Post your journals for Ch.1-3, 4-6, & 7-9 here using the following guidelines as a prompt. You do not have to address all parts of the prompt. As always, you may choose to discuss other ideas that are not part of the prompt and ask questions, etc.
*Title entries with the chapter numbers. (Chapter 1-3 Journal) Each journal should be at least two paragraphs of your analysis/interpretations for the chapters. Here are some ideas:
1. Choose a different character to focus on.
a. Name the character.
b. Choose a quote that you think best represents the character.
c. Describe his/her best and worst qualities.
d. In a paragraph describe the character's role in the novel.
2. Choose one meaningful quote, and then describe its significance in the novel.
3. Note at least two sightings of one or more of the following symbols: the color green, the color white, silver and gold, the ash heap, the eyes of T.J. Eckleberg, Gatsby's career/Nick's career, Gatsby's library of uncut books/Nick's unread books, Dan Cody, East Vs. West Egg, rain in chapter five, heat in chapter seven, Wolfsheim's cufflinks, faded timetable (showing names of Gatsby's guests), Gatsby's cars/clothes.
Chapters 1-3 Journal
ReplyDeleteA. Gatsby
B. He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life."
C. Some of Gatsby's best qualities include his politeness and tactful nature which contradicts the stereotypical rich person's behavior. One of his bad qualities is that he doesn't make much of an effort to know the guests or interact with them at his parties.
D. One of Gatsby's roles in the novel is to be different from the rest of the upper class. His natures drastically contradicts that of Tom's prideful self. Gatsby shows that someone can be wealthy without have to be selfish. This is shown by his massive parties where complete strangers can go and have fun. Gatsby will definitely become a friend of Nick's because Nick is fascinated with his reserved nature (much like his own) and how he got his money.
Chapters 1-3 Journal
ReplyDeleteA) Tom
B) "Now, don't think my opinion on these matters is final," he seemed to say, "just because I'm stronger and more of a man than you are." (11)
C) I have not really seen any good qualities in Tom. He is an arrogant man who cheats on Daisy. Also, he beats women. There are instances where he is extremely rude to people. I think it's because he thinks he is a hot shot and is extremely cocky.
D) One of Toms roles in this book is to be the "bad guy." He seems like he will cause trouble for everyone, including Daisy and Gatsby. Tom is your sterotypical rich man who thinks less of everyone around him.
A. I chose to focus on Gatsby.
ReplyDeleteB. "If you want anything just ask for it, old sport."
C. Best- Gatsby is a good friend, has great parties, respectful, good breeding. Bad- He seems to be sneaky
D. Gatsby's role in the novel is to show the new money. He provides hope throughout the novel and an endless devotion to someone in particular. He is vastly different than the old money, because the old money was born into wealth and he has extravagent parties and he is not full of himself. Nick and Gatsby will soon become amazing friends and do great things together.
A. Nick
ReplyDeleteB. "Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known" The meaning of this quote is that he is a really a dishonest man, but everyone just assumes he is a good guy because he does not speak harshly about people. What they don't know is that he just has the self-control to keep his mouth shut.
C. He is open-minded, young, a bondsman. He tolerates bad behavior and Daisy is his cousin. He comes from old money.
D. Nick's role is to be the observer of everyone's behavior. He is there to see and hear everyone's side, make his judgments, and see how he handles them. His one true friend is most likely be Gatsby because they both have self-control and not selfish.
Chapters 1-3
ReplyDeleteA. Gatsby
B. "Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If Personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away."
C. Gatsby means well. He always has good intentions but I think that they are masked by people's misunderstanding and making assumptions. It's clear that he is hiding something.
D.Gatsby is the main character. The plots of the story revolve around him and his attempts to win Daisy back from Tom. Gatsby is a symbol for new money and how it can"t always buy you everything you want in life. You can have the luxurious life he does, and still be unhappy.
Chapters 1-3
ReplyDeleteA.) Daisy
B.)“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
C.)Daisy can be naive, which can be good or bad, it helps her deal with everything that is going on around her. She tells Nick that she is cynical about things, she has been very unhappy with how her life in the past few years.
D.)Daisy's role is to spark drama within the novel. She is a main character and drives the story forward. Without her there would be no main conflict. She is an interesting character and can be very deep. Though she is materialistic, Daisy brings excitement to the novel.
"'Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he told me,'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"
ReplyDeleteThis quote from the very first page of the Great Gatsby is arguably the most important quote of the book. It sets a stage for Nick's personality, and how he will act and judge people over the course of the novel. The quote is of his father, who tells him to reserve his judgement for after he knows a person, and to always realize that not everyone is so well of as Nick is.
"'Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he told me,'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"
ReplyDeleteThis quote about how Nick should act determines Nick's personality for the book. He is quietly judgemental. Nick does not judge out loud because he knows that some people can not help their circumstances. I feel that this will come into play later on in the story.
A. Daisy
ReplyDeleteB. "I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything. Sophisticated-God I'm so sophisticated!" "(22)
C. Daisy has been unhappy with her life the past few years, she's been everywhere and chooses to ignore the things in life she does not like. Even though Daisy is spoiled, she's missing something in her life and this quote is foreshadowing exciting things that will soon appear.
D. Daisy is a main character in the novel and without her there would be no conflict.
"'Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,' he told me,'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most important quotes from Gatsby, and it happens to be on the first page. It's a quote from Nick's father which basically told him to reserve judgement until he actually knows a person, because not everyone is as fortunate as himself. It's important because Nick won't judge out loudly, and some can't help it. I think this quote has a longer lasting effect on the book than meets the eye at this point in time.
Chapter 1-3 Journal
ReplyDeleteA) Daisy
B) "that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."
C) Daisy is manipulative. Everything she does in these chapters is calculated, done to make you think of her a certain way. Daisy used to be genuine. I think she really did love Gatsby, and would've married him if it wasn't for her parents.
D)Daisy is obviously the love interest for Gatsby and serves as his object of desire. I think the story follows his dreams and his attempts to achieve them. Daisy's love is his goal and the conflict the story will center on.
Chapter 1-3 Journal
ReplyDeleteA. Jordan Baker
B. "She was incurably dishonest. She wasn't able to endure being at a disadvantage, and given this unwillingness i suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool insolent smile turned to the world and yet satisfy the demands of her hard, jaunty body."
C. Some of Jordan's best qualities are her charming personality and her good looks, but her worst personality traits are her habit of being dishonest and acting reckless.
D.So far in the novel, Jordan Baker has played a relatively small role, but as the section went on, she became more involved with Nick. Jordan is starting to act like a scandalous love interest to spice up the novel.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1-3 Journal
ReplyDelete"He's so dumb he doesn't know he's alive." (30)
This is said by Tom about Mr. Wilson. Tom is commenting on how it is easy to fool Mr. Wilson into letting Myrtle leave. There is some irony in this quote. Tom is seen as arrogant and is almost dumb or at least unobservant. Another part of this that is ironic is that most people that are old money or new money are sort of shallow and materialistic. They didn't form interesting or close relationships as much because they were so preoccupied with wealth and status. Tom isn't really living; he's just going through life. Although, Tom is right in a way because Mr. Wilson's life seems bleak and unlivable.
A. Daisy
ReplyDeleteB. "but we heard it . . . we heard it from three people so it must be true."
C. Her worst quality is how naive she is, and her best quality is how nice she is.
D. Daisy is Nick's second cousin once removed and she seems to have a crush on him. Daisy is married to Tom, but Daisy doesn't know that Tom has a mistress. Daisy is vary naive and believes almost everything she hears. She is also very kind and loving.
Chapter 4-6 Journal
ReplyDeleteA. Gatsby
B. "Can't repeat the past? ...Why of course you can!" (116)
C. Gatsby's best qualities are his ambition, friendliness, and charisma. His worst qualities are his dishonesty and his inability to leave his past behind him.
D. Although the story is told from Nick's perspective, the plot seems to revolve around Gatsby. Jay Gatsby (formerly known as James Gatz) is a figure of mystery, surrounded by rumors and legends regarding his past. He is extremely wealthy, and is constantly throwing lavish parties at his mansion in West Egg; however, none of the characters seem to know the true origin of his money. As Jordan Baker reveals, his new wealth is simply an attempt to impress Nick's cousin Daisy, whom Gatsby fell in love with five years prior. As we discover in Chapter Six, Gatsby is actually of a very humble background, and only inherited some money from a yacht owner named Dan Cody.
Chapters 1-3 Journal
ReplyDelete1 a. Daisy
b. "That's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."
c. Her best qualities are her beauty, her confidence, how she can captivate people, and her charm. Her worse qualities are how she isn't very loving with her child, and how she is materialistic.
d. She is the main female character in the novel. She is a wife, a mother, a love interest, a cousin, and a friend. She will help convey the meaning of the novel, with her unpredictable personality, and how she is involved in many of the major conflicts.
2.
4-6
ReplyDelete1.
a. Daisy
b.“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
c. She is youthful and cheerful, but her life only revolves around herself and money.
d. Daisy is a breath of fresh air. She is Gatsby's true love, and she is a sign on how old money is conceited. She is the main interest in most situations.
2. “I wasn't actually in love, but I felt a sort of tender curiosity.” This is signifying that love is not a serious thing to some in this novel. It is more of a game of who will catch the feelings first and love last.
3. Gatsby's Rolls Royce, and the people in the resturaunt that are gamblers.
Chapter 1-3: Journal
ReplyDeleteNick, the narrator of the novel, is a graduate from Yale and lived in the East Egg most of his life. Nick keeps to himself and does not drink, which, when compared to the other characters, makes him an outcast. Nick's personality is the opposite of those he spends time with, and the reader discovers that very quickly. Although he is different from the others, Nick has very strong qualities. He is smart and he is not conceited. However, I think the only flaw, so far, is that he has "hooked up" with Jordan Baker.
One of the quotes that stood out to me during these first chapters was the quote when he talks about his honesty. Nick states, "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." Nick is surrounded by liars and cheaters. He seems to be the only person, besides Gatsby, that has morals. I believe these reasons are why Nick feels he is the only honest person. I think Nick is honest to others, but he needs to be honest with himself first.
1. A. Nick Carraway
ReplyDeleteB. "I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life."(40)
C. I think this quote shows what kind of character Nick is because he's so mesmerized by this new way of life he's apart of and he doesn't quite know what to think of it. He's tries to not pass judgment on other characters but sometimes he takes it too far and allows himself to get sucked in to situations he's not comfortable being in. I think he mainly just wants to be accepted by Daisy, Tom, Jordan, and Gatsby but he needs to be more careful.
D. I think Nick will end up being a big character throughout the novel because the other characters will trust him with their secrets and eventually they will need to be revealed.
Chapter 4-6 Journal-Important Quote Explained
ReplyDelete""well, I'm going to tell you something about my life. I don't want you to get a wrong idea of me from all of these stories you hear."
This quote shows that Gatsby is aware of the rumors going around about him. It also shows that Gatsby cares about Nick's opinion of him and what Nick has heard about him. This is the only time in the novel so far that Gatsby has come out and told someone the truth. Because this is the first time Gatsby has told someone Nick is unsure about him and doesn't know if Gatsby is telling the truth.
Chapters 4-6
ReplyDeletea.Gatsby
b. Nick-"You can't repeat the past" Gatsby replied, "Why of course you can!"
c. This quote shows how Gatsby believe that things can be repeated (which is true), but he is also naive for believing that the past can be repeated and the outcome will be better than last time.
d. His worst qualities, I believe, is that he is concerned of what others think of him; he explains his story to Nick so he doesn't get the wrong idea of him. Gatsby is smart though and thinks things a little more carefully then what most people do.
e. His role in these chapters was to bring some drama/conflict to Daisy and her marriage because her marriage is going down the tubes. Gatsby is Daisy's "what-if" in a way.
Ch 4-6 Journal
ReplyDeletea. Nick
b. "You can't repeat the past"
c. This quote shows that Nick is trying to bring Gatsby back into reality, and to show him how things are different now. Daisy is married, and even has a little girl. She isn't the same as she was 5 years ago, and Gatsby is so caught up in what they used to have that he has been doing anything to recreate it.
d. Nick's best qualities is how he doesn't judge people, and how he is always kind. He opened his home up to help out Gatsby and he is starting to feel something for Jordan. Some of his not so good qualities is how he kind of lets bad things happen right under his nose and doesn't do anything about it.
e. Nick is basically our gateway into what is going on in the novel. He is the narrator, so we only get to know what he is a part of or what he experiences. He befriends everyone and is in on everyone's inner circle. He is not bias towards anyone, which lets us create our own opinions as readers.
Chapter 4-6
ReplyDeleteA) Gatsby
B) "Can't repeat the past?... Why of course you can!" Pg.116
C) This quote just shows Gatsby's ambition and willingness to take on the world. He is always so upbeat and cheerful. He is also very positive in everything he does. However, I am wondering if he might take it too far.
D) I think Gatsby's role in this book is to save Daisy. Not just physically because Tom is an awful man, but, mentally and emotionally.
Chapters 4-6 journal
ReplyDelete"'I'm goin to fix everything just the way it was before,' he said, nodding determinedly. 'She'll see."
I think this quote is significant because it shows how much Gatsby wants everything to be like it used to when him and Daisy loved each other and that even though it's been such a long time, he still wants them to be together. I think he is going to try to do whatever it takes to get we back and it might not end that well in the end. I think he will end up getting in a fight with Tom and going too far to get Daisy back.
Chapter 4-6 Journal
ReplyDeleteA) Tom Buchanan
B) "My God, I believe the man's coming. Doesn't he know she doesn't want him?"
C) Tom doesn't have any good traits left. He is prejudice, rude, arrogant, fake, and overbearing.
D) Tom is clearly going to be a source of conflict and confrontation for Gatsby, as he is the last thing keeping him from Daisy.
Chap 1-3
ReplyDeleteA. Tom Buchanan
B. "Now don't think my opinion on these matters is final... just because I'm stronger and more of a man than you"
C.Tom is full of himself and arrogant
D. He is the main antagonist.
Chap 4-6
ReplyDeleteA. Nick
B. "You can't repeat the past" (to Gatsby)
C. Nick is an honest person. He's very down to earth and isn't judgemental.
D. He is the main character.
Chap 7-9
ReplyDeleteGatsby- "Of course she might have loved him, just for a minute, when they were first married-and loved me more even then, do you see?" (159)
I think this quote is significant because Gatsby is trying to reassure Nick (and himself) that even though Daisy may have loved Tom, she still loved him more. Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy and has to be the man she loves most. Even though Gatsby is trying to deny what's right in front of him, Daisy loved Tom because Gatsby went off and had to make a man out of himself before he could be with her. His actions had consequences, and Daisy marrying Tom was one of them.
1.
ReplyDeletea. Tom
b. "And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time."
c. Tom is so self-centered and all he cares about is what makes him happy. He does love Daisy and he will do whatever he can to get what he wants, but he's manipulative, lies, and hurts others.
d. Tom is set to be the trouble maker. He is going to be the drama between Daisy and Gatsby and an obstacle their love has to face. He is very blunt and can be comical at times.
Ch. 7-9
ReplyDeleteA. Tom
B. "Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next they'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white."
C. Tom has a very high number of extremely negative qualities: he is unapologetically racist, extremely aggressive, and unfaithful to Daisy. In addition, he has created a bit of a "hero" image of himself in his own mind; Tom despises having his flaws being revealed before his own eyes. His redeeming qualities, if any exist, are not clearly shown in the novel.
D. Tom is the major "villain" of the novel, and the antagonist to Gatsby. Although George Wilson is Gatsby's direct killer, Tom is the man who created the spiral leading to Gatsby's death. Tom's relationship with Myrtle eventually drove George into madness; however, Myrtle was killed by Gatsby's car (as Tom revealed to George), giving George a more clear target to open fire upon.
Chapters 7-9
ReplyDelete3.) The green light seen at the end of Daisy's dock represents Gatsby's hope for a new life with Daisy. You first see Gatsby reaching out towards the light in the beginning of the novel, showing his longing for Daisy. Then in the end Nick stated that Gatsby believed in the green light, that we have a future and that we will keep going.
Chapter 7-9
ReplyDelete3) The intense heat is mentioned in chapter 7 many times. I believe that the heat represents the mass amount of tension between Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby. Nick describes the heat on page 120 just before he leaves for Daisy and Tom's house: " The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer." I think that Nick's statement describing the heat foreshadows the increasing tension between Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby. Daisy appears to more confused than usual in the heat: "But its so hot, and everything is so confused." with the increasing tension comes increased confusion and hatred between certain characters.
Chapters 7-9 Journal
ReplyDelete1
A) Nick Carraway
B) "*To Gatsby* They're a rotten crowd, You're worth the whole damn bunch put together."
C) Nick was hypocritical. He considered himself to be very honest, yet all he did was withhold his judgements about people. Nick seems as though he has no personality for most of the story. Also, his tolerence ended up being one of his worst qualities. However, by the end of the novel, Nick realized who was actually a good person and became Gatsby's greatest (and only) friend.
D) Nick is the narrator, but only recently did he start acting like it. For most of the novel, Nick just stated exactly what happened without adding any of his own views, and the story followed Gatsby. In these final chapters Nick grew and began talking about the events and moving the story.
Ch 7-9
ReplyDelete"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
This last line of the novel, references the fact that despite your individual problems, the roaring city and society will move onward. Life goes on whether you want it to or not. Ceaselessly into the past is a reference to how Gatsby wanted to recreate the past, and how he was reborn back into the past, endlessly.
Ch. 7-9
ReplyDeleteEast Egg represents inherited money, classy, fancy, and people with high status. That's where Tom and Daisy are from. West Egg represents new money. Its the symbol for partying, going crazy, living on the wild side. All about the scene and music and cars. That's where Nick and Gatsby live. In the book, the 2 seperate classes mix, and it ends terribly when you mix in the people from the Valley of Ashes. There are some similiarities between the two Eggs however. From both sides come sneaky people. Both of them are extremely materialistic and self oriented.
2) Gatsby, "She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me."
ReplyDeleteI think this is significant because the truth finally comes out. Yes, we've known this all along. But just hearing it made it better and more clear. Later on, Daisy admitted that she loved both of them. That was what I wanted answered. I knew Gatsby still loved Daisy but the question was if Daisy loved him back. I wish this book would've ended differently but I'm glad that Gatsby and Daisy took the advice of John Mayer (musician) and decided that they should "say what they need to say."
Ch. 1-3 Journal.
ReplyDelete"I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" -Daisy
This quote is really important because it illustrates just how little society values the intelligence of women. All they care about is looks and personality, being smart is not important. Daisy is not a fool for saying this, it's just how she was raised, formed and molded by society.
Ch. 4-6 Journal.
ReplyDelete1. Nick Carraway
2. "I am one of the few honest people I know."
3. Nick's Best quality is that he withholds judgement, he doesn't tell others about it, her just keeps it to himself. This is a good quality to have because the people around him do not care what they say because they know that he will not judge him. His worst quality is that he lacks guidance, and is very gullible.
4. In this book, Nick is the narrator, but the book mainly followed Gatsby. Nick didn't really have much input on what was going on until the end of the book. He is the cousin of Daisy, and Gatsby's friend.
Ch. 7-9 Journal.
ReplyDelete'"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember the advantages that you've had..." In consequence I'm inclined to reserve all judgments.' -Nick's Father/Nick.
This quote is important because it is when his father tells him not to criticize or judge anyone, but that is exactly what he does throughout the whole story, he just keeps it to himself. By thinking he reserves judgement, he actually judges more than anybody else.