The narrator’s use of his father in Anderson’s story really makes me think of Jay Gatsby. Both men tried to put on a performance to win over the affection of people, Daisy for Gatsby and the towns people for the narrator’s father. Nonetheless, both ultimately failed. Just how Daisy is a representation to Gatsby of money (success, fulfillment), so are the towns people to the narrator’s father. Coincidentally, both Daisy and the towns people are wealthier and more well off than their constituents. The disdain felt by both Daisy and the Joe Kane (he laughed at the narrator’s father attempt to entertain him) connects to their status and rubs in the lack of importance of both Gatsby and the narrator’s father.
I also think that the fact that the family remains nameless to us reinforces their unfortunate irrelevance in the grand scheme of things.
I agree with Praise that the short story connects to Gatsby’s efforts to win over people like Daisy in order to make his dreams a reality. This story also reminded me of how Gatsby’s efforts and American dream were crushed just like the egg. He sacrificed and worked to create a version of himself that Daisy would love to only end up alone and murdered for Daisy’s actions. I think the reason why the narrator holds so much resentment toward the egg is because it made his father too hopeful and foolish. Before becoming ambitious, his father was content with his life and did not place importance on rising up in the world. The fragility of the egg like his dreams, left him covered in yolk and ashamed. This perspective on the American Dream is definitely more bleak than ones we have examined before but I think it relates to the dangers of over dreaming.
I am interested in talking about what amount of dreaming and ambition is just enough to leave you with purpose and not crushed under the weight of your own expectations. So far we have talked about both extremes Gatsby (hoping for too much) and Carl (not dreaming enough compared to Alexandra). If you have an insight on this or examples from either book let me know.
Both Gatsby and the narrator’s father had ambitions of climbing out of their social class. The narrator’s father and Gatsby continuously tried to reinvent themselves. Gatsby created a new identity and snuck his way up to the top. The narrator’s father attempted different business ventures to find which would “hit the jack pot.”
However, Gatsby’s ambitions were selfish. When he left home and became successful, he abandoned his past even his family. This is why his ventures were cutthroat and immoral.
The narrator’s father wanted to create a better life for his family.
Although both men end up not achieving the American Dream- there are dissimilarities between their goals and purposes for success (or lack of)
I agree that, on the whole, the story is reminiscent of Gatsby’s struggle in attaining social status. However, the narrative style also closely mimics Nick’s. For example, before the narrator delves into the egg story, he remarks, “As to what happened downstairs. For some unexplainable reason I know the story as well as though I had been a witness to my father’s discomfiture”(236). This passage reads eerily similarly to Nick’s omniscient descriptions Gatsby. Thus, the story may also be alluding to the themes of perception so prominent in Fitzgerald’s novel.