jordan's fear

At Gatsby’s party, Jordan states, “And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” This paradox reveals a new part of Jordan’s character. Obviously, she makes clever observations and has a keen eye in social situations. But analyzing her words further discloses her fear of intimacy.

An “intimate” setting is a place where people feel comfortable with the people they’re with, rather than being cautious in what they say. At big parties, it is easier to blend in and avoid people you don't want to talk to. Everyone is doing their own thing and not paying attention to others. However, at a small party you have a lot less control and each individual is noticed. For example, later on in the novel, the small gathering that Tom, Nick, Daisy, Gatsby have causes so much drama because secrets are revealed. On the other hand, Gatsby’s party with hundreds of people causes no significant issues.

Jordan’s preference for larger parties also reveals her fear of intimacy. To further emphasis, later on in the novel, Jordan “instinctively avoided clever shrewd men… because she felt safer.” She prefers to be with someone stupid, so she can dominate the relationship. Thus, she purposely cut ties with Nick at the end of the novel because she wants to avoid getting close with a smart man like him and be “at a disadvantage.”