Fitzgerald's Paris

The majority of writers discussed previously in this class hold a sense of freedom in Paris. Paris acts as a type of escape for them; a place that allows them to explore sexuality, over-indulgence, and art without consequence. We see this through Miller’s rather excessive involvement with prostitutes or Hemingway’s discussions of drinking, gambling, and having free time to read and explore. 

Due to this, an image of Paris as this place of freedom from responsibility emerges. Paris is a place to grow, and then leave and return to your home/responsibility as a fuller, more competent person. However, through Fitzgerald we’re introduced to Paris as a place of routine; a place of sensibility. 

The qualities of Paris that the writers we’ve previously discussed found as freeing, our expatriate here finds limiting. For example, upon first arriving to Paris again, he sees a man, “Gossiping with a chasseur by the servants’ entrance.” Here we see leisure in Paris, however instead of using this leisure to explore and be free, Charlie finds a sense of stillness surrounding it, almost a sense of boredom. The people aren’t using this leisure time to be inspired, but rather just to talk, etc; to pass the time.

Charlie has grown up, his perspective has changed. He states, “We were a sort of royalty, almost infallible with a sort of magic around us.” Maybe it isn’t so much that Paris is different, but rather that he is. Maybe this stillness and sensibility aren’t true to the city, but instead true to Charlie as he’s aged. His youth, once allowing him ‘a sort of magic’ is now replaced by the responsibility of a daughter and his perspective has undoubtedly changed with his maturity. 

Charlie is extremely sensible, not over-indulging the way Miller, for example, would in drink. Maybe his age/responsibilities don’t allow him to over-indulge in this way, or maybe Paris has really changed. Charlie states, “I take only one drink every afternoon and I’ve had it.” Later in the excerpt, Charlie states, “I’ll take my daily whiskey.” He has his routine and he sticks to it.

Charlie is attached to routine. He’s comfortable with this routine. He can be sensible in this routine and tradition, the same way Paris has a sort of tradition/culture. When asked by a waiter if he wants two vegetables with his lunch, Charlie responds, “I usually only have one at lunch.” This routine gives Charlie a certain sense of stability and order. He lives his life knowing what to expect, as opposed to living ‘on the edge,’ ‘day to day’ the way the other authors we’ve read do.

Charlie is even sensible in his manners. “In the glare of a brasserie a woman spoke to him. He bought her some eggs and coffee, and then, eluding he encouraging stare, gave her a twenty franc note and took a taxi to his hotel.” Later on, when with his daughter, Charlie states, “All right, but not up at the bar. We’ll take a table.” His daughter responds, “The perfect father.” There’s a right way to do things and Charlie is aware of these manners and abides by them, again another sign of maturity and sensibility; patience with an ordered life. 

But this sensibility holds Charlie back from experiencing emotion and ultimately holds him back from being truly engaged in his life. Charlie states, “But you won’t always like me best, honey. You’ll grow up and meet somebody your own age and go marry him and forget you ever had a daddy.” Charlie’s logic here creates a divide, to an extent, between him and his daughter. He creates a divide to prevent future heartbreak or pain; uncomfortableness, but in doing so Charlie is missing out on being as close to his daughter as he might be able to. Charlie didn’t want to love his daughter, “Too much, for he knew the injury that a father can do to a daughter or a mother to a son by attaching too closely: afterward, out in the world; the child would seek in the marriage partner the same blind tenderness and, failing probably to find it, turn against love and life.” His sensibility is acting as a shield, warding off all that is not secure, ensuring stability.

Charlie avoids emotion in the beginning of the excerpt. We never get insight into his emotional side/perspective his stability acting as a barrier between him and this. “The night I locked her out-“ and she interrupted, “I don’t feel up to going over that again.” He seems okay with everything that has occurred. It seems as though he has no issue talking about it; no emotion clearly present. Charlie’s sensibility allows him to focus on order and social responsibility/duty as opposed to emotion. His sensibility allows him to distract away from emotion and instead focus on his responsibilities. A younger Charlie, a Charlie with no responsibilities, may have been much less sensible, overindulging, etc, accepting emotion, but also having a ‘magic’ surround him that he no longer seems to have. The question becomes if Charlie is happier, or more fulfilled rather, living with the chance of pain or living in a world of direct order and a set of pre-determined rules/orders in which he should live by. 

“I don’t blame Marion, but I think she can have entire confidence in me. I had a good record up to three years ago. Of course, it’s within human possibilities I might go wrong any time. But if we wait much longer I’ll lose Honoria’s childhood and my chance for a home.” He shook his head. “I’ll simply lose her, don’t you see?” Here we see his fear/acknowledgment of losing his daughter. He doesn’t want to place emotion in her in case it ends up being ‘lost.’ But even here, Charlie doesn’t bring in emotion, not saying how much he loves his daughter, but instead sticking to the facts. He is sensible, not bluntly emotional. 

However, we see that in the past Charlie was emotional, described as turning, “The key in the lock in wild anger.” It seems that in his past, Charlie did experience the ‘Paris’ we have previously read, a friend of his stating of old Paris, “Well, the big party’s over now.” 

Even through Fitzgerald’s language, Charlie’s sensibility is expressed. Fitzgerald describes him as leaving his address with a ‘purpose.’ He is ordered and focused. 

Again, whether or not Paris changed or Charlie merely grew older, more mature, and ultimately more sensible we don’t know. But the truth remains that his Paris and the way in which he interacts with this environment has changed significantly. 

Fitzgerald describes Charlie as, “Wait(ing) for them to explain themselves.” This gives us an image of Charlie as authoritative, but also as mature and dignified. Charlie has standards that people should follow, or otherwise ‘explain’ why they haven’t. Again, Charlie has an ‘order’ to his life; an order that distances him from emotion and focuses on routine, ensuring a certain degree of stability that may not have been found in his youth. A youth where he encountered a Paris described as containing ‘magic’ and generally being a ‘party.’ 

Maybe Charlie went to this routine and order after being so hurt by emotion and the lifestyle lived previously. Maybe this sensibility is a coping mechanism of sorts; a mechanism that grows with him as he ages. 

The only time we really see Charlie become emotional is when the people around him don’t follow his order and expectations/conduct. Charlie states, “What an absolute outrage! People I haven’t seen for two years having the colossal nerve.” 

When he feels people have not acted accordingly we see Charlie become angered: “Charlie went directly to the Ritz bar with the furious idea of finding Loraine and Duncan, but they were not there.” Again we see Charlie expecting a certain conduct and it angers him when those expectations aren’t fulfilled. Maybe it makes him nervous, for he can’t control everything in his life. He can’t maintain this order he finds solace and stability in and he feels vulnerable when this isn’t maintained. 

For Charlie isn’t “young anymore.” His mindset has changed. And so has his Paris. There’s a presumed maturity in sensibility. A belief that the elderly know better. They get into less trouble, live more stable lives. Maybe they even have a more stable mindset. This might come from a better understanding of their surroundings or merely a fear of being hurt again; a fear of instability after seeing/experiencing what it can do, looking to order and stability as a coping mechanism.