Paging Dr. Freud: Amory's early family life has a huge effect on his personality. For starters, his mom spoils him rotten and raises him to think he's a god among mortals. Yuck. In many cases, This Side of Paradise blames Amory's problems on his mother's influence.
But, truth be told, there comes a time when Amory needs to take responsibility for his own destiny and stop blaming his family for his troubles. Along the way, he gains a valuable new "family" member in Monsignor Darcy, who becomes like a father. When Darcy dies, though, Amory is left all alone with no sense of direction, and it's tough to tell whether he'll ever find a new compass.
Questions About Family
- Do you think Amory's family life has created most of his problems? Why or why not?
- How are Amory and Monsignor Darcy like family? How do they both benefit from their relationship?
- Do you think Amory would be fulfilled if he got married and had a family? Why or why not?
Chew on This
In This Side of Paradise, we learn that family can often cause more problems than it solves.
In This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald shows us that a person without a strong family will always feel lost in the world.