Cooperative Principles and the Characterization of Gatsby

【Abstract】In this paper，some conversations in The Great Gatsby will be examined with an approach of the co-operative principles of conversational implication in order to appreciate Fitzgeralds perfect art in characterization.

【Key words】characterization； Gatsby

Ⅰ.The cooperative principle and conversational complication

The cooperative principle was proposed by Paul Grice when he gave a lecture at Harvard University in 1967 and later was developed in his classical paper，“logic and conversation”，in which Grice suggests that when people converse with one another they “acknowledge a kind of tacit agreement to cooperate conversationally towards mutual ends”（Leech & Short，295）.The agreement，or the general principle，is called the cooperative principle and is supported by the following conventional maxims：

1.The Maxim of Quantity：

（1）Make your contribution as informative as is required for the current purpose of the exchange.

（2）Do not make your contribution more informative than is required.

2.The Maxim of Quality：

（1）Do not say what you believe to be false.

（2）Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.

3.The Maxim of Relation：

Be relevant.

4.The Maxim of Manner：

（1）Avoid obscurity of expression.

（2）Avoid ambiguity.

（3）Be brief （avoid unnecessary prolixity）

（4）Be orderly.

（Levinson，101-102）

The important point about these conversational maxims is that they are often violated.When this happens the listener preserves the difference between what the speaker says and what he means by what he says.In other words，in addition to the literal meaning of his utterance，a speaker conveys an additional meaning which is called a conversational implicature by flouting a conventional maxim.The theory of implicature has become a key concept in pragmatic analysis，for it provides a principled account of how it is possible to mean more than what is actually said （Feng，65）.

Ⅱ.The Great Gatsby and the dialogue samples concerned

The Great Gatsby is Fitzgeralds masterpiece.It depicts Gatsby，once poor but a rich man now for gaining great wealth from bootlegging and other criminal activities，how to manage to win Daisys （his former lover）love again with the help of Nick（Daisys cousin brother）and contributes his life to this matter.As Edith Wharton suggested in a letter to Fitzgerald that Fitzgerald wishes to tell his Gatsbys story in a new fashion just to be “modern”，this novel seems “new” concerning style at least in two aspects.On one hand，Fitzgerald seems at every point to emphasize the unconnectedness of Gatsby，withholding exactly who Gatsby is or where he comes from.In short of his enough identity，the conversations with Gatsby as a participant tend to be the key factor for us to understand this character； On the other hand，Fitzgerald adopted the story of first-person narration.Gatsbys story was completely revealed by Nick Caraway and we witness everything through the eyes of this narrator.This limit in scope predetermines that the readers cant get into the innermost part of the protagonists.This does not mean that we never arrive at understanding the protagonists in this novel.In fact，the dialogue itself can serve as an important tool to explore the text since “every line of dialogue plays the role of pushing both action and character development” （Elliott，882）.For the convenience of analysis，I selected 3 dialogues from the novel and classified them into three groups according to the protagonist it involved and the development of the plot.

Dialogue 1：

（Then the butler，behind his shoulder： ‘Philadelphia waits you on the phone，Sir）

（1）‘All right，in a minute.Tell them Ill be right there…Good-night.（Gatsby）

‘Good - night. （Nick）

（2）‘Good - night. He smiled and suddenly there seemed to be a pleasant significance in having been among the last to go，as if he had desired it all the time.‘Good - night.Old sport...Good - night.（Gatsby）

Dialogue 2：

‘Look here，old sport， he broke out surprisingly， ‘whats your opinion of me，anyhow？ （Gatsby）

A little overwhelmed，I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves.

‘Well，Im going to tell you something about my life， he interrupted ‘I dont want you get a wrong idea of me from all those stories you hear

‘Ill tell you Gods truth. His right hand suddenly ordered divine retribution to stand by.‘I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West- all dead now.I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford，because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years.It is a family tradition.

He looked at me sideways – and I knew why Jordan Baker had believed he was lying…

Dialogue 3：

（1）‘Oh，it isnt about that.At least- he （Gatsby）fumbled with a series of beginnings.‘Why，I thought – why，look here，old sport，you dont make much money，do you？

‘Not very much.（Nicky）

This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.

（2）‘I thought you didnt，if youll pardon my – you see，I carry on a little business on the side，a sort of sideline，you understand，And I thought that if you dont make very much- Youre selling bonds，arent you，old sport？ （Gatsby）

‘Trying to.（Nicky）

（3）‘Well，this would interest you.It wouldnt take up much of your time and you might pick up a nice bit of money.It happens to be a rather confidential sort of thing. （Gatsby）

‘Ive got my hands full， I said.‘Im much obliged but I couldnt take on any more work.（Nicky）

Ⅲ.Text Analysis

In Chapter 3，Nick unexpectedly receives the invitation to the party Gatsby holds and comes to know his neighbor in a dramatic way.After a short-time converse，Gatsby leaves and when the party is drawing over he appears again.Then Nick comes to bid farewell to Gatsby.Dialogue 1 depicts this scene.From the context，we know it is the first time that Nick and Gatsby meet and they do not know each other before.When saying good-bye to Gatsby，Nick speech seems very formal and appropriate in such an occasion.Yet，neither does Gatsby，for Gatsby breaks the maxim of manner of “being brief” in repeating the words “good night” four times to an unfamiliar man just come to know.So the hosts odd action makes Nick feel abnormal and thinks that Gatsby expect he has been among the last to go.Simple as it is，this dialogue attracts readers attention to the character Gatsby.It drives them to wonder Gatsbys intention in violating the cooperative principles.

Dialogue 2 is abridged from the conversation between Nick and Gatsby after Nick accepts his neighbors another several invitations later.Though it is a dialogue with two characters involved，we find that Gatsbys own statement prevails over their communication，except Nicks indirect speech for his evading Gatsbys question‘ whats your opinion of me.With reference to the Cooperative Principle，we know Gatsbys words break the maxim of quantity and quality.It breaks the maxim of quantity because Gatsby gives more information than Nick expected.Obviously，Nick feels that it is not appropriate for Gatsby to ask such awkward question for a nod-the-head friend； Furthermore，such a sensitive question seems difficult for anyone to make a response.As a result，Nick refuses to give an answer by making“the generalized evasions which that question deserves”.Nevertheless，in spite of Nicks indifference，Gatsby goes on pouring his life story out.The maxim of quality is broken because what Gatsby offers about his past life is untrue according to the context：He is neither a son of wealthy people nor an Oxford graduate.He was born in a poor western family and his father is still alive and becomes one of the three persons who attend his funeral.And judging from Gatsbys unnatural tone and gesture in speaking his life story，Nick believes that his neighbor is telling a lie.

Dialogue 3 happened under the background that Nicky permits to arrange the appointment between Gatsby and his cousin sister - Daisy.Gatsbys inner world is exactly revealed by his words by this dialogue.There are two adjacency pairs in this dialogue.In each adjacency pair，Gatsbys speech breaks the maxim of manner because he does not express himself in an orderly way.With the implicature in Gatsbys words，we know he wants to offer Nick a profitable errand as an acknowledgement.However，what he said is full of “obscurity，ambiguity and unnecessary prolixity”.This is largely due to two facts： First，what Gatsby engages is illegal business and it is not convenient for him to tell truth about the job he offers to Nick.So he just describes it as “a little business on the side”，“a sort of sideline” and “a rather confidential sort of things”.Secondly，Gatsby has to break the maxim of manner in order to obey the politeness principle.Though the business Gatsby suggests can make big money，it also means great danger.Following the tacit maxim，in proposing and action potentially costly to the hearer，the more indirect the utterance is，the more polite the utterance.So Gatsby repeats questioning Nick unsatisfactory economic condition and hinting the great profit the business can bring to Nick，not proposing the job directly.

Ⅳ.Conclusion

With the description of these three dialogues，the character of Gatsby appears vividly on the paper.A man with Gatsbys wealth would surely have a hundred easier ways to pursue his lover in the course of this story.Nevertheless，he waits so long to arrange a meeting and then use Nick Caraway to bring it about.What Fitzgerald offers about Gatsbys speech seems very sympathetic，though，morally，Gatsby，as a man who plans to steal another persons wife，does not gain the readers votes.In the above dialogues，Gatsby always behaves in a nervous，uneasy way and is not depicted as an arrogant，overbearing gangster as usual.A sense of sincerity can be felt in his words.Hence，the readers cant help being moved by Gatsbys extraordinary gift for romantic readiness.This also coincides with Nicks statement： Gatsby，who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn.However，there was something gorgeous about him （Fitzgerald，1）.And it is this freshness and good faith in Gatsby that makes Nick finally promise to help Gatsby realize his love dream.

References：

[1]Elliott，Emory （edt.）.1988.Columbia literary History of the United States.

[2]Feng，Zongxin.2002.Pragmastylistics of Dramatic Texts： The play off the Stage.Beijing： Tsinghua Press.

[3]Fitzgerald，F.scott.2001.The Great Gatsby.Hertfordshire： Wordsworth Editions Limited Cumberland House.

[4]Levinson，Stephen C.2003.Pragmatics.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and research Press.

作者简介：孙贻红 ，女，1974年9月出生，汉族，英语语言与文学硕士学位，讲师，山东省滨州市人。 主要研究方向：外语教学与应用语言学。