As if to top off a night already characterised by drunken
decadence and mad partying, Nick describes the scene that greets him as he leaves the party, and
makes him realise that "the evening was not quite over." He sees lots of headlights and a car in
a ditch which has lost its wheel. Owl-Eyes has exited this crashed car and is standing in a
drunken stupor, contemplating the car and finding it an amazing site. In response to questions
about what has happened, he says "I know nothing about mechanics." In response to further
questions he reveals that he was not driving, and the crowd looks upon another man who gets out
of the car, likewise clearly drunk, asking if the car had run out of gas, and then asking where
the nearest petrol station is.
Nick is clearly confirming our
impressions by showing us this incident of two men who, in an era of Prohibition, are so drunk
that they crash a car and show a complete inability of understanding what had actually happened.
The link of decadence and illegal drinking to Gatsby's parties is thus
cemented.
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