What do these words or phrases mean in this sentence?
One of the main charges leveled against The Great Gatsby is that it is populated with fake, hollow characters. While this assertion carries some truth, it misses much of what Fitzgerald set out to do in the novel, and the literary aesthetic necessary to pull it off. The 1920's flappers were themselves playing a part that did not allow for much depth. Even the main character, Jay Gatsby, [[[[ at ]]]] his seeming most [[[[ confessional ]]]] inhabits a role he has artfully crafted. Perforce, Fitzgerald created many characters who were not [[[[ wrestling with existential doubts ]]]] but who served as a backdrop for a time and a place.

What does "confessional" mean in this sentence?

and I'm also confused about the grammar of "at his seeming most confessional ", especially the "at".

what's the meaning of "wrestling with existential doubts" in the context?

Question

What do these words or phrases mean in this sentence?
One of the main charges leveled against The Great Gatsby is that it is populated with fake, hollow characters. While this assertion carries some truth, it misses much of what Fitzgerald set out to do in the novel, and the literary aesthetic necessary to pull it off. The 1920's flappers were themselves playing a part that did not allow for much depth. Even the main character, Jay Gatsby, [[[[ at ]]]] his seeming most [[[[ confessional ]]]] inhabits a role he has artfully crafted. Perforce, Fitzgerald created many characters who were not [[[[ wrestling with existential doubts ]]]] but who served as a backdrop for a time and a place.

What does "confessional" mean in this sentence?

and I'm also confused about the grammar of "at his seeming most confessional ", especially the "at".

what's the meaning of  "wrestling with existential doubts" in the context?

Answer

“Confessional” here means “truthfully telling the reading something secret about himself.”  The word comes from the practice of confession in the Catholic Church, in which persons “confess” their sins to the priest.  “At his seeming most confessional” means “Even at the time when he appears to be honestly revealing something about himself.”   “Struggling with existential doubts” means “trying to figure out the meaning of life, and being worried that life has no real meaning.”

Answers · 2

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