Nick opens the chapter by saying 'After two years, I remember the rest of that day...' which suggests two things. One is that he has acknowledged how far into the future he is recollecting the story, and two is that he has only recalled this part of the story at that time - it was something that he either forgot or decided to blank out for this period of time. During the testimony over Myrtle's death, Nick notes that her sister, Catherine, 'didn't say a word' - this is odd to me because as a living relative, you would expect to say something, weather it be a small or large comment. Is she hiding something? Or she too emotionally scarred to say anything? Arrangements for Gatsby's funeral then begin to take place, and what is most striking about this, is that Nick was 'responsible' for everything in the arrangement. The fact no one else was willing to help out say something about Gatsby - people were only interested in his parties, and him as a person. While this sounds heartful, I can't help but wonder if Gatsby brought this upon himself - he always stayed out of the limelight during his parties, so barely anybody had to chance to get to know him. People don't feel that their presence is needed. Nick, weather he likes Gatsby or not, has obviously been affected by him in some way - he says that he could hear Gatsby's voice, telling to "get somebody for me". Nick has become obsessive about Gatsby, and, despite his constant mind changing, he is still willing to complete everything that he asks him too. Nick then searches for contact numbers (Gatsby's parents), but in his drawer, only finds 'the picture of Dan Cody' that he saw earlier in the novel. This is such a strong indication of how detached Gatsby wanted to be from his parents - he really wanted to leave everything behind that could associate him with 'James Gatz'. He hated his previous personality so much to the point that he really was lonely, even when throwing large parties, he still became a social outcast by hiding all of the time.
Nick then searches for Wolfshiem, a character introduced earlier in the novel and associated with Gatsby's bootlegging. He receives a letter from him, where he says that he will not able to attended the funeral because he is "tied up in some very important business". When we were first introduced to Wolfsheim, it took place in a seedy, smoke-filled pub, which suggested that this what his personality was like, and this quotation makes his character even more assigned to this nature because it seems as he doesn't want to be there, or associated with death. But what could be possible get tangled up in? Gatsby is dead, and he had no involvement in his death whatsoever - why won;t he come to the funeral? Instantly, we are reminded of the seediness that Gatsby was involved with on his way to wealth when Nick answers a telephone call at his house. The caller talks about figures and statistics, and goes on about this until Nick mentions forcefully that Gatsby is dead, when he hears a 'quick squawk and the connection was broken' - the caller had to flee. Was this because of shock? Or, and what I think is more likely, because it wasn't Gatsby on the phone, and the caller wanted to hide his identity as quickly as he could, maybe thinking that Nick was a member of authority. We are then introduced to Gatsby's farther, and his name and reminder again of Gatsby's past identity (Henry C. Gatz), who upon arrival 'leaked continuously with excitement'. I have chosen to highlight this comment as it appears to be odd when thinking of what is happening in the story - he has learned that his son has died, so why would he be excited by this? The only thing that I can think of is that upon seeing his son's house, he is amazed to see how 'successful' his son has been, but still, equally upset over losing him. This is furthered when he notes that his 'grief began to mix with an awed pride' - understandably, he cannot help but be upset, but at the same time, seeing the large mansion that his son went on to inhabit has fascinated him. The most questionable quotation, however, comes from Nick when Henry asks him about his relation to Gatsby - "we were close friends". During chapter 5, it had became clear that Gatsby was only using Nick in order to become closer to Daisy - after their intimate moment end the end of that chapter, Nick eves feels that Gatsby 'didn't know me at all' at this point, plus, Nick is constantly changing his mind on how he feels about Gatsby, so saying that they were 'close friends' is, to an extent untrue. I say this as where Nick is taking responsibility for many of the funeral arrangements, he obviously cares about him in some from. Henry then comments that if Gatsby had lived, he of been a "great man" but would he have? the detachment from his family is made even clearer. Had his farther known about how Gatsby inherited his money and how he sold gran alcohol over the counter at a number of drug stores, I think that he would have thought differently of him...
Nick however, does manage to get in to contact with one the attendees of Gatsby's parties - Kilpspringer. However, Klipspringer actually cares little about Gatsby's death and tries to reason for not coming to the funeral, and is putting attention on a "pair of shoes that I left there". Again this signifies how little Gatsby actually meant to his guests, but what is even more shocking is that Klipspringer's voice suggests no sympathy whatsoever. He just doesn't care. All he did at the parties was 'sneer most bitterly...on the courage of Gatsby's liquor' - he attended the parties purely to drink and do nothing else, not even thanking Gatsby for his hospitality, as would many of his guests over the course of that summer. Gatsby was known for the parties, and not for being Gatsby. In an attempt to convince Wolfsheim to attend the funeral, Nick drives to his office, where at first, he is denied entry and told that he is absent. Here, Nick is able to demonstrate to us that, while being an unreliable narrator who goes back on his word countless times about being judgemental, he is extremely observant and has good listening skills. He hears Wolfsheim whistling 'The Rosary' and knows straight away that the receptionist is lying to him. When talking to Wolfsheim about Gatsby's life, I was surprised to discover that he could speak in so much detail about him. Maybe Wolfshiem wasn't another dodgy to dealer to Gatsby, maybe they were, as he puts it "thick like that in everything". However, this loyalty is then shattered when Wolfsheim still refuses to come to the funeral. He decides instead to "let everything alone" about Gatsby's life, suggesting that he thinks when someone is dead, you have to forget about them. They are no more. However, maybe he was a true friend of Gatsby, and maybe he says this as (if they were as close as he suggested) living with the memory of him would be too difficult, so it is easier to forget, as if he never knew him. When Nick is driving back for the funeral, he notes that the sky had 'turned dark' and that the weather was 'in a drizzle' - a dark, saddening event is being set by this imagery, as if nature is aware of the miserable occasion is taking place. Again Nick converses with Gatsby's farther. Henry reveals that Gatsby was "very generous" with him, to the extent that he actually bought him a house. I think that this was caused by Gatsby's feeling towards his parents when he was a child - maybe he was so ashamed of how poor his parents were that he wanted to make them look better, again to remove any traces of his past as James Gatz. Henry then reveals to Nick a list that Gatsby had written when he was a child. it is written in an organised and precise fashion and it details what Gatsby would do each day and what resolutions to make in order to become a more sophisticated person. He has a had a dream for a long, long time, to be better than his parents. He told his farther that he "et like a hog" on one occasion. How farther phrases this suggests a contrast in personality between the farther and son, in terms of sophistication.
When Gatsby's funeral takes place, Nick comments that 'Nobody came', which once again show how much Gatsby (as a person) meant to people - barely anything. However, the 'man with the owl-eyed glasses' who appeared drunk in the large library at one of Gatsby's parties, has turned up, but why, of all people, has he? Perhaps he some secret attachment to Gatsby that we were unaware of? Nick also notes that 'Daisy hadn't sent a message or a flower' which opens up a number of questions for me. Did she even know that he was dead? At the start of the chapter, Nick mentions that the story was featured heavily in a number of newspapers, so I would have presumed that she would of heared something about it somewhere. Maybe, she was as fickle as she was at the start at the novel and hasn't really changed - she has the man with the money (Tom), what else does she need? It shows that she has no care towards Gatsby whatsoever - he was a lover, and now he's dead. Was she ever even affected by this? Nick then takes us back to a reflective state, saying that 'This has been a story of the West' - he, Jordan, Tom and Daisy were all Westerners, and , even though much of the story takes place on the East coast, He still feels as if it was a Western story because of the people involved. Nick moved to the West seeking opportunities, to mix with a higher class and be accepted as one of them, but after all of these events, it became 'haunted' for him, and he 'decided to come back home' to the West. He mentions that before he left, he ran into Jordan Baker one more time, when she revealed to him that she was engaged. He leaves her 'Angry, and half in love with her' - which I think shows his jealousy towards her engagement -he said before this that he didn't believe that she was engaged, but maybe he did this as he felt bitter over losing her. Nick also comments upon his final encounter with Tom Buchanan, and it appears as if he always been an arrogant, selfish man. He doesn't care about the outcome of the situation, and said that Wilson "had it coming to him". I strongly disagree with this. Tom was having an affair with his wife, so surely, Wilson had a very good explanation to be furious.
Just before Nick leaves West Egg once and for all, he looks out to the water, and comments that travelers, who discovered America would have seen this land as 'a fresh, green breast of the new world' - he refers, I think, to the American dream, and how from their point of view, anything would have seemed possible. This especially applies to his final comments on Gatsby - his dream, of meeting Daisy once again 'seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it'. It was right their in front of him, nothing seemed impossible. However, Nick then ends the story by suggesting that his dream was never going to happen, that it was 'already behind him' and maybe this is how he wants us to think of the American Dream - our dream can easily delude us, but, when this happens, all we can do is move on - 'so we beat on'. Something hasn't worked out. Instead of moaning about it, we put out chins up, take deep breaths and try to forget about it...
Thursday 9 December 2010
Tuesday 7 December 2010
'The Great Gatsby' reading jorunal, chapter eight
After the events of the previous chapter, we can see that Nick feels as if he is in a state of trouble. He did not sleep well that night, and talked of 'grotesque reality and savage, frightening nightmares', creating the impression that he is trapped by both states. Real life seems grim, and so does the world of sleep and dreams. Gatsby, however, is also in a state of his own. In fact, he was 'broken up against Tom's hard malice' which I think means that Tom has revealed so much about about him that he has destroyed the mental suit that Jay Gatsby, and has turned him back into young James Gatz (as mentioned in chapter six) - poor and struggling. While searching for cigarettes in Gatsby's house, in the dark, Nick accidentally land on some of the keys of the 'ghostly piano'. This in fact does create a ghostly image - the dissonant, echoing sound of the piano would sound so unnatural and disturbing, and this effect surrounds what lies ahead for Gatsby. Nick then shares the story of when Gatsby first visited Daisy's house five years earlier. Gatsby sees Daisy as the 'youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves' which suggests that her rich and wealthy up-bring has restricted Daisy's personality - maybe she only behaves like she does because she felt that she had too? By the sound of this, it is as if she could have been so much more than what she is. What Daisy was unaware of at this point in time, though, was that Gatsby was not in fact of the same class as her, though she though so. He had given Daisy ' a sense of security' by tricking her, which is something that he could not offer. Gatsby at this time time even hoped that she "throw me over" as if he was guilty that he tricked her. Daisy is attracted to nothing more than wealth, and she thinks at this time, that Gatsby is wealthy. But this comment brings up a new question - did Gatsby actually love Daisy? He knew that was not of the right class for her, so does he feel guilty that he has tricked her into this?
Nick describes that Daisy had been living in an 'artificial world' back then - she is attracted to ans bases her life upon false promises. As well as being caused by the luxuries that surrounded her, this was also caused with the hope that Gatsby would return sooner than he did from the war. She thought he would return and that they could be married, but no such thing happened. Then, Daisy moved on 'again with the season' and began to date many other men. Again, the weather and time has been a determining factor, like in the previous chapter - It has prompted Daisy to realise that she cannot wait patiently for Gatsby to return. However, Daisy wanted to make a more fixed move, something that would create a shape in her future, and that decision 'must be made by some force'. The force was was Tom Buchanan. His 'person and his position' attracted Daisy - she made a rash decision to marry him based on his wealth, in an attempt to forget about Gatsby and move on. Nick says that Gatsby used the last of his army pay to travel to Louisville in an attempt to find Daisy, but what my mind has suddenly turned to once is how much can we trust Nick. After all, he is telling this entire story based on memory, and by telling small stories like these, he is required to explore Gatsby's memories. How much of that is actually true? Nonetheless, nick reveals that he 'didn't want to leave Gatsby' in the state that he was in, so therefore he obviously does care about him a great deal, despite his ever-changing views on Gatsby's morals.
Before he lives him, Nick gives him a compliment ("You're worth the whole damn bunch put together.") and then says that he was glad that he said that because he 'disapproved of him from begging to end'. I was initialed confused to hear this from Nick because of how much detail and passion he had used when previously talking about Gatsby, he always seemed to speak highly of him. However, maybe he liked his as person, but he just didn't like his morals (having an affair with someone's wife), but if this was the case, Nick is barely one to talk (he mentioned that he had an affair himself in chapter three). We then learn that Wilson had interrogated some more the day after Myrtle's death. He asks his neighbor, Michaelis, to open a draw for him, in which he finds a dog leash made of leather and silver (purchased earlier in the novel by Myrtle) . I initially thought that George saw a reflection of how Myrtle treated him in this, but the leather and silver suggests that the dog that would have worn it would have wealthy owned and well treated (which Wilson was not), and maybe it was this that prompted him to track down Gatsby. Again, the weather plays a prominent part in determining characteristics, as I find that the 'grey clouds' that 'took on fantastic shapes' caused Wilson's mood to change. He had previously been quite and pushed down by the world, when the sun was shining, but with the greyness that has just emerged, (which sometimes indicates gritty conditions) has caused him to adopt this gritty personality.
The chapter closes with the death of both Gatsby and Wilson. Gatsby's death, I find, is met with a sense of irony. One his servants told him earlier that he was going to drain the pool today, but Gatsby told him not to so. He then tells Nick "I've never used that pool all summer?". The irony is created by the fact that the first time he uses his pool, he is shot dead. However, Wilson is also discovered to be dead at this point too, which imposes a scenario that is open to much interpretation - Wilson could have killed Gatsby, and then himself, or vice versa. Gatsby may have knew that Wilson was coming, so he possibly committed suicide, and prompted George to do the same. The reason why this situation is left open is because nobody actually witnessed this. The only piece of evidence to go by is 'the shots' that the chauffeur heard, meaning that we know there was gunfire, but who caused it exactly, is unknown.
Nick describes that Daisy had been living in an 'artificial world' back then - she is attracted to ans bases her life upon false promises. As well as being caused by the luxuries that surrounded her, this was also caused with the hope that Gatsby would return sooner than he did from the war. She thought he would return and that they could be married, but no such thing happened. Then, Daisy moved on 'again with the season' and began to date many other men. Again, the weather and time has been a determining factor, like in the previous chapter - It has prompted Daisy to realise that she cannot wait patiently for Gatsby to return. However, Daisy wanted to make a more fixed move, something that would create a shape in her future, and that decision 'must be made by some force'. The force was was Tom Buchanan. His 'person and his position' attracted Daisy - she made a rash decision to marry him based on his wealth, in an attempt to forget about Gatsby and move on. Nick says that Gatsby used the last of his army pay to travel to Louisville in an attempt to find Daisy, but what my mind has suddenly turned to once is how much can we trust Nick. After all, he is telling this entire story based on memory, and by telling small stories like these, he is required to explore Gatsby's memories. How much of that is actually true? Nonetheless, nick reveals that he 'didn't want to leave Gatsby' in the state that he was in, so therefore he obviously does care about him a great deal, despite his ever-changing views on Gatsby's morals.
Before he lives him, Nick gives him a compliment ("You're worth the whole damn bunch put together.") and then says that he was glad that he said that because he 'disapproved of him from begging to end'. I was initialed confused to hear this from Nick because of how much detail and passion he had used when previously talking about Gatsby, he always seemed to speak highly of him. However, maybe he liked his as person, but he just didn't like his morals (having an affair with someone's wife), but if this was the case, Nick is barely one to talk (he mentioned that he had an affair himself in chapter three). We then learn that Wilson had interrogated some more the day after Myrtle's death. He asks his neighbor, Michaelis, to open a draw for him, in which he finds a dog leash made of leather and silver (purchased earlier in the novel by Myrtle) . I initially thought that George saw a reflection of how Myrtle treated him in this, but the leather and silver suggests that the dog that would have worn it would have wealthy owned and well treated (which Wilson was not), and maybe it was this that prompted him to track down Gatsby. Again, the weather plays a prominent part in determining characteristics, as I find that the 'grey clouds' that 'took on fantastic shapes' caused Wilson's mood to change. He had previously been quite and pushed down by the world, when the sun was shining, but with the greyness that has just emerged, (which sometimes indicates gritty conditions) has caused him to adopt this gritty personality.
The chapter closes with the death of both Gatsby and Wilson. Gatsby's death, I find, is met with a sense of irony. One his servants told him earlier that he was going to drain the pool today, but Gatsby told him not to so. He then tells Nick "I've never used that pool all summer?". The irony is created by the fact that the first time he uses his pool, he is shot dead. However, Wilson is also discovered to be dead at this point too, which imposes a scenario that is open to much interpretation - Wilson could have killed Gatsby, and then himself, or vice versa. Gatsby may have knew that Wilson was coming, so he possibly committed suicide, and prompted George to do the same. The reason why this situation is left open is because nobody actually witnessed this. The only piece of evidence to go by is 'the shots' that the chauffeur heard, meaning that we know there was gunfire, but who caused it exactly, is unknown.
'The Great Gatsby' reading journal, chapter seven
Unusual because of the lively reputations that Gatsby's parties posses, Nick mentions a number of automobiles in Gatsby's driveway were driving 'sulkily away'. What hasp happened to cause this? Further confusion arises when a new servant answers the door. Nick notes that his 'villainous face squinted' and I think this could be to represent the up-coming destructive nature of the novel. Again, contrast is made clear when Gatsby's kitchen is revealed to look 'like a pigsty' but again, I think this is a sign of the changes that Gatsby is currently undergoing - previously, his past and his emotion were bottled up (possibly represented by the way his servants kept his house so clean?), but now that his relationship with Daisy has been re-kindled, and Tom is heavily suspicious of him, the emotions have been unleashed, creating a mess. Gatsby reveals that he had fired a high amount of his previous servants and had replaced them, his reason being "somebody who wouldn't gossip" upon seeing Daisy, he is trying to keep their affair out of the public eye. Something that I want to draw particular attention to in this chapter is the significance of the weather, and how it affects the characters. Nick notes that the next day was the 'last, definitely warmest, day of summer'. In this chapter, it seems as if the power of the heat causes tensions to rise in the relationships between characters, which I will details throughout this reading journal.
Nick has an ability to quickly identify the sub-text of what people are saying. A butler, on the phone says "the masters body? I'm sorry madame, but we can't...". However, Nick mentions that he was saying something quite different - "Yes...Yes...I'll see". Is this again another element of foreshadowing? or has the heat effects Nick so much that he is hallucinating, and not actually being clever? Jordan and Daisy are sat on a sofa in the Buchanan's house, and they both comment "we can't move", Which reminds me of similar image brought up in chapter one, of Daisy being sat on the sofa and saying a nearly identical phrase. Back then, Daisy said that she couldn't move because she was "paralysed with happiness", which, given the events that have occurred throughout the novel, probably isn't true. What seems to be causing this stillness now, however, could be the heat. It locks everyone down and makes them motionless, which is parallel to Tom's wealth and power. Another reflection of the first chapter happens when Daisy's young daughter arrives. She appears rather jolly, and Daisy calls her an "absolute little dream". In chapter one, Daisy had stated that she wanted her daughter to be a "beautiful little fool" because of the toils of life that she will have to endure by being a women. She is perhaps also seeing a reflection of herself in her daughter. Daisy's views have been described by Nick previously as being 'artificial', so maybe, by calling her daughter a 'dream' she is just putting the fact right in her face that it is better to dream, than a life like the one she has had to live.
Tom uses a sentence that I feel puts the upcoming tensions into a summary. "The Earth's going to fall into the sun". The outcome of novel involves a significant amount of death, and this sentence, to me, suggests that for all forms of live, death is inevitable. Another interesting comment which is made by Jordan seems to fit in-line with the character actions that take place in this chapter, as well as chapter eight - "life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall". The next day, in chapter eight, involves a lot of important actions, and also happens to be the first day of Autumn - lives are ended, creating a huge sense of irony to this sentence. Before they set off to go to town, we get a strong indication that Tom has uncovered all of the lies that surround Gatsby. He says to Gatsby that "You can by anything at a drug-store nowadays". He admits to Nick and Daisy that he has sussed out Gatsby's schemes with bootlegged alcohol at many of his purchased 'drug stores' so it is as if he is shoving a hint in Gatsby face at this point, viciously, as if it is something Gatsby should know about. Once they arrive at Wilson's garage, it is as if Wilson has now become aware of something suspicious that his wife is keeping secret from him. He now knows that Myrtle had 'some sort of live apart' from him, but only now, prompted I think by the extreme weather conditions, he is aware of dangerous the nature of it is, so therefore He wants to get both of them as far away as possible from it (he says that they going to "go West"). We are then reminded of the surprising power that Myrtle possess (for a women during that time period) - 'other eyes were regarding us' i.e. Myrtle's.
It appears here, however, that Tom is able to re-gain his power in the ways he speaks so passionately about his love for Daisy. At one point, his 'words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby' which, in terms of imagery, suggests the idea that Tom would have the visual higher ground over Gatsby, as if he was once able to demand. Tom only further goes on to detail Gatsby's amount of false - believing that he stole "the ring he put" on Daisy's finger. Tom is now purely set on shattering Gatsby's reputation, and, with the heat from the sun still beating down, puts the spotlight, both mentally and verbally, on to Gatsby. It is when tensions are this high that Nick suddenly remembers that it his birthday. He is now thirty-years-old, and thinks that he will be heading down a 'portentous, menacing road of a new decade' which is interesting, as I would have thought that the current time and the recent past were quite menacing already. He also describes it as a 'promise of a decade of loneliness', but at the end of the third chapter, Nick used a lot of statements that suggested that he was already quite lonely. On the other hand, he could be using it to describe what happens in the future, when he is without Gatsby, Tom or Daisy. Despite all of the new things learned about the relationships between Gatsby, Tom and Daisy today, Nick, jut he did ant the end of chapter three, shows that he cares only about himself and his relationships. The sentence 'But there was Jordan besides me...' expresses this as it shows what he is thinking about. Nick thinks he knows his story all too well at this point, indicating that as they were in the car, they 'drove towards death'. The word 'death' however, has an association towards a number of people in the upcoming chapters, but first, it strikes at Myrtle Wilson.
The car that hit Myrtle had not only killed her in an instant, but also literally ripped her open. The imagery that Nick describes here is very grim, noting that her 'left breast was swinging lose like a flap' - this suggests a high amount of bloodshed and body parts barely attached to the body. Tom, however, through the crowds that have gathered over the accident, is again able to show that he is able to gain power when he needs to use it - a 'wad of muscle back of his shoulder' that Nick happens to make note of, and he picks up Wilson 'like a doll' which suggests lifting up a person is just light work for him. Back at the Buchanan's house though, Tom says something that suggests he is vulnerable, rather than powerful. He asks Nick "won't you come in" but it appears not in the bullying sense that had asked for when requesting Nick's company previously. Then, he only wanted Nick around so he could heighten his status, by standing next to someone of a lower class to make himself appear much better. After the events of this chapter, though, it just seems that Tom actually wants his company to make himself feel better, but in am emotional sense because he is feeling so distraught. When Nick is about to leave, he discovers Gatsby hiding in their garden, wanting to make sure that Daisy was alright. He reveals that she was driving during the accident that killed Myrtle, but says that "I'll say I was" - he is going to take the blame for it. Gatsby is using dishonesty to protect someone else, whereas, during his past, it is revealed that he used it only to benefit himself. Nick checks the house windows for him, and sees Daisy and Tom in one room 'sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table'. The things that they both learned today have made them somewhat distant from each other, and I think that this is what the table is representing. However. Nick also mentions that there was 'natural intimacy' in the air, which sounds as if they both in some sort of agreement with each other. Possibly because what they learned about each other today, they are comfortable with saying that they are 'even' with each other?...
The car that hit Myrtle had not only killed her in an instant, but also literally ripped her open. The imagery that Nick describes here is very grim, noting that her 'left breast was swinging lose like a flap' - this suggests a high amount of bloodshed and body parts barely attached to the body. Tom, however, through the crowds that have gathered over the accident, is again able to show that he is able to gain power when he needs to use it - a 'wad of muscle back of his shoulder' that Nick happens to make note of, and he picks up Wilson 'like a doll' which suggests lifting up a person is just light work for him. Back at the Buchanan's house though, Tom says something that suggests he is vulnerable, rather than powerful. He asks Nick "won't you come in" but it appears not in the bullying sense that had asked for when requesting Nick's company previously. Then, he only wanted Nick around so he could heighten his status, by standing next to someone of a lower class to make himself appear much better. After the events of this chapter, though, it just seems that Tom actually wants his company to make himself feel better, but in am emotional sense because he is feeling so distraught. When Nick is about to leave, he discovers Gatsby hiding in their garden, wanting to make sure that Daisy was alright. He reveals that she was driving during the accident that killed Myrtle, but says that "I'll say I was" - he is going to take the blame for it. Gatsby is using dishonesty to protect someone else, whereas, during his past, it is revealed that he used it only to benefit himself. Nick checks the house windows for him, and sees Daisy and Tom in one room 'sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table'. The things that they both learned today have made them somewhat distant from each other, and I think that this is what the table is representing. However. Nick also mentions that there was 'natural intimacy' in the air, which sounds as if they both in some sort of agreement with each other. Possibly because what they learned about each other today, they are comfortable with saying that they are 'even' with each other?...
Sunday 5 December 2010
'The Great Gatsby' reading jorunal, chapter six
At the beginning of this chapter, we are introduced to yet more speculation about Gatsby. a new reporter has arrived at his front door, asking him if he had any comments to make, but Gatsby pushes this away. He did this because, according to Nick, the matter that the reporter was asking about, Gatsby 'wouldn't reveal, or didn't fully understand.' This makes the reader, though, which one of those options is it more likely to be. It is open to interpretation. Nick also details that there was speculation about Gatsby not actually having a house, and that he lived in a boat that 'moved secretly up and down the long island shore.' The imagery created here though, suggests freedom. Just the idea of living somewhere which isn't nailed to the ground, with the possibility to move whenever someone feels like it. It is also revealed that Jay Gatsby didn't always have that name. When he was younger, he was known as James Gatz, and what we learn about him is this: his parents were 'shiftless and unsuccessful farm people'. Gatz changed his name to Gatsby later on in his life, which creates the idea that there is a different personality behind each name. On the other hand, may be he changed his name to escape that personality and find a new one - his family background suggests misery and barely any wealth, so maybe he created Jay Gatsby to escape the truth...
A phrase that I found very interesting then appears - the 'rock of the world was founded on a fairy's wing'. What I think this suggests is that, no matter how difficult life may seem on this limiting land ('rock of the world'), escape is always possible ('fairy's wing') by means of imagination. If that is the case, then young Gatz certainly felt that this applied to him. What is very peculiar about this chapter is that we are actually learning quite a lot about Gatsby's past. Nick has yet to ramble on about something irrelevant - It appears only now that the title of the book is really coming to life. We learn that Gatsby once had a connection with a man named Dan Cody, who had an associate with Montana copper that made him 'many times a millionaire'. Because of this, an 'infinite number of women' were attracted to him, despite the fact that he was 'fifty years old then'. This suggests that during the time in which the novel was set, there were a lot of women like Daisy. They were attracted to his wealth only, and lot his looks or personality in the slightest. However, we also learn that Cody was a heavy alcoholic, and that 'Dan Cody sober knew what lavish doings Dan Cody drunk might soon be about' which caused him to put 'more and more trust in Gatsby' suggesting a long chain of dishonesty - Cody clearly didn't know what he was doing a lot of the time, so it may or may not have been a good idea to trust Gatsby (who possibly created his name to forget his previous identity), and above all, Nick is sharing this with us. Is all of this even true? Something even more questionable, however, is Nick decision to share this information with us now. He reveals that Gatsby told him all of this a certain amount of time later but admits that he is sharing it now 'with the idea of exploding those first wild rumors about his antecedents' - is Nick trying to answer questions that the reader might have? If so, my question is this, why not share this information at the start of the novel, to save us from constantly question Gatsby's character?
Nick then shifts this image of heavy reflection to the present, where Gatsby has invited Tom to his house - a questionable move altogether, as it appears as if Gatsby is setting himself up for trouble. He pushes this boundary even further, saying "I know your wife" to Tom, aggressively. Gatsby appears smug and joyous right now, with the idea of flaunting something that Tom would be bothered about, but doesn't fully know. Gatsby invites him and Daisy to one of his parties that evening, accompanying it with the phrase "I wouldn't be surprised if some other people dropped in from New York" - he knows the nature of his parties, but maybe he is phrasing it this way to subtly be a show off. To show that Daisy is attracted to what he has, more than what Tom has, but it is amusing as Tom doesn't know that his wife is having an affair yet. However, we get the sense that he is suspicious of Gatsby. He says that "women run around too much to suit me these days" meaning that he is curious to discover where Daisy met Gatsby. During the party, it appears as if there has been a role-reversal between Nick and Daisy. Nick comments that he is looking at the world "again, with Daisy's eyes". Because he is aware of the secret that Gatsby and Daisy are hiding from Tom, the world has becoming limiting to him, he senses the 'unpleasantness in the air' caused by Tom presence. Daisy, however, sounds somewhat a lot confident at this moment, even inviting Nick to kiss her anytime during the evening. Has the fact that she is hiding something from her husband excited her?
During the course of the party, Gatsby introduces Tom as 'the polo player' to all that ask. Tom states he does not want to be addressed this way, but Tom remained assigned to this name for the rest of the evening. However 'the sound of it pleased Gatsby' so maybe this intentional, to annoy Tom, it is as if Gatsby is adding insult to injury - he is having an affair with his with, and now, he had everyone effectively verbally bullying him. Nick then mentions that Gatsby dances, displaying a 'conservative fox-trot'. The image that this creates is o something precise and focused, yet gentle - an interesting thought, as this chapter has suggested that Gatsby's personality has been the complete opposite of this for a long time. Elements of foreshadowing creep into the story once more. A women, clearly under the influence of alcohol, startles Nick. A friend then accompanies her and apologises, and they converse afterwards. The friend then reveals that the drunken women "stuck her head in the pool" earlier in the night, and that "they almost drowned me over in New Jersey". Later on in the story, a swimming pool plays a major part in someone's death... Daisy did not enjoy her evening in West Egg, though. Possibly because of her higher status, the text suggests that she felt out of place, much like 'Broadway had begotten upon a Long Island fishing village' - so many famous people, why are are attending a party in such a dismal neighborhood?
Tom clearly is suspicious of Gatsby's character, and Nick feels that his presence is like 'an indefinite precision of shadows, who lounged and powdered in an invisible glass' - there is something watching over all the time, creating feelings of unease. Gatsby fears that because Daisy hasn't enjoyed her evening, she won't come back to his home ever again. Her power in a relationship is feared by him. He feels that he has to meet these high standards in order to be with her. Gatsby and Nick then argue weather the past can be repeated or not, and Gatsby is determined to think this and take action. The sentence 'if he could once return to a certain starting place' suggest that Gatsby is attempting to re-trace his steps. Some time during the past, something happened between Gatsby and Daisy, and he is trying to remember what it was. Will this have any benefit in their relationship? Nick, at this moment, is telling us a story between Daisy and Gatsby that occurred 'five years before'. Again, why is he sharing this at this moment in the story? Before kissing her, Gatsby had been waiting 'listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star' as if he was waiting for s sign to indicate that he should kiss her. Why was he waiting, though? Is this the moment in his past that he is trying to re-trace? Nick then recalls that this story sounds familiar to him - it has 'an elusive rhythm'. He is clearly puzzled by this, noting that his lips parted 'like a dumb's man'. It is as if he has remembered something vital yet shocking. However, he also mentions that this memory is 'incommunicable forever' but is it really? or has it already been shared somewhere else in the novel? It clearly means something to Nick's memory...
A phrase that I found very interesting then appears - the 'rock of the world was founded on a fairy's wing'. What I think this suggests is that, no matter how difficult life may seem on this limiting land ('rock of the world'), escape is always possible ('fairy's wing') by means of imagination. If that is the case, then young Gatz certainly felt that this applied to him. What is very peculiar about this chapter is that we are actually learning quite a lot about Gatsby's past. Nick has yet to ramble on about something irrelevant - It appears only now that the title of the book is really coming to life. We learn that Gatsby once had a connection with a man named Dan Cody, who had an associate with Montana copper that made him 'many times a millionaire'. Because of this, an 'infinite number of women' were attracted to him, despite the fact that he was 'fifty years old then'. This suggests that during the time in which the novel was set, there were a lot of women like Daisy. They were attracted to his wealth only, and lot his looks or personality in the slightest. However, we also learn that Cody was a heavy alcoholic, and that 'Dan Cody sober knew what lavish doings Dan Cody drunk might soon be about' which caused him to put 'more and more trust in Gatsby' suggesting a long chain of dishonesty - Cody clearly didn't know what he was doing a lot of the time, so it may or may not have been a good idea to trust Gatsby (who possibly created his name to forget his previous identity), and above all, Nick is sharing this with us. Is all of this even true? Something even more questionable, however, is Nick decision to share this information with us now. He reveals that Gatsby told him all of this a certain amount of time later but admits that he is sharing it now 'with the idea of exploding those first wild rumors about his antecedents' - is Nick trying to answer questions that the reader might have? If so, my question is this, why not share this information at the start of the novel, to save us from constantly question Gatsby's character?
Nick then shifts this image of heavy reflection to the present, where Gatsby has invited Tom to his house - a questionable move altogether, as it appears as if Gatsby is setting himself up for trouble. He pushes this boundary even further, saying "I know your wife" to Tom, aggressively. Gatsby appears smug and joyous right now, with the idea of flaunting something that Tom would be bothered about, but doesn't fully know. Gatsby invites him and Daisy to one of his parties that evening, accompanying it with the phrase "I wouldn't be surprised if some other people dropped in from New York" - he knows the nature of his parties, but maybe he is phrasing it this way to subtly be a show off. To show that Daisy is attracted to what he has, more than what Tom has, but it is amusing as Tom doesn't know that his wife is having an affair yet. However, we get the sense that he is suspicious of Gatsby. He says that "women run around too much to suit me these days" meaning that he is curious to discover where Daisy met Gatsby. During the party, it appears as if there has been a role-reversal between Nick and Daisy. Nick comments that he is looking at the world "again, with Daisy's eyes". Because he is aware of the secret that Gatsby and Daisy are hiding from Tom, the world has becoming limiting to him, he senses the 'unpleasantness in the air' caused by Tom presence. Daisy, however, sounds somewhat a lot confident at this moment, even inviting Nick to kiss her anytime during the evening. Has the fact that she is hiding something from her husband excited her?
During the course of the party, Gatsby introduces Tom as 'the polo player' to all that ask. Tom states he does not want to be addressed this way, but Tom remained assigned to this name for the rest of the evening. However 'the sound of it pleased Gatsby' so maybe this intentional, to annoy Tom, it is as if Gatsby is adding insult to injury - he is having an affair with his with, and now, he had everyone effectively verbally bullying him. Nick then mentions that Gatsby dances, displaying a 'conservative fox-trot'. The image that this creates is o something precise and focused, yet gentle - an interesting thought, as this chapter has suggested that Gatsby's personality has been the complete opposite of this for a long time. Elements of foreshadowing creep into the story once more. A women, clearly under the influence of alcohol, startles Nick. A friend then accompanies her and apologises, and they converse afterwards. The friend then reveals that the drunken women "stuck her head in the pool" earlier in the night, and that "they almost drowned me over in New Jersey". Later on in the story, a swimming pool plays a major part in someone's death... Daisy did not enjoy her evening in West Egg, though. Possibly because of her higher status, the text suggests that she felt out of place, much like 'Broadway had begotten upon a Long Island fishing village' - so many famous people, why are are attending a party in such a dismal neighborhood?
Tom clearly is suspicious of Gatsby's character, and Nick feels that his presence is like 'an indefinite precision of shadows, who lounged and powdered in an invisible glass' - there is something watching over all the time, creating feelings of unease. Gatsby fears that because Daisy hasn't enjoyed her evening, she won't come back to his home ever again. Her power in a relationship is feared by him. He feels that he has to meet these high standards in order to be with her. Gatsby and Nick then argue weather the past can be repeated or not, and Gatsby is determined to think this and take action. The sentence 'if he could once return to a certain starting place' suggest that Gatsby is attempting to re-trace his steps. Some time during the past, something happened between Gatsby and Daisy, and he is trying to remember what it was. Will this have any benefit in their relationship? Nick, at this moment, is telling us a story between Daisy and Gatsby that occurred 'five years before'. Again, why is he sharing this at this moment in the story? Before kissing her, Gatsby had been waiting 'listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star' as if he was waiting for s sign to indicate that he should kiss her. Why was he waiting, though? Is this the moment in his past that he is trying to re-trace? Nick then recalls that this story sounds familiar to him - it has 'an elusive rhythm'. He is clearly puzzled by this, noting that his lips parted 'like a dumb's man'. It is as if he has remembered something vital yet shocking. However, he also mentions that this memory is 'incommunicable forever' but is it really? or has it already been shared somewhere else in the novel? It clearly means something to Nick's memory...
Thursday 2 December 2010
'The Great Gatsby' reading jorunal, chapter five
In this chapter, we learn that Nick has arranged for Gatsby and Daisy to meet for the first time after a long period of time. Even before the meeting, there is language used that suggests Gatsby is nervous about the event. When Nick is trying to arrange a day for this, Gatsby responds with "I want to get the grass cut". By trying to change the subject, it appears as if Gatsby is trying to shy away from something. However, a sense of class decision is felt when Nick describes the grass as 'a sharp line where my ragged lawn ended and the darker, well-kept expanse of his began'. As Gatsby has a lot more money than Nick, I felt the contrast in the grass represents their levels of wealth and the differences. This sense of class soon becomes awkward and verbal, however, When Gatsby tries to offer Nick employment. Nick notes that Gatsby first tries to bring this up by fumbling 'with a series of beginnings' which indicates again that Nick and Gatsby talk very little or know little about each other - Gatsby can't even start a sentence about cash in front him. Once Daisy arrives at Nick's home, Gatsby makes an immediate attempt to flee - Nick comments that the room was 'deserted' as soon as Daisy arrived. Gatsby is then found outdoors, however, and when he enters, Nick comments that ' he turned sharply as if he was on a wire'. The image of this suggests someone having to be precise about their every move or suffer a consequence, and this image is mirrored in Gatsby's feeling towards Daisy - one slip, and its all over.
There are also physical descriptions that suggest Daisy and Gatsby have a relationship history, and the pressure that Gatsby is feeling because of this re-uniting. A clock nearly falls from Nick's mantelpiece, But Gatsby manages to catch it 'with trembling fingers'. The strain can again be felt in two senses. One is that the clock could be large and heavy, so therefore the weight of it could be putting Gatsby under a lot of stress. This stressed feeling though, could also be caused by being in Daisy's presence. We know that, because of Tom's wealth and treatment towards her, Daisy has been left with little, if any, power in this lifetime. However, in contrast to this, by making Gatsby feel incredibly nervous, it is as if she does have some form of power. Gatsby clearly feels this, to the point where he has to leave the room, and states "This is a terrible mistake". Eventually, the rain, that had been pouring for hours previously, exchanges with sunlight. It is at this time that the mood between Gatsby and Daisy takes a shift. 'He literally glowed' describes Nick, as if his glow is parallel with the glow of the outdoor sun. All of a sudden, he has become a lot more confident around her.
Gatsby then invites Nick and Daisy for a tour of his house. However, why he decides to invite Nick too, is somewhat questionable - It appears as if him and Daisy are to soon re-kindle their romantic feelings, so why is he needed? After seeing Nick's house, is he showing Daisy around his own to make her alert of his much higher wealth? Even if this was the case, why would Nick still be needed at this point? Nick even ponders this himself - "You're sure you want me to come?". Further questions are then raised about how Gatsby managed to become so wealthy. He says that it took him "just three years" to get the money and buy his house. Nick then bring bring up an earlier conversation topic between them - "I thought you inherited your money." This shows that Nick has the ability to to be a good listener, but he does not always use it, particularly when around female company. When Nick asked him what his current job status was, he replied with "That's my affair." Despite everything Gatsby had told Nick in the previous chapter in an attempt to earn his trust, it still appears as if there are aspects of Gatsby to be questioned.
While they are exploring Gatsby's gigantic house, noting the 'Marie Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration Salons' Nick states that it is as if 'there were guests concealed behind every couch and table, under orders to be breathlessly silent until we had passed through'. In terms of imagery, this could well be a true portrait of what is actually happening - Gatsby wants Daisy to see everything perfectly, so therefore, if anyone is actually there, he probably would have commanded silence upon them all. He wouldn't want any interruptions during this time. He really wants Daisy to see how wealthy he has become - his house is like another world compared to Nick's, with the extravagant nature truly highlighted with 'rose and lavender silk'. This sight is able to reduce Daisy to tears - "It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before." - Is Daisy in tears because she has realized the wealth she could of had, if she stayed with Gatsby? Or is she just overwhelmed by the sight of everything? Or a combination of both? The symbolic nature of the green light, which shone on Daisy's house across the bay, also shatters here. Nick talked of it being a 'great distance' between Gatsby and Daisy, as if it was a beacon of hope, but now that the two are re-united, 'now it was just again a green light on a dock'. It has no significance anymore.
Similarly, it is as if Nick's presence is somewhat dismissed by Gatsby in a matter of seconds too. He calls in a musician to play the piano for him and Daisy, further highlighting his own wealth in front of her. During this time, it had began to rain again, and this is symbolic in representing what Gatsby is about to lose - Nick. Daisy's voice towards Gatsby is described as 'a deathless song' as if the memory of her voice had never died inside of him. After this this, Nick comments that 'Gatsby didn't know me now at all'. He has become so caught up in the rush of feeling towards Daisy that the only thing for Nick to do now is leave. Gatsby has his women, that was all he ever needed Nick for. So, what happens next for Nick? Will he become 'just a neighbour' again, as the beacon of hope became 'just again a green light on a dock'? Has his significant narration of the story suddenly come to a grinding halt?
There are also physical descriptions that suggest Daisy and Gatsby have a relationship history, and the pressure that Gatsby is feeling because of this re-uniting. A clock nearly falls from Nick's mantelpiece, But Gatsby manages to catch it 'with trembling fingers'. The strain can again be felt in two senses. One is that the clock could be large and heavy, so therefore the weight of it could be putting Gatsby under a lot of stress. This stressed feeling though, could also be caused by being in Daisy's presence. We know that, because of Tom's wealth and treatment towards her, Daisy has been left with little, if any, power in this lifetime. However, in contrast to this, by making Gatsby feel incredibly nervous, it is as if she does have some form of power. Gatsby clearly feels this, to the point where he has to leave the room, and states "This is a terrible mistake". Eventually, the rain, that had been pouring for hours previously, exchanges with sunlight. It is at this time that the mood between Gatsby and Daisy takes a shift. 'He literally glowed' describes Nick, as if his glow is parallel with the glow of the outdoor sun. All of a sudden, he has become a lot more confident around her.
Gatsby then invites Nick and Daisy for a tour of his house. However, why he decides to invite Nick too, is somewhat questionable - It appears as if him and Daisy are to soon re-kindle their romantic feelings, so why is he needed? After seeing Nick's house, is he showing Daisy around his own to make her alert of his much higher wealth? Even if this was the case, why would Nick still be needed at this point? Nick even ponders this himself - "You're sure you want me to come?". Further questions are then raised about how Gatsby managed to become so wealthy. He says that it took him "just three years" to get the money and buy his house. Nick then bring bring up an earlier conversation topic between them - "I thought you inherited your money." This shows that Nick has the ability to to be a good listener, but he does not always use it, particularly when around female company. When Nick asked him what his current job status was, he replied with "That's my affair." Despite everything Gatsby had told Nick in the previous chapter in an attempt to earn his trust, it still appears as if there are aspects of Gatsby to be questioned.
While they are exploring Gatsby's gigantic house, noting the 'Marie Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration Salons' Nick states that it is as if 'there were guests concealed behind every couch and table, under orders to be breathlessly silent until we had passed through'. In terms of imagery, this could well be a true portrait of what is actually happening - Gatsby wants Daisy to see everything perfectly, so therefore, if anyone is actually there, he probably would have commanded silence upon them all. He wouldn't want any interruptions during this time. He really wants Daisy to see how wealthy he has become - his house is like another world compared to Nick's, with the extravagant nature truly highlighted with 'rose and lavender silk'. This sight is able to reduce Daisy to tears - "It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before." - Is Daisy in tears because she has realized the wealth she could of had, if she stayed with Gatsby? Or is she just overwhelmed by the sight of everything? Or a combination of both? The symbolic nature of the green light, which shone on Daisy's house across the bay, also shatters here. Nick talked of it being a 'great distance' between Gatsby and Daisy, as if it was a beacon of hope, but now that the two are re-united, 'now it was just again a green light on a dock'. It has no significance anymore.
Similarly, it is as if Nick's presence is somewhat dismissed by Gatsby in a matter of seconds too. He calls in a musician to play the piano for him and Daisy, further highlighting his own wealth in front of her. During this time, it had began to rain again, and this is symbolic in representing what Gatsby is about to lose - Nick. Daisy's voice towards Gatsby is described as 'a deathless song' as if the memory of her voice had never died inside of him. After this this, Nick comments that 'Gatsby didn't know me now at all'. He has become so caught up in the rush of feeling towards Daisy that the only thing for Nick to do now is leave. Gatsby has his women, that was all he ever needed Nick for. So, what happens next for Nick? Will he become 'just a neighbour' again, as the beacon of hope became 'just again a green light on a dock'? Has his significant narration of the story suddenly come to a grinding halt?
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