Response One:
In my younger and more
vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in
my mind ever since.
"Whenever you feel
like criticizing anyone," he told me, "just remember that all the
people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."
... In consequence, I'm
inclined to reserve all judgments...
Reserving judgments is a
matter of infinite hope.
How do you feel about judging people? Is it right, in your opinion, to cast
judgment based on looks, a first impression, what someone says or does in a
certain situation, etc....? Or, is the
narrator, Nick Carroway, right in his underlined statement above?
Examine
and then explain the way that you formulate judgments about other people, and
what aspects of your character are reflected in your system of judgment. Also, explain how you came to this system of
judgment (based upon whose advice, as Nick's is based upon his father's advice
above). Then, explain a specific instance where you knew you were definitely
RIGHT about a person in the judgment you cast, and/or a situation where you
were WRONG about the person.
