Gatsby's Intriguing Smile

After reading the description of Gatsby and his smile, one can see that he is a person who seems eager to please. It seems to me that one learns quite a bit about Gatsby by simply learning about the way he smiles and when he tends to do it. The sentence "...assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey" tells a lot about his character. Gatsby seems to be willing to allow those he comes in contact with to believe him very accepting, kind, understanding. He seems to be a people-pleaser, one who will do anything to make one comfortable. Perhaps this suggests a bit of self-doubt? Or perhaps it is just a personality trait he has that allows him to make many friends, whether true friends or whether he has alternate motives. Perhaps he simply knows how to "work the system" to obtain the desired result. In short, Gatsby seems to understand those he comes in contact with. He understands how to make them feel at-ease. It seems that this technique is one of the best to win another over, being interested in them and completely understanding (whether real or not?) It also is described as rare. His rare smile is one "you may come across four or five times in life". He is a unique individual. Another thought to mention is the fact that despite Gatsby's wealth and standing, he seems to be pretty down-to-earth, a fellow who gets drunk with the best of them and can get along like any regular man.