Bubbles_glow

≡ English Project: Michelle Yang, Vivian Park, Joan Park, Jenny Bae ≡

 
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The Beginning

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"'You wait here,' I said. 'I’ll see if there’s any sign of a commotion.'" (Fitzgerald, Ch.7)

As I was walking back along the border of the Buchanan's lawn, I saw a distant silhouette of a policeman walking towards the front door. After a couple knocks, Tom slowly stepped out with a grave expression on his face. The two men began talking in low voices and "anybody would have said that they were conspiring together." (Fitzgerald, Ch. 7) I was in shock, watching Tom quickly slip a thick, white envelope into the officer's waiting hands. The deputy nodded his head and walked back towards the car that was flashing bright red and blue lights. I turned away, stupefied by the scene that had just occurred before me.

"'Is it all quiet up there?' He [Gatsby] asked anxiously." (Fitzgerald, Ch.7)

I instinctively masked my inner feelings and slowly reassured him, "Tom won't be hurting Daisy tonight." I turned away, embarrassed, and started my way back home to the West Egg.


 
The police officer's open hands (waiting for the money in exchange for keeping quiet about Myrtle's death) symbolizes how crime-filled society was in the 1920's.  It was the time of organized crime and Prohibition.  People illegally drank alcohol even more than the time that drinking alcohol was not illegal.  Also, criminals were abundant.  An example of a well-known 1920's criminal is Al Capone and huge mafias were made.  The public became immune to these kind of illegal things.  Even the police, who are supposed to be fighting injustice, were bribed by criminals and allowed illegal activities to continue right before their eyes.