'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.

'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.

Tom's power, however, seems to be 'slipping precipitately out of his control'. He once had control of two different women, and now, it seems as if he is going to lose both of them to other men. Again, this indicates a role reversal between Tom and Wilson - Wilson had previously been quite and frightened of Tom, but suddenly he has taken control of his wife and it looks as if Tom is about to lose Myrtle to him. Once in New York, at the plaza hotel the 'compressed heat exploded into sound' - the argument, which had been taking place mentally between Tom and Gatsby about Daisy, has now become verbal. At points in the bickering, the text notes that 'A pause' occurred many times. This truly represents how awkward the tension between Gatsby, Tom and Daisy is getting. Spaces are just left blank. People are stunned to silence by the remarks. After Gatsby tells the truth about his involvements with Oxford, Nick mentions that he 'wanted to get up and slap him on the back' because he has just had 'one of those renewals of complete faith in him that I'd experienced before'. What confuses me here is the word 'before'. It suggests that Nick has not always thought so highly about Gatsby during the entire time that he knew him, yet he has always spoken of him with much positive passion. It suggests that Nick is somewhat indecisive, and again, judgmental. Now that the truth of Gatsby and Daisy's relationship has been exposed to Tom, Nick notes that 'Gatsby was content'. In the heat of the situation (caused by both tension and the weather) this feeling strikes me as being an out of place one. In a situation like that, I would have thought that the first thing Gatsby and Daisy would do would be to flee. However, maybe he content at just that simple fact - the truth is out. He has nothing to hide anymore, so he feels less pressure. As to why she married Tom, Gatsby states that it was "because I was poor" once more, Daisy's attraction to wealth over personality shines through. She may loved Gatsby's personality, but it was his lack of wealth that caused Daisy to walk away from him. The point that wants to make clear though, is that Daisy only loved him, and never, at any point, Tom. He wants Daisy to admit this, and at one point, it appears as if she is about 'come of age' but 'her hand as she tried to shake a cigarette was trembling'. She admits that at one point, she did love Tom. The coming of age vision is then shattered.

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 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...

'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?

'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.

'The Great Gatsby' reading jorunal, chapter three

At the start of the chapter, we get the impression that we are finally going to get a face to face description of Gatsby as Nick has been invited to attend one of his parties. He describes the invitation that he receives as being of a 'majestic hand' meaning that appears quite formal and striking. This, however, creates a different impression as what Gatsby's parties are actually like. The sentences 'floating rounds of cocktails', 'introductions forgotten on the spot' and 'nine in the morning and long past midnight' suggest that Gatsby's parties are rather wild ones. Alcohol just happens to be there, in endless supplies, people have no idea who they are talking to and the parties last all night long. However, given the state of Nick's trustworthiness previously, there is always the possibility that he is over-exaggerating this. Nick makes the parties sound even more out of hand when he says 'People were not invited - they went there'. No invitations are required at Gatsby's parties - the host is a generous one and it seems as if he is fine with have a large number of strangers in his home. However, is there a reason for this? Surely he is not that careless?

Even though we have not seen Gatsby's face directly yet, we are under the impression that he is heavily wealthy, attracting people from outside of town, some of which are collected in his Rolls-Royce - a very expensive automobile at the time. The fact that he has obtained a large amount of alcohol, thought, in a decade prohibition makes us suspicious as to where he got it all from. More suspicions arise when Nick is involved in a conversation with Jordan and two other girls, who share a rumor that Gatsby 'killed a man once' or a 'German spy during the war'. After this discussion, they all look around for Gatsby, as if he would not be happy to hear people talking about him in this way. But is that why he is yet to show his face? his he afraid that he will be questioned about this? The scene then changes, when Jordan decides that her Nick are going to look for Gatsby. They eventually stumble upon a 'high gothic library, panelled with carved English oak' which in terms of imagery, further indicates Gatsby's wealthy status, without even seeing him. In this room, however, is a man who is, according to Nick 'stout' and 'middle-aged'. In his drunkenness, he shows a lot of enthusiasm towards the books on display but, untill later in the chapter, the relevance to this part of the story is unclear.

Next, the reader is met with a moment that has been long-awaited - we are introduced formally to Gatsby. Once Nick discoveries who he is, he goes on to give quite an interesting description about him. Nick sates that Gatsby's smile 'concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favour.' Nick has become totally absorbed by it and, within seconds of learning who he is, has become fascinated by him. As soon as Gatsby has been called away by his butler, Nick starts asking Jordan questions about him - he wants to know more. Jordan says that Gatsby was educated at Oxford, in England, which could be an explanation as to why he uses the phrase 'old sport' when talking to Nick. the accent is false, and maybe he only does it to appear more sophisticated. We learn later in the novel that Daisy had left Gatsby as he was not wealthy enough for her. This could be why Gatsby throws these extravagant parties and why he has taken on the accent - he hopes that she will show up at one, and when she talks to him, she will see that he has become more 'sophisticated'. Still, by not showing his face for a large portion of the party, Gatsby is quite the reclusive host. However, when Jordan then describes large parties as being "intimate" and that small parties contain no privacy. With this in mind, it makes it sound as if it is easier for Gatsby to shadow himself in the midst of a thousand people, rather than in a small, secluded space that contains fifteen people only.

Nick earlier commented that at this party, he was 'actually invited'. Gatsby does not think of him as another person through the door. When Gatsby learned from Jordan that Nick was related to Daisy, he may have hoped that if he invited Nick, there may have been a better chance of her showing up. Just as Nick is about to leave Gatsby's party, he learns that the evening was 'not quite over'. a coupe had fallen into a ditch as a result of a crash, which had left things in a 'bizarre and tumultuous scene'. It is then revealed that one of the men in the car was the man who Nick and Jordan had stumbled upon in the library earlier ('the late patron'). I find that there are two possible reasons as to why Nick has included this in the story - one is to represent Gatsby's inner feelings of distraught. He may charming on the outside, but inside, he is deeply upset by Daisy's on-going absence, and is wreck, like the crashed car. The second reason could be for foreshadowing purposes - a car crash occurs later in the story, which has quite a devastating effect on many of the main characters...

In the closing section of this chapter, Nick reveals that the vents that have occurred in the past three chapters were all 'casual events in a crowded summer'. He reveals that these three events were quite distant from each other, but they stand out to him. H reveals that he worked most of the time during this summer, and even had 'a short affair with a girl who lived in Jersey city' suggesting that, over the course of the summer, Nick has been keeping secrets from the reader. Why would he only share this information now? Because he worked a lot, Nick creates the impression that he was lonely for a lot of time over this summer, and had nothing better to do than 'walk up Fifth Avenue and pick out romantic women from the crowd...' It appears that, as Nick had become so lonely by his work habits, he nothing better to do let his imagination run wild for entertainment.

He admits that he is not in love with Jordan Baker, but feels a 'tender curiosity' towards her. He simply wants to know more about her, what she doing, her thoughts ect. but he does not want to confess romantic feeling towards her. He makes it clear that he is interested in becoming romantically involve with her, but before he can do so, he has to get himself 'out of that tangle back home'. Upon reading this, I was instantly drawn back to a moment in chapter one, where Nick had denied rumors of being engaged to a girl back in the mid-west. This sentence suggests, however, that Nick has been unfaithful this whole time, and that he really was engaged back home. He goes on to say that 'I am one of the few honest people that I ever know' and this is subject to much argument. Because he had possibly been engaged to a girl in the mid-west, he appears as being very dishonest - to Jordan, to himself and to the reader. However, by admitting that he has to clear things up back home 'before I was free' and able to pursue his relationship Jordan further, he creates the impression that he has the ability to be honest. He wants to show the reader evidence of his honesty, and maybe this is why he has chosen to share something that makes him appear dishonest.

'The Great Gatsby' reading journal, chapter two

At the beginning of the chapter, Nick enables the reader to really picture his surrounding because of how descriptive he is. He describes it as 'the valley of ashes' between West-Egg and New York. The image this creates is that of a wasteland - there is nothing out there, expect for the road and the railways. Nick is able to create the setting in just one paragraph. Next, Nick mentions the over-watching eyes of 'Doctor T.J. Eckelberg'. Nick mentions that it it looks from eyes that are 'blue and gigantic' which suggests that it is a some form of large advertisement - the only one in the desert area, which could be why Nick describes the eyes in this way, as being higher than humankind. We are then introduced to a new character - Georg Wilson, who works in a repair garage that is a 'small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the wasteland - again Nick has created interesting imagery with his wording - in this wasteland, one small building stands alone, appearing out of place and forgotten. When we first discover George Wilson, Nick describes him as having 'a damp gleam of hope' upon seeing him and Tom. This suggests that George is a lonely character who has not a a visitor for a while. His business also seems as if it is a quite one and that he is desperate for customers - when Tom becomes frustrated by him about a car enquiry, he respond es with "I don't mean that".

The arrival of Tom's mistress (who is also Wilson's wife), Myrtle, appears as being a big moment of importance in the novel because of Nick over-detailed description of her ('she carried her flesh sensuously as some women can. Her face, above a spotted dress of..."). Unlike Daisy, it seems as if Myrtle is a much more powerful women who has control over her husband. When she orders him to "Get some chairs" I imagine her using a forceful but sensual tone of voice towards Wilson, to show that she is able to get what she wants. We see further examples of Tom arrogance - when asking the puppy vendor at at the train station about the gender of the dog, To demands that "It's a bitch" when the vendor had told him that it was a boy. Is Tom only saying this because it is what he wants to hear? Or by getting the gender wrong, has Tom simply decided to be smug towards him? Despite his arrogant ways, Tom then demands Nick's company when he tries to leave the car - "Myrtle'll be hurt if you don't come up to apartment." I would have thought Myrtle would not have cared that much about weather Nick was there or not, so why does Tom want Nick to be there? Because he was mean insulting towards him earlier in the novel, he maybe wants his company to make himself appear better, in terms of status?

Once in the apartment for the party, Nick reveals something that makes us as readers appear sceptical of weather he is telling the truth or not - "I have been drunk just twice in my life, and the second time was that afternoon" we already see his telling of the story as possibly being unreliable as he is doing it from memory, so now that he is telling the story under the influence of alcohol, he has become even more unreliable as his memory for this part of the story will be even more distorted. Furthering the idea that Nick's memory is a photographic one is Mrs Mckee's husband. Chester, who is prompted by her to take a picture of Myrtle in her dress ("If Chester could only get you in that pose..." ) which suggests that there is something special to be remembered at that exact time. Mr Mckee then goes on to describe two of his pictures taken out on Long Island - 'Montauk Point - The Gulls' and 'Montauk Point - The Sea'. This suggests that, even though these two pieces of artwork were created in the same location, and appear similar, they are able to show a contrast, between the land and the sea, just like the contrast Nick described earlier between East and West Egg. Even though we have not been introduced to the character of Gatsby yet, more mystery is created about him when Catherine asks Nick is she knows him, surrounding his characters with mysterious popularity.

During a conversation about Myrtle and Tom, Myrtle overhears ans says that the reason why Tom and Daisy have not divorced is because that Daisy is catholic. Nick tells us that he was 'shocked at the elaborateness of the lie' and that Daisy is not catholic. This causes a question to rise - why would Tom lie about being catholic? and why does he want to stay with Daisy, despite the fact that he also has a mistress? Because Myrtle is of a much lower class than Tom, this could be why he has lied to her, to escape the views that would come his way is someone of his class married someone like her. Nick has been a passive narrator for much of this chapter, not paying attention to a lot of his surroundings or sense of time - he comments that at one point it was 'nine o'clock' and then 'immediately ten' - a lot of important things could have happened in this space of time, and Nick has just missed out on it. 'people disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere and then lost each other...' we do not who these people are, and it seems that Nick's entire telling of this part of the story has just turned into one big untrustworthy haze.

His passive narration and lack of attention to detail are furthered in the closing sections of the chapter. Something big happens - Tom punches Myrtle and breaks her nose. Instead of re-acting, Nick comments upon the scenery this creates, with no sense of emotion whatsoever - 'there were bloody towels upon the bathroom floor, and women's voices scolding...'). However, at this point, he is not being judgmental, which suggests there is some element of truth to how he talked in chapter 1, which we had been led astray from previously in the novel. What I am most surprised by at the end of the chapter is the sudden change of subject - of Mr. McKee and Nick discussing the idea of having lunch together sometime, making an exit from the party. You would have expected him to help or give some comment that indicates his feeling towards the violence that he has jut witnessed, but at this moment in time, Nick is doing what he said he would do at the start of the novel by not judging the action. It is just something that happened, nothing more, nothing less. What is even more confusing, however, is the brief imagery that Nick creates next. From the apartment, Nick talks of Mr Mckee, and that he is 'standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear...' and finally, Nick ends the chapter by being 'half asleep in the lower level of the Pennsylvania station...waiting for the four o' clock train. How did this suddenly happen? It appears as if Nick let his drunken haze seriously get the better of him. These are only brief details, which causes questioning to arise. Why was Mr. Mckee 'clad in his underwear? are there some factors that Nick has left out or forgotten about? most importantly though, as Nick had said that he was 'drunk' on this night, how much of this part of the story is actually accurate?