Jake, Reinvented

The epigraph from The Great Gatsby makes clear that Jake, Reinvented will mirror that novel in many ways, while foreshadowing that the protagonist Jake, like Jay Gatsby, is doomed to fail in achieving his dream. The dedication to “Jay and Daisy” foreshadows that the relationship between Jake and Didi will be at the center of the narrative.

The early scenes at Jake’s house party set up the social dynamics of the teenagers’ high school. Todd is a stereotype of a popular jock, respected by everyone and caught up in his own ego. He flaunts his popularity by hooking up with whoever he wants, including other people’s girlfriends. Rick’s comment that he is “second fiddle” to Todd shows that he views himself as Todd’s sidekick, a position underlined by their different positions on the football pitch—Todd plays the most important position, while Rick is only the kicker. Dipsy’s social position is less certain; he isn’t popular but still gets to come to Jake’s parties. Rick’s uncertainty about Dipsy hints that there is more going on below the surface, foreshadowing Dipsy’s unique relationship to the popular kids: letting them pick on him so that he can attend parties.

Like Dipsy, Jake enters the novel as a figure of mystery, suggesting that he, too, has hidden depths that will be revealed later. Rick’s trip with Jake to Atlantica University deepens the mystery. Jake’s self-confidence when dealing with the college students impresses Rick, but the white envelopes hint that Jake’s success may stem from underhanded methods. Jake’s smile, a motif in the text, captivates Rick, since it hints that there are two sides to Jake: a responsible side and a rebellious side.

As the school year begins, Todd’s selfishness and overconfidence become clearer, setting him up as the novel’s antagonist. Even though their football team isn’t very good, Todd is sure that colleges will want him on their team. Todd’s behavior with Melissa—pushing her off the porch and ignoring her crying—demonstrates his total disregard for other people. Rick begins to struggle with his sidekick position. He at first tries to help Todd by warning him that Didi is coming to the party, but his eventual decision not to cover for Todd indicates that he is beginning to resist Todd’s influence. This establishes conflict that will build during the rising action.

At this early stage, Todd isn’t the only one who comes across as shallow and superficial. Rick also struggles with Appearance Versus Substance, rating girls on a scale of hotness and being so overwhelmed by Didi’s physical beauty that he can barely speak in her presence. Rick’s descriptions of the other students often focus on their relative popularity, reinforcing the strict social hierarchy of American high school culture.

Up to this point, the novel portrays Jake’s parties in a generally positive light. The high school students, mostly seniors, celebrate their exuberant sense of freedom and their optimism about the future. Their High School Hedonism expresses itself in largely harmless hijinks, like the football team stealing Dipsy’s pants. When things look like they might slip into chaos—like when Nelson almost throws the keg out the window—the partiers are able to exert enough self-control to keep the mayhem within manageable limits. Rick is as caught up in the hedonistic atmosphere as anyone else, though his decision not to drink alcohol, another motif in the text, helps him to remain more of an observer than a participant in the parties. This reinforces his role as narrator of the love story of others: He observes Didi and Jake, and his own love story is largely secondary. Mrs. Appleford’s warnings about the dangers of underage drinking foreshadow that Jake’s parties might not remain harmless forever.