Tuesday 30 November 2010

'The Great Gatsby' reading journal, chapter four

Nick begins the chapter at another one of Gatsby's parities. He describes it as being 'the world and it's mistress' which suggests that Nick has possibly once again used imagery to over-exaggerate the occasion. We are soon reminded of the fact that Nick's perspective shouldn't always be trusted as as he only telling the story from memory. He names a large amount of people at the party, such as 'Maurice A. Flink' but he almost never shares any other information about them. If he does, it is only brief, such as 'who had his nose shot off in the war'. All of these attendees obviously don't mean alot to Nick, otherwise ho would have been keen to share more information about them. However, by not going into detail, he is able to concentrate more on the story, rather than get distracted by little details like this, as he had done previously in the novel. He states that all of these people 'came' to Gatsby's parties, this further implies the idea that at these parties, anyone can walk in. There are no rules. Nick notes that he 'wrote down' a list of name that had Been to Gatsby's parties over the summer. Why did he do this? Does this have something to do with the idea that Nick is lonely, which raised at the end of chapter 3?

Nick then shifts the imagery quickly to a quite morning outside his house. Gatsby is waiting to collect Nick so that they can go to lunch together. He says that he thought he and Nick could "ride up together" and Nick details him 'balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so preculirary American'. The image that this creates is of Gatsby trying to show off his wealth to Nick. While his phrasing could be interpreted as being polite and charming, I see it as being patronizing - Nick mentions that he is also displaying 'impatient opening and closing of a hand' and this gesture creates body language that suggests that Gatsby can not move forward with there plans until Nick is ready. He has put lots of attention on to him with such a small yet commanding movement. During their car journey, Gatsby expresses that he does want Nick to "get a wrong idea of me from the stories you hear". Gatsby is attempting to dismiss the stories of him that float around during his parties. But why is it Nick in particular who he wants to know this? Because he knows that Nick is related to Daisy, is trying to make a good impression on him, in the hope that he can arrange for the two to meet? He then tells Nick a story about himself, which he labels as "God's truth". However, we cannot be so sure of this, as when he mentions Oxford, he 'hurried the phrase...or swallowed it' which leaves little room for Nick to question him about this. But could there be a reason as to why he only talks of this briefly?

Gatsby mentions that he travelled Europe - "collecting jewels, chiefly rubies..." which all seems a bit over-the-top and hard to believe, given the false impression that Gatsby gives us in chapter two. However, Gatsby talks more in depth about the war, mentioning things like the weaponry used ("sixteen leiws guns") and location ("Argoone Forest") unlike Nick, who has only given brief statements about the war. it obviously means a lot less to him, in contrast to Gatsby. Hen then shows Nick a picture - "It was taken in the trinity Quad" says Gatsby, wanting to prove to Nick that he is telling the truth. He is desperate to do this. As they are crossing the bride over to the seedier side of New York, Nick notes that 'A dead man passed us in a hearse heaped with blooms'. Again, I interpret this as foreshadowing the tragic events that take place later in the story, that involves a car, and ultimately, death.

Over the bridge, Nick paints the setting as being very seedy, indicated when Nick describes the Forty-second street cellar' he has to blink away 'the brightness of the street outside'. This suggests that the restaurant they are in is more like a sleazy bar, filled with smoke, and suspicious looking figures. If he is so wealthy, why would Gatsby decided to have lunch in a place like this? We are then introduced to Mr. Wolfsheim, who Nick describes as being a 'flat-nosed Jew' with a 'large head'. Despite his pleas for trust and innocence at the end of chapter 3, Nick describes Mr.Wolfsheim as having an 'expressive nose'. Nick is keen to pick out features that make people sound as if they are ugly - There is no actual proof of Wolfsheim actually being Jewish just yet, but Nick is stereotyping him with his choice of words, which shows that Nick should be considered any less innocent or arrogant that someone like Tom. Wolfshiem goes on to make an interesting comment about Gatsby towards Nick. when talking of Gatsby, he says that "Gatsby's very careful towards women. He would never so much as look at a friend's wife." This is an ironic statement because later on, Gatsby and Daisy re-unite in a wave of romantic passion, and Daisy is of course Tom's wife. Although there is no suggestion that Tom and Gatsby are profound friends, he is still involved with a women who is married at that point. Nick then spots out Tom Buchanan in the bar. When he tries to introduce Gatsby to him, 'a strained, unfamiliar look of embarrassment came over Gatsby's face'. Gatsby then flees the scene. Does Gatsby recognise Tom? Because he is Daisy's husband, is this why he has fled? because he is scared of him, or him knowing something? This could however again be hint as to what soon happens in the story. Gatsby re-kindles his feelings with Daisy later, under Tom's nose, and these small descriptions could a be a build-up of tension towards future events.

We have heared every part of the story so far from Nick's perspective. However, for a small section of this chapter, a perspective is offered from someone else - Jordan. Nick lets the reader know this when the text says that she is 'sitting up very straight on a straight chair at the Plaza Hotel'. By doing this, Nick again changes the scenery far too quickly for the reader. He takes us from this, dark, danky bar to a formal, quite and neat setting using just two or three words. Daisy tells the story of how Gatsby and Daisy met in the first place. She makes it sound as if there was definitely something charming about Gatsby, looking at Daisy in a way 'every young girl wants to be looked at sometime'. Jordan lets us know that this an event that took place in the past (she mentions that it was nineteen-seventeen then). Soon before Daisy was due to marry Tom, we learn that she was 'as a drunk as a monkey' and that she was holding a letter in one hand. She soon began to cry heavily - there must have been something significant about this letter, I would have guessed that it was sent from Gatsby, before he left for/during the war. She has obviously had a strong reaction to this. Daisy then reveals to Nick that 'Gatsby bought the house so that Daisy would be just across the bay' which explains why Nick had spotted Gatsby staring into the distance at the end of the first chapter - his feeling for Daisy have obviously not faded. After learning all of this information, I think this is filler material that occurs quite late in the story, but however, It could be useful filler material. This is because it answers a few questions - it answers why Tom fled from the bar upon meeting Tom. It answers why Gatsby throws such extravagant parties.

Nick however, after hearing everything that Jordan had shared with him, shows little care towards the relationships of Gatsby, Tom or Daisy - 'Suddenly I wasn't thinking of Daisy and Gatsby anymore...'. He shows that he is more interested is his own experiences than theirs, and even compares his relationship with Jordan to Tom and Gatsby's relationship with Daisy ('I had no girl whose disembodied face floated...'0 and thinks that he is much better off than them. What should be noticed, however, is the fact that Nick constantly refers to Jordan as 'this girl' rather than her name. He says that his relationship is better than other people's, But this language shows some form of disconnection with Jordan, as if he feels there is nothing special about her, that all women are nothing more to him than 'this' or 'that girl.






1 comment:

  1. Very perceptive comments and good links with other parts of the novel. You're really looking closely at language as you explore narrative structure.

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