The Only Use of
prodigal
in
The Great Gatsby
- Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word.
p. 40.9prodigality = abundance (extravagance in amount)
Definitions:
-
(1)
(prodigal) recklessly wasteful
or more rarely:
abundant (extravagant in amount)
or more rarely still:
long absent (someone who has been away a long time) -
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely, prodigal is used as a noun as a shortened version of prodigal son to reference someone who is wasteful like the prodigal son in the famous Christian parable. When the prodigal son came home and apologized for his wasteful and ungrateful ways, his father forgave him, loved him, and celebrated the return.