a man’s all-consuming adoration for a women told through the poem is a clear parallel to Gatsby’s unwavering and destructive love for Daisy.
Throughout The Great Gatsby, there are many times where Gatsby wears the figurative “gold hat” as described in D’Inviller’s poem, attempting to impress her with material things.

The first example of this occurs near the middle of the novel, when Gatsby is preparing to see Daisy again after five years apart. Because this reunion is taking place at Nick’s house, Gatsby orders a gardening service to cut the overgrown grass and a floristry service to adorn the landscape with an abundance of flowers. Gatsby’s sole intention behind this rather extensive decoration is to please Daisy, with an ultimate goal to reclaim her heart. The second example wherein Gatsby uses his wealth to appeal to Daisy also occurs midway through the novel, when Gatsby is giving Daisy a tour of his mansion. At this point, Daisy is already very much in overcome with fascination towards Gatsby’s luxurious lifestyle. When the couple arrive in Gatsby’s bedroom, to further prove his affluence to her, Gatsby shows off his expensive collection of English clothing, which Daisy believes to be so beautiful, she begins to cry. This is another clear effort made by Gatsby to astonish Daisy with precious items, in the hopes that it will reignite the romance between the

two.
The Great Gatsby is scattered with several instances in which Gatsby “bounces high” for Daisy, as mentioned in the epigraph, meaning that he goes above and beyond to try and get her attention. In chapter four, during a conversation between Nick and Jordan, Jordan reveals that Gatsby specifically purchased the home in the location he did so that Daisy would be just across the bay. This not only demonstrates Gatsby’s obsessive love for Daisy, but also reveals the extreme extents to which he would go to be noticed by her. In the same conversation, Jordan divulges other things that Gatsby did in order to see Daisy again such as reading through the newspaper in hopes that he would spot her name or throwing large, extravagant parties with the slight chance that she might attend someday. Again, both of these examples exhibit Gatsby’s tireless pursuit of Daisy’s heart and how he would do just about anything to be with her again. The final example of Gatsby’s strive towards Daisy occurs close to the end of the novel, when Gatsby takes the blame for Myrtle’s death. This, in particular, emphasizes the destructiveness of the love that Gatsby had for Daisy. Because Gatsby loved Daisy so much, he was willing to take responsibility for a crime she committed, something which ultimately got him killed. These examples are just a few of the “high bounces” Gatsby took for Daisy.
Over the course of The Great Gatsby there are many moments which directly connect back to the epigraph. Whether this be Gatsby wearing his “gold hat” and dazzling Daisy with material items or him “bouncing high” in order to get her attention, he made many attempts to win her heart back after many years apart. Despite all of these obsessive manifestations of his love, in the end, the possibility of the continuation of Gatsby and Daisy’s romance is short-lived, and Daisy never does cry out in adoration for Gatsby, as did the woman in the epigraph.