Owl+Eyes

Despite F. Scott Fitzgerald not dubbing him with any name other than a sobriquet referencing to his owl-eyed spectacles, the character of Owl Eyes establishes some big ideas in the minds of readers. Owl Eyes, having an owl-like perceptiveness about him, is suspicious of Gatsby's overly extravagant household and chooses to explore the shelves of books in Gatsby's grand library. In turn, he helps to establish that Gatsby's mansion is just part of a big show to impress his long lost love Daisy. Owl Eyes is also involved in a car accident after one of Gatsby's parties, in turn displaying the lack of responsibility that existed within the wealthier population at the time as well as foreshadowing the future car accident in which Myrtle is killed. Lastly, through showing change in his perception of Gatsby during his attendance of his funeral, Owl Eyes also provides somewhat of a resolution to the story.
 * __ Owl Eyes __**

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__** Through his speech and laughter in Gatsby's library, Owl Eyes successfully conveys the idea that Gatsby's mansion is simply a grand display to impress **__ __** Daisy. **__

(Owl Eyes referring to a book in Gatsby's library) **'It's a bona fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. [Gatsby's] a regular Belasco." (p. 50)**
 * Gatsby compared to David Belasco, a popular American theatrical producer of 1920's
 * Suggests Gatsby's library's like one of Belasco's set designs - all part of a show, a facade
 * Leads one to think flash, over-the-top grandness of the rest of mansion all a facade, a grand display



(Owl Eyes referring to Gatsby's library) **"It's a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop too - didn't cut the pages." (p. 50)**
 * Pages of books not separated, have never been read (individual pages of books were stuck together, had to be cut in order to be read)
 * Suggests that books are just for show, again suggesting library and thus the whole mansion are a facade



(After Nick, Daisy and Gatsby have looked around his library) ** "As Gatsby closed the door of 'The Merton College Library', I could have sworn I head the owl-eyed man break into a ghostly laughter." (p. 96) **
 * Happens during Gatsby’s and Daisy’s “date” (Gatsby invited Daisy and Nick over to mansion), Gatsby showing house to Daisy, wants to impress her
 * Owl Eyes reappearing in laughter reminds readers of Owl Eyes' previous appearance in library, how books are uncut, that library is just for show
 * Daisy's presence with Owl Eyes' laughing connects these two concepts, plants the idea that facade of library, house, was created in order to impress Daisy

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__** Owl Eyes’ reaction in combination with the crowd's response to the car wreck that occurred after Gatsby's party conveys the great carelessness and lack of responsibility that was in existence at the time amongst the rich. **__

(Owl Eyes’ response to the questions the crowd surrounding the post-party car wreck are asking) ** "'I know nothing about mechanics,' he said decisively. 'But how did it happen? Did you run into the wall?' 'Don't ask me,' said Owl Eyes, washing his hands of the whole matter. 'I know very little about driving - next to nothing. It happened, and that's all I know.'" (p. 59) **
 * Owl Eyes in ways like any other guest, had been drunk, obviously partying earlier, and is thus representative of party guests, all of whom are considerably wealthy
 * Cars at the time possessed, driven by wealthy; Owl Eyes driving in car also labels him as wealthy
 * Displays Owl Eyes as not taking responsibility at all for the wreck, though he was partly responsible in riding in car with driver
 * Thus suggests a carelessness, lack of responsibility amongst wealthy

(Referring to the crashed car) **"The sharp jut of a wall accounted for the detachment of the wheel which was now getting considerable attention from half a dozen curious chauffeurs. However, as they had left their cars blocking the road, a harsh discordant din from those in the rear had been audible for some time sand added to the already violent confusion of the scene." (p. 58)**
 * Crowd made of chauffeurs, associated with the rich; rich guests are in the cars that are blocked, honking
 * Crowd just stands around, do not even bother to see if passengers of car are OK, displays carelessness
 * Wealthy party guests in cars honk horns, are rude, do not even seem to notice crashed car, again displays carelessness
 * =====Again implies a carelessness, lack of responsibility amongst rich people at the time=====

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** __The car crash that Owl Eyes is in foreshadows Myrtle's fatal car accident that occurs later in the novel.__ **

** "In the ditch beside the road, right side up but violently shorn of one wheel, rested a new coupe which had left Gatsby's drive not two minutes before." (p. 58) ** > > > (Owl Eyes' response to criticism from crowd on his poor driving skills) **"'You don't understand,' explained the criminal. "I wasn't driving. There's another man in the car." (p. 59)** = ** “A man in a long duster had dismounted from the wreck and now stood in the middle of the road looking from car to the tire and from the tire to the observers in a pleasant puzzled way. ‘See!’ he explained. ‘It went in the ditch.’ The fact was infinitely astonishing to him – and I recognized first the unusual quality of wonder and then the man – it was the late patron of Gatsby’s library.” (p. 58) ** = >
 * Missing front wheel reflects accident Tom and supposed mistress were in (tire falls off, supposed mistress was hurt (p.82)), which in turn reflects Myrtle's fatal car accident (Myrtle was Tom's mistress), Owl Eyes' accident indirectly reflecting Myrtle's accident, thus foreshadowing it
 * Wheel "violently shorn" from car, reflects how Myrtle's breast is torn off in future car accident, again foreshadowing the accident
 * Gatsby is blamed for Myrtle's accident though Daisy was driving, like Owl Eyes is blamed here, again foreshadowing Myrtle's accident
 * "late patron" is Owl Eyes, Owl Eyes is involved with accident
 * Owls can be taken as omen of death
 * Myrtle dies in future car accident, Owl Eyes' accident reflecting it and thus foreshadowing it

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__ ** Through Owl Eyes actions at Gatsby's funeral, readers are provided with somewhat of a resolution. ** __

(After Nick sees Owl Eyes has showed up at Gatsby's funeral) **"I don't know how he knew about the funeral or even his name. The rain poured down his thick glasses and he took them off and wiped them to see the protecting canvas unrolled from Gatsby's grave." (p. 183)**
 * ==== Owl Eyes had been like many of Gatsby's guests, didn't associate with him, didn't know him (mentioned that he "was brought" (p. 50) to party he attended), had only taken advantage of Gatsby's hospitality and shown drunken admiration, amusement for his facade of a library ====
 * ==== Shows great respect, sympathy for Gatsby here (suggests he went out of way to find funeral), especially since he was on of the few actually in attendance of the funeral ====
 * ==== Wiping glasses symbolic of Owl Eyes' positive change of perspective of Gatsby ====
 * ==== Few characters change, learn from experience within the novel; Owl eyes' change offers mini-resolution in showing one (minor) character changed for the good ====

(Owl Eyes and Nick talking after Gatsby's funeral) **"'I couldn't get to the house.' he remarked. 'Neither could anybody else.' 'Go on!' He started. 'Why, my God! They used to** ** go there by the hundreds.' He took off his glasses and wiped them again outside and in. 'The poor son-of-a-bitch.'" (p. 183) **


 * ==== Again shows sympathy, care for Gatsby ("the poor son-of-a-bitch"), contrast to old self who didn’t know, care for Gatsby ====
 * ==== Again wipes glasses "outside and in", symbolic of Owl Eyes' change in perspective ====
 * ==== Shows change in Owl Eyes unlike other characters in novel, again offers a taste of resolution to the story (one character changing for the good) ====

=Citations for pictures:=

Curry, Thomas A. // Mima //. 1929. Photograph. Special Collections and University Archives, Eugene, Oregon. // University of Oregon Libraries //. University of Oregon, Aug. 2009. Web. Sept. 2010. .

// Scott //. Photograph. // Foner Books //. Morris Rosenthal. Web. .