Julia's Character in A New Leaf Essay

A New Leaf

The short story A New Leaf was written by Scott Fitzgerald in 1931 and the center of the story is Julia Rose, who puts up with defeat in her fight with her illusion about life, faith, and love. She appears in an image of a young, beautiful and rich girl who, despite what other people tell her, falls in love with alcoholic Dick Ragland. During the story the author shows how Julia believes that her love changes Dick, but actually it is only her illusion. This story shows that peoples imaginations dont always match with reality. The protagonist of the story (Julia) is a round character whose desire about Dick provides conflict between the two of them. Throughout the story, Julia shows traits of being arrogant as well as caring, but her strongest characteristic is that she is naive.

Although Julia is the protagonist of the story, she does have a definite flaw in her character, which is her haughtiness. She often shows an arrogant superiority to those she views as unworthy. One example of her contempt comes in the beginning of the story when Phil describes Dick to her and she says that Dick seems like her. Hes run through about everybody, until theres no one left, said Phil. Theres me, said Julia. There was Julia, who was a little too good for anybody (Fitzgerald 386). This reveals that Julia thinks she is above everyone else and that nobody is worthy to be near her. Even the way she talks with Dick when he apologizes that he came to her drunk indicates her conceited attitude. Im busy tomorrowIm sorry, Im very busy this week Mr. Ragland, I hardly see the use of going any further with this. Really, that thing this morning was a little too much. Im very sorry. I hope you feel better. Good-bye. (Fitzgerald 390). The attitude that Julia uses in this conversation illustrates a feeling of pride yet sadness. She shows that she is too good for him but she doesnt change her opinion about Dick. She doesnt want to be proven wrong by Phils correct opinion about Dick because she is too proud to admit she could be wrong. Julias arrogant attitude is also shown in the end of the story in her conversation with Phil about Dicks changes and her feelings about him. Youll understand the feeling I have and always will have about Dick, wont you, Phil? I believed in him-and I was right in a way (Fitzgerald 398). This dialogue shows that Julia is so confident in her opinion about Dick that nothing can change it. Even if Phil was telling her the truth, she will not accept it. Julia thinks that she has more rights to judge Dick than Phil because she believes Dick can change if he is given a second chance.

However Julia is also a very caring person who looks after Dick when he needed her. The reader can see that she is a caring and supportive woman when she helps Dick when he was drunk to come downstairs and take a taxi to go home. With repugnance, she turned him around by his arm and stumbled with him down the apartment stairsShe looked desperately up and down the street for a taxi (Fitzgerald 390). This scene shows that she does have a kind heart. She helps a man who she has only seen for the second time in her life but she doesnt leave him alone as most women might do in the same situation because they hate drunken men. Also, this feature of her character is shown on the boat when Dick tells her how it is difficult not to have a drink and asks her to support him. Dont go, if you can stand me Sing me a song-can you sing? ... Something sad-some sort of blues, asked Dick. All right. If you like, Ill sing to you all afternoon (Fitzgerald 393). Julia doesnt refuse Dick when he asks her a favor not to leave him alone. Even though she was mad for not being invited to his twenty-eighth birthday party, she remains with him because she knows he needs her. Julia also helps out Dick when he is going through hard times and depression. After he gets a job and tries to live a normal life, he falls into depression because he works too hard and he tries his hardest to not drink after all those years of drinking and this made it difficult for Dick to start a new life. After a week, Dicks depression lifted. When he was sad, Julia made him her baby, holding his handsome head against her breast (Fitzgerald 394). She gives him feelings of protection and hope that he can win in his struggle with alcohol. She shows that he always can rely on her. Also, Julia helps Dick to find a place in life when she speaks to him about their marriage. After six months, if everything goes along like this [if Dick does not drink], well announce our engagement. After another six months well be married (Fitzgerald 394). She always stays by Dick to help him keep going and not give up. Through her care and giving him a second chance, he has stopped drinking, has found a good job, and has reunited with his family.

The most important characteristic of Julias personality in the story is her naivety. She lacks experience of life, which means she believes most people are honest and only good things will happen to her. One of the most obvious examples is the conversation between Julia and Phil at the beginning of the story. In this dialogue she shows her appreciation towards Dick and her doubt of the public opinion about him. Hes without doubt the handsomest man I ever saw in my lifeHes an archangel, hes a mountain lion, hes something to eat Nonsense; he must be maligned I bet hes tremendously attractive (Fitzgerald 386). The way she describes Dick shows that she is a romantic person who believes that he is the man of her dreams and they will live happily ever after. She judges people on their appearance instead of their action and personality which makes her different from most people. Julias over-trustfulness is seen when she tries to prove to Phil that she has changed Dick and that she believes in him. Dicks changed You dont know him Hes different with me. You dont know how gentle he is, and responsive Dick and I are one person now (Fitzgerald 395). She has formed a false impression in her mind that only she is the only one who can save him from alcoholism. She does not realize that if Dick really wanted to change his life, he could do it without her help. He proves this when he tells Julia about another woman who replaced Julia while she was in California. After you went to California I was lonesome and I ran into her. Shed liked me that day, and for a while we saw quite a bit of each other (Fitzgerald 396). But the strongest evidence that Julia looks at the world differently is in the end of the story when she asks Phil a question about Dick. He didnt drink, did he? He wasnt drinking? (Fitzgerald 397). Deep down in inside her heart, she knows the truth about Dick, but she refuses to believe the truth. She wants to live in her own world where she can be the hero. She never gives up her faith about Dick changing his bad alcoholic ways.

Each character trait of Julia, her arrogance, her care and her naivety, is clearly shown throughout the story. It shows that the story A New Leaf is about love and her quest to change the life of the man of her dreams. Her care for others, especially Dick, makes her a clear protagonist in this story and without this trait Julia would be a negative character. Her belief in Dick gives the reader a hope that miracles happen and that people can change if they are given second chances.