Mr. Carraway, this is my good friend, Mr. Meyer Wolfshiem.The Great Gatsby · 2013 — Chapter 6 of 18 · 4'09" · B2
Gatsby's Lunch with a Gambler, Explained: keeps his mouth shut
Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfshiem over lunch, and the conversation slides from polite small talk into business: "Tell Walter Chase he keeps his mouth shut." Wolfshiem also vouches for Gatsby's war record and character, but every compliment sounds like a reference being checked.
What happens
Gatsby takes Nick to lunch in the city and introduces him to Meyer Wolfshiem, a gambler he calls a good friend. Over the meal Wolfshiem talks about someone keeping quiet for money and praises Gatsby's family, war service, and Oxford years. The lunch ends with Gatsby raising the favor he wants from Nick.
Listen for
keeps his mouth shutwhen it comes toso much asa man of fine breeding
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Now
Phrase of the scene
keeps his mouth shut
闭嘴；守口如瓶
沃尔夫山姆在午宴上转告同伙，让一个欠钱的人管住嘴，否则拿不到钱。
If you want to stay in this business, keep your mouth shut.
Also in this scene
- when it comes to
说到；在……方面
- so much as
甚至连……都（用于否定强调）
- a man of fine breeding
a well-bred, well-mannered person; dated wording that implies good family
Everything marked in this scene
23 notes across 96 lines
liaison
Mr. Carraway, this is my good friend, Mr. Meyer Wolfshiem.I know all about you.liaison
I know all about you.Tell Walter Chase he keeps his mouth shut...elision
Tell Walter Chase he keeps his mouth shut...You be careful, now. You're turning into a real jazz hound, commissioner.You be careful, now. You're turning into a real jazz hound, commissioner.I'll put a bet on for you, Jay!- ...a business connection. - No. No, no, no.Oh, I beg your pardon.From one of the finest families in the Midwest.superlative
From one of the finest families in the Midwest.When I first made the pleasure of...Then you'd know that when it comes to married women...when it comes to
Then you'd know that when it comes to married women......a man like this can be trusted....he'd never so much as look at your wife.negative emphasis
...he'd never so much as look at your wife.We were just talking about other people's wives.No, no. He's a gambler.Saw the opportunity, I suppose.Now, old sport, about Miss Baker and that request we spoke of.Gatsby's Lunch with a Gambler, explained
What's really going on
Wolfshiem presents himself as a respectable man of introductions, but the table talk gives him away: "Tell Walter Chase he keeps his mouth shut..." — a warning that talking costs a man his money. He sizes Gatsby up the same way, checking the war record and the family name before granting approval. When he says, "Then you'd know that when it comes to married women..." he is really describing how trust works in his world: a man is dependable once he has been vouched for and paid for. Nick, seated between them, is the audience being shown how the city's money really moves — through favors, silence, and introductions that only look polite.
Theme
CorruptionWolfshiem pays a man to keep quiet and treats loyalty as something bought, money deciding who stays silent.
ClassHe approves of Gatsby only after hearing of his fine family, war record, and Oxford.
What you'll learn
- Use I beg your pardon to apologize
- Hear keep his mouth shut as a gag order
- Catch jazz hound as a devoted fan
- Notice the irony about wives
- Switch topics with when it comes to
Listen for
- my good friend — liaison
- all about you — liaison
- keeps his mouth shut — elision
I know all about you.Wolfshiem opens by claiming to already know Nick's background, a disarming way of showing he has done his homework.
...I knew I'd discovered a man of fine breeding.Wolfshiem recalls meeting Gatsby and deciding he came from good stock, praise that rests on breeding rather than deeds.
Well, my work here is done. I'm going to leave you gentlemen...Wolfshiem excuses himself after vouching for Gatsby, leaving the two men to the business he has just set up.
He's a very smart man.A cagey compliment to Wolfshiem: clever, opportunistic, and not someone to cross.
Questions about this scene
Who is Meyer Wolfshiem?
Gatsby's older business associate, described as a gambler. He is the man who, by his own admission, fixed a major baseball series, and his dealings suggest Gatsby's money comes from crime.
What does Wolfshiem mean about Walter Chase?
He wants Chase to stay silent about their dealings, and threatens that talking means losing his money. It shows how Wolfshiem enforces loyalty with cash and fear.
Why does Wolfshiem praise Gatsby so much?
He vouches for Gatsby's family, war service, and Oxford background, presenting a respectable front. Since Gatsby is asking Nick for a favor, the praise helps sell that image.
What favor does Gatsby want from Nick at the end?
He brings up Miss Baker and "that request we spoke of," the first hint that Gatsby wants Nick to help him reach Daisy. The lunch sets it up without spelling it out.
The Great Gatsby · 18 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 7pomp and circumstanceJordan Tells Gatsby's Backstory
Chapter 1reserve all judgmentsNick Begins His Story
Chapter 2have the decencyNick Dines with the Buchanans
Chapter 3sit on the sidelineTom's Secret Apartment Party
Chapter 4old sportNick Searches for Gatsby
Chapter 5a pack of liesGatsby Tells Nick His Life Story
Watching · Chapter 6keeps his mouth shutGatsby's Lunch with a Gambler
Chapter 7pomp and circumstanceJordan Tells Gatsby's Backstory
Chapter 8acting like a little boyGatsby's Awkward Reunion with Daisy
Chapter 9If it wasn't forGatsby Shows Daisy His Mansion
Chapter 10to your likingTom and Daisy Join Gatsby's Party
Chapter 11make a point ofDaisy Wants to Run Away
Chapter 12repeat the pastGatsby Refuses to Let the Past Go
Chapter 13Have it your own wayGatsby Meets Tom at Lunch
Chapter 14Nobody From NowhereTom Calls Gatsby Nobody From Nowhere
Chapter 15in our bloodTom Exposes Gatsby at the Hotel
Chapter 16pull yourself togetherThe Yellow Car After the Crash
Chapter 17keep your voice downGatsby Waits Outside Daisy's House
Chapter 18made something of myselfGatsby Keeps Vigil Until DawnChapter 6 of 18 · about 54 min to go