Identity Quotes in The Day of the Locust

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

Yet, despite his appearance, he was really a very complicated young man with a whole set of personalities, one inside the other like a nest of Chinese boxes. (1.8)

This is a nice way of saying that Tod is funny looking. Still, you'd be wrong to peg him as a simpleton. Although you might end up detesting many aspects of Tod's personality by the end of the novel, there's no debating the fact that he's a complex guy. Whether that's a good thing, however, is entirely up for debate.

Quote #2

A great many of the people wore sports clothes which were not really sports clothes. [...] The fat lady in the yachting hat was going shopping, not boating. (1.9)

Contradictions between individuals and their clothes appear quite frequently in the novel. Although the idea of wearing "sports clothes" while not playing sports might not seem all that weird in today's era of basketball shorts and running shoes, it's a disparity well worth noting.

Quote #3

"Here, you black rascal! A mint julep."

A Chinese servant came running with a Scotch and soda. (4.4)

For some reason, Claude is obsessed with acting like an old Southern plantation owner. Although we find this both weird and gross, we have to admit that West nails the comedic timing here. It's all fantasy here, and the fantasy isn't even accurate.