Read the excerpt from The Great Gatsby . My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore, and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor's lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires—all for eighty dollars a month. Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of the summer really begins on the evening I drove over there. What message do phrases such as “the consoling proximity of millionaires” and “white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered” convey to the reader?
Answer
A
Everyone in East Egg lives in a palace.
B
The narrator despises people who live in large homes.
C
Financial wealth is desirable to the narrator.
D
Financial wealth has no relevance in this novel.
Explanation
The phrase “consoling proximity of millionaires” suggests that living near wealthy people is a comfort, while “white palaces” that “glittered” makes East Egg’s wealth seem impressive and attractive. Together, the descriptions show that financial wealth is desirable to the narrator, rather than something he despises or considers irrelevant.
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