Two years later, Nick recalls the events that happened during and after Gatsby's funeral. Nick attempts to hold a large funeral for Gatsby, but nobody shows up besides a few former servants, Gatsby's father named Henry Gatz, Owl Eyes, and Nick. Nick tries to get Wolfshiem to come but he claims he is busy and cannot come. Before Nick left for the Midwest, he sees Tom and concludes that Tom and Daisy are too careless and only bring misfortune to people who know them, which completely contradicts his statement in the beginning of the novel that said he doesn't judge people. At the end of the novel, Nick compares the green light on the other side of the dock to the American dream.
Character: Nick
" They were careless people, Tom and Daisyーthey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their cast carelessness, or whatever it was that kepy them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made..."
Nick is trustworthy yet not-trustworthy. In the beginning of the novel, he never was on any side and also never judged people. Because he was also the narrator and everything he finds out the readers find out, he becomes trustworthy. As the novel progressed, he began to view everybody besides Gatsby in more contempt and all his previous claims about reserving judgement were contradicted. As seen in the quote above, he judges Tom and Daisy.
Nick's active role in the novel in not only to narrate, but also to connect Daisy and Gatsby. If Nick wasn't in the story, Gatsby and Daisy would have never met. Throughout the novel, Nick is the one connecting Gatsby and Daisy together. At one point, Nick says, "I tried to go then, but they wouldn't hear of it; perhaps my presence made them feel more satisfactory alone." (Fitzgerald 94) The start of their relationship was all thanks to Nick.
Quote:
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. it eluded us then, but that's no matterーto-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther....And one fine morningー So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
The quote is not only important to the chapter, but to the whole novel. Gatsby represents everybody pursuing the American dream in Fitzgerald's time. The green light is the American dream, which Gatsby never reaches. I think Fitzgerald is trying to say that the American dream is somewhat out of reach because people in his time look back at the past too much, which is exemplified as Gatsby tries to make the present with Daisy just like the past. Fitzgerald first published the novel a few years after the Great War. Disillusioned, people wanted to return to the past but at the same time also going forward.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 8, pages 147-162
In the beginning of the chapter, Nick wakes up worried about Gatsby and visits him at his mansion. Nick tries to convince Gatsby to leave West Egg and go far away, but Gatsby reluctantly refuses, saying that he would wait for Daisy. Gatsby then tells Nick everything about his background; from Dan Cody all the way to Daisy's letters. The scene shifts to George Wilson and Michaelis, and George disappears from his garage on the motive to kill the man who had an affair with Myrtle. While Gatsby is in his pool, George Wilson comes up to him and shoots Gatsby and then shoots himself.
Character: Gatsby
"If that was true he must have felt that he has lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream." (Fitzgerald 161)
Gatsby is a devious and narrow-minded man; nevertheless, he is the only character in the novel that sticks to his /her core values. In the past five years, Gatsby has only thought about Daisy. He carefully planned parties only with the aspirations that Daisy would come to one. His narrow-mindedness made him only concentrate on Daisy, and once he lost his holy grail, which was Daisy, his hole world fell apart. Every single character besides Gatsby were corrupted by society by the end of the novel, but Gatsby was the only one who didn't change. After his dream of getting Daisy was clearly over, he still waited for her call, which ultimately decided his death.
Gatsby's role is essentially the whole plot. The plot revolves around him and his actions. He is the one who instigated Daisy's adulterous behavior. Before hearing about Gatsby, Daisy was an innocent and tolerant girl that did not seem to care about Tom's cheating, which is not the case by the end of the novel. Gatsby also brought the narrator to sympathize with him, making readers also sympathize with Gatsby because Nick is a trustworthy narrator.
Quote:
"His house had never seemed so enormous to me as it did that night when we hunted through the great rooms for cigarettes... " (Fitzgerald 147)
The quote stood out to me because it described Gatsby. His house mirrors Gatsby's self. In the beginning of the novel, people filled his house. The description by Gatsby to Daisy made readers stare in disbelief at the lustrous image of Gatsby's house, but the quote above says otherwise. The quote describes Gatsby's house as enormous, dusty, and empty, just like Gatsby. Once his sole goal disappeared, he turned into another Dan Cody, a man with money but no purpose.
Character: Gatsby
"If that was true he must have felt that he has lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream." (Fitzgerald 161)
Gatsby is a devious and narrow-minded man; nevertheless, he is the only character in the novel that sticks to his /her core values. In the past five years, Gatsby has only thought about Daisy. He carefully planned parties only with the aspirations that Daisy would come to one. His narrow-mindedness made him only concentrate on Daisy, and once he lost his holy grail, which was Daisy, his hole world fell apart. Every single character besides Gatsby were corrupted by society by the end of the novel, but Gatsby was the only one who didn't change. After his dream of getting Daisy was clearly over, he still waited for her call, which ultimately decided his death.
Gatsby's role is essentially the whole plot. The plot revolves around him and his actions. He is the one who instigated Daisy's adulterous behavior. Before hearing about Gatsby, Daisy was an innocent and tolerant girl that did not seem to care about Tom's cheating, which is not the case by the end of the novel. Gatsby also brought the narrator to sympathize with him, making readers also sympathize with Gatsby because Nick is a trustworthy narrator.
Quote:
"His house had never seemed so enormous to me as it did that night when we hunted through the great rooms for cigarettes... " (Fitzgerald 147)
The quote stood out to me because it described Gatsby. His house mirrors Gatsby's self. In the beginning of the novel, people filled his house. The description by Gatsby to Daisy made readers stare in disbelief at the lustrous image of Gatsby's house, but the quote above says otherwise. The quote describes Gatsby's house as enormous, dusty, and empty, just like Gatsby. Once his sole goal disappeared, he turned into another Dan Cody, a man with money but no purpose.
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 7, pages 113-145
In the beginning, we find out that Gatsby replaced all his servants with dangerous people connected to Wolfshiem through Nick being greeted rudely by on of Gatsby's new servants. Nick drives to the Buchanan's house to have lunch with Tom and Daisy, and also find Jordan and Gatsby also there. While in the house, Daisy openly expresses her love for Gatsby, and Tom begins to suspect something and suggests they all go to town together. During the drive to town, they stop at the Wilson's and discover that Mr. Wilson has discovered that Myrtle has been secretly seeing somebody. In the hotel, Gatsby and Tom get into a heated verbal fight about Daisy, and on the drive back home, Daisy hits Myrtle on the road and kills her.
Character: George Wilson
"Wilson had never seemed faintly capable of such a statement. Generally he was one of these worn-out men: when he wasn't working, he sat on a chair in the doorway and stared at the people and the cars that passed along the road. When any one spoke to him he was invariably laughed in an agreeable, colorless way. He was his wife's man and not his own." (Fitzgerald 136)
George Wilson is a trustworthy, yet submissive man who kisses up to higher society to get the money he wants. From the quote above, it is clear that he usually trusts Myrtle and lets her do what she desires, but he locks her up when he finds out that she was cheating on him so he can be dominant too. Mr. Wilson also is a kiss-up. Each time Tom comes, Mr. Wilson asks Tom with utmost politeness if he can sell his cars to Mr. Wilson himself so Mr. Wilson can make a lot of money.
George Wilson's role in the novel is to represent a normal man in society that wants to climb up the social latter by trying to do business with Tom. He also represent's Tom's poorer counterpart because both have discovered his wife's infidelity.
Quote:
"They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale, and yet they weren't unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together. " (Fitzgerald 145)
The quote stood out to me because I felt it foreshadowed a downfall to Gatsby in the coming chapters. It says that Daisy still dearly loved Tom, so in the future, I think Daisy will tell Gatsby straight out to stop bothering her. She was already mad enough when Gatsby told her to tell Tom that she never loved Tom, that the five years she spent with him was only a filler for Gatsby.
Character: George Wilson
"Wilson had never seemed faintly capable of such a statement. Generally he was one of these worn-out men: when he wasn't working, he sat on a chair in the doorway and stared at the people and the cars that passed along the road. When any one spoke to him he was invariably laughed in an agreeable, colorless way. He was his wife's man and not his own." (Fitzgerald 136)
George Wilson is a trustworthy, yet submissive man who kisses up to higher society to get the money he wants. From the quote above, it is clear that he usually trusts Myrtle and lets her do what she desires, but he locks her up when he finds out that she was cheating on him so he can be dominant too. Mr. Wilson also is a kiss-up. Each time Tom comes, Mr. Wilson asks Tom with utmost politeness if he can sell his cars to Mr. Wilson himself so Mr. Wilson can make a lot of money.
George Wilson's role in the novel is to represent a normal man in society that wants to climb up the social latter by trying to do business with Tom. He also represent's Tom's poorer counterpart because both have discovered his wife's infidelity.
Quote:
"They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale, and yet they weren't unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together. " (Fitzgerald 145)
The quote stood out to me because I felt it foreshadowed a downfall to Gatsby in the coming chapters. It says that Daisy still dearly loved Tom, so in the future, I think Daisy will tell Gatsby straight out to stop bothering her. She was already mad enough when Gatsby told her to tell Tom that she never loved Tom, that the five years she spent with him was only a filler for Gatsby.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 6, pages 97-111
The chapter begins as Nick has a flashback about Gatsby's early life. James Gatz, or Jay Gatsby, lived in North Dakota an attended St. Olaf's College in Minnesota, only to drop out two weeks later due to his despairing work as a janitor to pay his own tuition. As James Gatz worked on Lake Superior, he warned Dan Cody of a storm and Cody employed Gatz as his personal assistant and named him Jay Gatsby. Later, Cody died and left his inheritance to Gatsby, but Cody's cunning mistress prevented the transaction to happen and got the thousands instead of Gatsby. The scene changes and Tom and Daisy are in Gatsby's party, Gatsby showing off his wealth to Tom with every chance he gets.
Character: Dan Cody
"A few days later he took him to Duluth and bought him a blue coat, six pairs of white duck trousers, and a yachting cap."
Dan Cody is wealthy, charitable, and grateful. His wealth is shown through his transactions of Montana copper. His gratefulness is exemplified though taking in Gatz, a mere child of farmers. To show even more charitableness, he buys Gatsby a good amount of clothing.
Dan Cody's role in the novel is to pose as Gatsby's rich friend to the eyes of others and also to remind Gatsby of who he originally was. Gatsby is self-conscious of how others look at him, so he would want people to think that his old friend is an extremely rich person. So far in the novel, the picture of Gatsby on "his" yacht is the only proof of his secret past.
Quote:
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: 'I never loved you.' "
The quote signifies how obsessed Gatsby is about Daisy. According to novel, there has never been anything mentioned between Daisy and Gatsby about switching loyalties from Tom to Gatsby so far. There is no reason why Daisy should go up to Tom and tell him the truth at the moment, yet Gatsby desires her to. Even though Gatsby has waited for five years, the quote also tells how desperate and impatient he is now.
Character: Dan Cody
"A few days later he took him to Duluth and bought him a blue coat, six pairs of white duck trousers, and a yachting cap."
Dan Cody is wealthy, charitable, and grateful. His wealth is shown through his transactions of Montana copper. His gratefulness is exemplified though taking in Gatz, a mere child of farmers. To show even more charitableness, he buys Gatsby a good amount of clothing.
Dan Cody's role in the novel is to pose as Gatsby's rich friend to the eyes of others and also to remind Gatsby of who he originally was. Gatsby is self-conscious of how others look at him, so he would want people to think that his old friend is an extremely rich person. So far in the novel, the picture of Gatsby on "his" yacht is the only proof of his secret past.
Quote:
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: 'I never loved you.' "
The quote signifies how obsessed Gatsby is about Daisy. According to novel, there has never been anything mentioned between Daisy and Gatsby about switching loyalties from Tom to Gatsby so far. There is no reason why Daisy should go up to Tom and tell him the truth at the moment, yet Gatsby desires her to. Even though Gatsby has waited for five years, the quote also tells how desperate and impatient he is now.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 5, pages 81-96
In the beginning of the chapter, Nick comes back home from a date with Jordan Baker and sees Gatsby walking towards him. At first, Gatsby desperately tries to make Nick happy with offers such as inviting him to go to his pool, but then Nick easily finds out Gatsby's real motive is to get him to arrange a meeting with Daisy, which he does. When Daisy arrives, both Gatsby and Daisy are completely nervous and can't speak well, but after Nick leaves them for a little while, both of them begin to talk like old friends. Gatsby, filled with confidence, invites Nick and Daisy over to his house, showing off his wealth to Daisy. At some point, Gatsby and Daisy completely forget that Nick is also with them, so Nick quietly sneaks out and leaves.
Character: Daisy
"'I adore it,' exclaimed Daisy. 'The pompadour! You never told me you had a pompadour--or a yacht.'" (Fitzgerald 93)
Daisy is an innocent woman who seems to follow men around easily. In the previous chapters, when Tom cheats in front of her, Daisy pretends nothing happened. Tom has full control of her and she just follows everything he wants. This is similar in Gatsby's case. Daisy also follows Gatsby around. In this chapter, each time Gatsby shows her something, she praises the object like it was gold.
Daisy's role in the novel is to cause chaos in an indirect way. She is the missing piece that ties the whole story together. Gatsby has his life centered for her, and inevitably, Tom and Gatsby are going to clash at any moment. Gatsby and Daisy love each other, and at the moment, Tom does not know that. Tom treats all his "possessions" like objects, and Daisy is also one of those objects. For such an egoistical man, it is horrid if another person took Daisy from his possessions, so there will be tension between Tom and Gatsby.
Quote:
" 'I did, old sport,' he said automatically, 'but I lost most of it in the big panic - the panic of the war.' " (Fitzgerald 90)
The quote again brings up if Gatsby is making everything up about his background. It seems that he already has an answer prepared for every loophole, or else he would not answer "automatically". Gatsby always quickens his answers when talking about his own past, which means that he could be lying. His past is still a mystery to the readers, and what he says is not a reliable source of information.
Character: Daisy
"'I adore it,' exclaimed Daisy. 'The pompadour! You never told me you had a pompadour--or a yacht.'" (Fitzgerald 93)
Daisy is an innocent woman who seems to follow men around easily. In the previous chapters, when Tom cheats in front of her, Daisy pretends nothing happened. Tom has full control of her and she just follows everything he wants. This is similar in Gatsby's case. Daisy also follows Gatsby around. In this chapter, each time Gatsby shows her something, she praises the object like it was gold.
Daisy's role in the novel is to cause chaos in an indirect way. She is the missing piece that ties the whole story together. Gatsby has his life centered for her, and inevitably, Tom and Gatsby are going to clash at any moment. Gatsby and Daisy love each other, and at the moment, Tom does not know that. Tom treats all his "possessions" like objects, and Daisy is also one of those objects. For such an egoistical man, it is horrid if another person took Daisy from his possessions, so there will be tension between Tom and Gatsby.
Quote:
" 'I did, old sport,' he said automatically, 'but I lost most of it in the big panic - the panic of the war.' " (Fitzgerald 90)
The quote again brings up if Gatsby is making everything up about his background. It seems that he already has an answer prepared for every loophole, or else he would not answer "automatically". Gatsby always quickens his answers when talking about his own past, which means that he could be lying. His past is still a mystery to the readers, and what he says is not a reliable source of information.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 4, pages 61-80
The chapter begins by Nick talking about how many different type of people visited Gatsby's house over the summer. One morning, Gatsby called Nick to drive around together before lunch. During the drive, Gatsby finally reveals true facts about himself, but due to Gatsby's submissive or quiet nature, Nick is reluctant to believe the facts until Gatsby personally shows him proof in form of a badge and a picture. Later on in the chapter, Jordan Baker tells of the past to Nick, revealing that Daisy has met Gatsby a long time ago. After she finished telling the story, she reveals that everything from throwing grand parties every week to buying his house directly across from East Egg was all for Daisy.
Character: Gatsby
"The very phrases were worn so threadbare that they evoked no image except that of a turbaned 'character' leaking sawdust at every pore as he pursued a tiger through the Bois de Boulgno." (Fitzgerald 66)
From the beginning of the book, Gatsby was portrayed as a mysterious person. Weird and unthinkable stories surrounded him and tightly bound him, but Chapter 4 finally fully reveals Gatsby's true self, which is very quiet, submissive, and dedicated person. His introversion is shown through not wanting to talk a lot in the drive with Nick. His submissiveness is exposed in Ch. 3 when he isn't even noticed by anybody at his own party. Finally, he is a dedicated person because he tries is hardest to be close to Daisy.
Gatsby's role in the novel is to be the counterpart of Tom and also the revenge of Daisy. Gatsby is essential Tom's opposite. Tom boasts about his wealth and also doesn't care about anybody than himself. He also cheats in front of everybody and has no shame. Gatsby, on the other hand, is extremely submissive and nice. Because Tom cheats on Daisy, Fitzgerald makes things more interesting by making Daisy also cheat.
Quote: "So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate road-house next door." (Fitzgerald 64)
The quote is essential to explain Gatsby's true self. This is the first time Nick describes Gatsby in disappointment, meaning that Gatsby's radiance was probably faked in order to accomplish his life goal: get Daisy. As Gatsby got more familiar with Nick, his radiance began to slowly disappear because he had already got Nick's attention.
Character: Gatsby
"The very phrases were worn so threadbare that they evoked no image except that of a turbaned 'character' leaking sawdust at every pore as he pursued a tiger through the Bois de Boulgno." (Fitzgerald 66)
From the beginning of the book, Gatsby was portrayed as a mysterious person. Weird and unthinkable stories surrounded him and tightly bound him, but Chapter 4 finally fully reveals Gatsby's true self, which is very quiet, submissive, and dedicated person. His introversion is shown through not wanting to talk a lot in the drive with Nick. His submissiveness is exposed in Ch. 3 when he isn't even noticed by anybody at his own party. Finally, he is a dedicated person because he tries is hardest to be close to Daisy.
Gatsby's role in the novel is to be the counterpart of Tom and also the revenge of Daisy. Gatsby is essential Tom's opposite. Tom boasts about his wealth and also doesn't care about anybody than himself. He also cheats in front of everybody and has no shame. Gatsby, on the other hand, is extremely submissive and nice. Because Tom cheats on Daisy, Fitzgerald makes things more interesting by making Daisy also cheat.
Quote: "So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate road-house next door." (Fitzgerald 64)
The quote is essential to explain Gatsby's true self. This is the first time Nick describes Gatsby in disappointment, meaning that Gatsby's radiance was probably faked in order to accomplish his life goal: get Daisy. As Gatsby got more familiar with Nick, his radiance began to slowly disappear because he had already got Nick's attention.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Great Gatsby: Ch. 3, pages 39-59
The beginning of the chapter describes the extravagance of Gatsby's party; the orchestra, mouth-watering food, bars, and liquor. This is the first time Nick has been invited to Gatsby's house, and meets Jordan Baker at the party. Together, they both hear rumors about Gatsby's past life such as being a German spy and killing a man. In the middle of the party, Nick finally speaks to the middle-aged man, Gatsby, who does not stand out at all, but when he speaks to him, the man emits a rare understanding smile. At the end, the setting changes and the narrator is not at the party anymore, and also finds out that Jordan Baker's true dirty self.
Character: Jordan Baker
"She was incurably dishonest." (Fitzgerald 58)
Jordan is a strong, independent, and modern woman. She appears with a strong disposition and everybody around her respects her. In Chapter three, two women even approach her as if she were a man that is wealthy. But this chapter also reveals a nasty part to her; a nasty part of her that includes acute dishonesty. Nick clearly explains how much she lies by telling the story of how she cheated in the gold tournament and also how she lies about how the convertible got wet.
Jordan Baker's role in the novel is to be the person that Nick loves. If somebody ever discovered Jordan's deceiving actions, he/she would naturally feel disgusted, but Nick does not. Instead, he simply says dishonesty made no difference to him, and then forgot the topic. Even though he denies that he loves her and instead is curious in her, it is clear that he is starting to feel attracted to Jordan Baker, or else he would have naturally minded about her lies.
Quote:
"Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." (Fitzgerald 59)
The quote stuck out to me because I felt it incredibly self-conceited, which is not supposed to be Nick's character. To say that one is the most honest person one has ever known is horribly wrong. People always know themselves the best, and that is why people know their faults the best, which is why people always have doubts. If Fitzgerald was trying to show that Nick had brimming confidence, it did not work for me that way. The brimming confidence of knowing himself turned into conceit when I read that quote.
Character: Jordan Baker
"She was incurably dishonest." (Fitzgerald 58)
Jordan is a strong, independent, and modern woman. She appears with a strong disposition and everybody around her respects her. In Chapter three, two women even approach her as if she were a man that is wealthy. But this chapter also reveals a nasty part to her; a nasty part of her that includes acute dishonesty. Nick clearly explains how much she lies by telling the story of how she cheated in the gold tournament and also how she lies about how the convertible got wet.
Jordan Baker's role in the novel is to be the person that Nick loves. If somebody ever discovered Jordan's deceiving actions, he/she would naturally feel disgusted, but Nick does not. Instead, he simply says dishonesty made no difference to him, and then forgot the topic. Even though he denies that he loves her and instead is curious in her, it is clear that he is starting to feel attracted to Jordan Baker, or else he would have naturally minded about her lies.
Quote:
"Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." (Fitzgerald 59)
The quote stuck out to me because I felt it incredibly self-conceited, which is not supposed to be Nick's character. To say that one is the most honest person one has ever known is horribly wrong. People always know themselves the best, and that is why people know their faults the best, which is why people always have doubts. If Fitzgerald was trying to show that Nick had brimming confidence, it did not work for me that way. The brimming confidence of knowing himself turned into conceit when I read that quote.
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