Quote 4
"You have made an enormous impression on me," said John's eyes, "and I'm not so slow myself"—"How do you do?" said his voice. "I hope you're better this morning."—"You darling," added his eyes tremulously. (5.9)
Compare this love-at-first-sight scene to a very similar passage in " The Curious Case of Benjamin Button " (about three paragraphs down on this page). How would you characterize Fitzgerald's idea of young love?
Quote 5
So the old man and the young shook hands and John walked away with tears streaming from his eyes. Ten minutes later he had passed outside the city limits, and he stopped to glance back for the last time. Over the gates the old-fashioned Victorian motto seemed strangely attractive to him. His father had tried time and time again to have it changed to something with a little more push and verve about it, such as "Hades—Your Opportunity," or else a plain "Welcome" sign set over a hearty handshake pricked out in electric lights. The old motto was a little depressing, Mr. Unger had thought—but now.... (1.8)
This is a veiled reference to the inscription that hangs over the gates of Hell in Dante's Inferno: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." It's ironic that John so easily leaves Hades (we would expect Hell to be a prison) and that so many are imprisoned at the Washingtons' estate (which quickly takes on the role of the Garden of Eden).
Quote 6
"It's impossible to be both [free and poor] together," said John grimly. "People have found that out. And I should choose to be free as preferable of the two. As an extra caution you'd better dump the contents of your jewel box into your pockets." (9.29)
At the end of the story, John is free (in the sense that he escaped from the château), but poor (because Kismine brought rhinestones instead of diamonds). Does this mean his claim here is false? Is he wealthy in some other way at the end of the story? Or is he trapped in some way at the end of the story?