Character sketch of Jordan Baker

“The younger woman of the two was a stranger to me. She was extended full length at her end of the divan, completely motionless, and with her chin raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall. If she saw me out of the corner of her eyes she gave no hint of it indeed, I was almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her by coming in” (p.8). This small passage is all Nick has to say to describe Jordan to the reader. She is an actress trying to appeal to the crowd. A very fake person, she struggles to save face with the company she so desperately wants to be apart of. Just as she struggles with her balancing act, trying to keep her chin raised. Nick wants to apologize for making her lose focus on what she wants. Nick is not apart of the “scene” so she doesn’t even bother to acknowledge him walking into the room. To keep her persona she rejects cocktails claiming “I’m absolutely in training” (p.10). But she is questioned as if something is up. But questions are halted because as Nick says “I enjoyed looking at her” (p.11). Her outer appearance keeps her inner qualities hidden to the reader. Her true colors are brought out when she quietly speaks to Nick about Tom and Daisy in the other room as she tries to eavesdrop on their conversation. The last trick Jordan has is near the end of the chapter when she goes to bed at 10:00 because she has a tournament the next day, “Time for this good girl to go to bed” (p.18). She finds it necessary to exclaim that good girls go to bed early like her. She wants everyone to believe she is a good girl.
-Michael Spinosa