Tone: how the text is stated (positive, neutral, negative), relies on adverbs, almost always implicit.
We were asked to analyze Nicks claim, "Everyone suspects of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known."
Within our groups and as a class we were able to list the following tones that we got from Nick in the last paragraph of the chapter: narcissistic, vain, arrogant. These are all negative expressions we see from the way Nick is talking.
Why would Nick lie? (one of our guided questions) Saying "I am one of the few...I have ever known" kind of saying that there really aren't very many honest people, which makes him 'special'. Also claiming throughout his entire life, saying 'ever' implying that in his entire life, he's the few. Mentioning 'Cardinal virtue' (each of the chief natural virtues of justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude, as defined by Plato and Aristotle and adopted by the Church Fathers, Gods, and it is ancient) gives the idea that he is congratulating himself for his said great honesty.
Next we analyzed the true honesty of Jordan and Nick
- Jordan: Nick became very judgmental towards her in particular, dismissive of her, claiming that she is 'incurably dishonest' can't be fixed, dishonest to her core, she can never improve or change her ways, being biased against women, proves her falsity by mentioning what he heard about one of her actions she refuses to face up to, when she "moved a ball in the semi-finals", where she cheated. He also judges her in the fact that she is a bad driver, and catches her in a lie after she left a borrowed car out with the top open, where it got rained on ruining the interior of the car.
- Nick: his judgments reflect badly on him at his mentions of tangles that he is in back at home, which he claims he will end so he can start a new connection but never does, and also the fact that he continues to sign letters to his 'entanglement' as Love Nick. Also his strong negative views on Jordan and her cheating makes him hypocritical considering he continues to put on cutting of his other relationship all while cheating on her while drinking and partying all the time with Jordan.
- To get out of trouble
- To make you feel better
- To protect yourself
- To protect your morals
- To save your reputation (Jordan, cheating in golf)
- To protect someone else's feelings
- to take an easy way out to avoid punishment
- To gain an advantage
- For amusement, or gossip
How does the structure change from the previous chapters to this chapter?
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