You may be wondering why I (Gatsby) am writing such a late response. You see, I was recently run over and spent the last week in Limbo. I made a deal with G-d saying that I must go back to earth and spread my wisdom if I ever wish to see the light of heaven. 

My spirit has recently been reincarnated into a student named Zackary Caleb-Levine. I'm essentially acting as the little voice inside his head. This last week Zack visited colleges in New York and with my guidance, briefly stopped in West Egg and helped him pick out a fantastic french restaurant in Manhattan. Anyway, on Zack's Journey, this is the advice i gave him:

Often times, certain colleges hold aren't all they're cracked up to be-Zack, like myself, fell victim to awesome and unearthly grip of imagination. In his head, these prestigious schools were perfect for him. They would make his life complete in every way. These school's were his Daisy. When he actually visited the campuses, he found that there was nothing that special about them and his platonic perception of them was false. I told him not to blindly follow a dream rooted in superficial ideas that weren't even his own. If I only knew that the perfect life for me was not the one which i aspired to live......And likewise, the perfect college for Zack is not the one that outside voices recommend, but rather the one that makes him content. I have learned from my foolish ways and did not make good choices. Hopefully Zack will, so I can go to Heaven.

Hannah Nussbaum's last chapter response

As Nick grapples with Gatsby's death, and with his relationships with any and all of the characters in the story, he realizes the tragic state of "the American dream." Through reflecting upon Gatsby's life, Nick comes to the ultimate realization that Gatsby lived and died a simple man from the midwest, and that his notions and fancies in the end amounted to nothing; Fitzgerald implies through Gatsby's plight that no individual can truly sever his or her roots. Fitzgerald, through the lens of Nicks narration, seems to imply that the wholesome quality of the original American dream is now distorted, and that the harder individuals like Gatsby grapple for the dream through societal ascent, the farther and farther they move from peace of mind. Nick seems to come to the realization that the concept behind America is flawed in itself- he realizes that the idea of anything being possible if one simply tries as being flawed and idealistic. The last line in the story serves to emphasize the idea that one's past cannot simply be shed, and that dreams are immaterial if they simply disregard the past.
This last chapter seems to focus on Nicks personal progress as well; his ephiphinies regarding the pull of the past drive him to reject the superficial aspects of West Egg, as he plans to move back to his origins in Minnesota. Nick acknowledges the tragedy in the lives of the West-Eggers, who are all like Gatsby in that they are living lives they do not feel truly comfortable in. With all this said, I kept in mind throughout the chapter that the narration is Nick's, and therefore not neccesarily adjacent to Fitzgerald's ideas.

I want to point out some of the last words that Nick says to Gatsby when leaving his house in the morning. "You're worth the whole damn bunch put together"(154) Nick tells Gatsby, referring to Daisy, Tom, and probably Jordan and other "friends". Nick is not a huge fan of the true person that Gatsby is and he tells us this in the first chapter: "Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn"(2). Nick knows that Gatsby lies and is going after the wrong dream with wrong ways. Nick says this line because he feels pity for Gatsby. Daisy went back to Tom and Gatsby is lonely and sad and also his house (in a way symbolizing his life) is getting out of hand so Nick let's him know that he has at least on friend left by saying this to him to make him feel better.....but this compliment has a back meaning. The fact that he said you are "worth" more than them shows an obvious literal meaning that Gatsby is actually wealthier than Daisy, Tom, and all of his other guests. I feel like Nick is saying , "nice job getting all that money and making yourself so happy" in a sarcastic manner. Nick knew that Gatsby was trying to get Daisy with his wealth (go back to the t-shirt scene) and he disapproves. Fitzgerald explains Gatsby's response to this by noting: "First he nodded politely, and then his face broke into that radiant and understanding smile..." (154). Here, it seems that Gatsby appreciated the compliment, but in a way understood what Nick was actually saying. The smile that Gatsby gives Nick is a smile that says he is happy with the fact that he is so rich- the exact reason why he did not have a happy life. Even at this point in the book, Gatsby believes, and Fitzgerald makes it obvious, that to have happiness for most people (Nick an exception?), you need money. That's why Tom, Daisy, Myrtle, and Gatsby have horrible lives. He has the wrong mindset the whole book.

-Chloe

Love and The American Dream

The Great Gatsby draws a parallel between romantic desires and the American Dream. Fitzgerald suggests that if love is only the desire to possess, then that love will fail, just as if the American Dream is only the desire to possess, that dream is destructive and the entire purpose of the dream--self-dependency and -discovery--is wasted. The downfall of the American Dream is rooted in the fact that true love in the 1920s was subordinated to the overwhelming consensus that an abundance of money, not familial and individual achievement, was the highest form of happiness. The subordination causes societal and romantic relationships to fail. For example, we know that Gatsby's love for Daisy is only an inflated and romanticized infatuation with money. We know that she could not bring herself to marry him while he was poor, and that she is finally attracted to him when he is rich; she only displays emotion--a sign of love--when he shows her his beautiful, expensive clothing. Both Daisy and Gatsby subordinate love to the idea of this really stereotyped, materialistic coexistence with another person. Both have empty, broken American Dreams, because both are more susceptible to money than they are to love. Daisy marries Tom out of convenience, because he was able to provide her with social and financial comfort when Gatsby was not: "[Tom] came down with a hundred people in four private cars, and hired a whole floor of the Seelbach Hotel, and the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars" (75-76). Likewise, Myrtle is attracted to Tom because "he had on a dress suit and patent leather shoes, and [she] couldn't keep my eyes off him" (36). She is too blinded by his money to know that he really only wants her because in his boredom he has nowhere economically higher to look, and because he can easily control her with expensive temptations like the dog and its leash (the latter being a direct metaphor for control). Fitzgerald pities the deteriorating American Dream for its succumbing to the pleasures of wealth and overlooking the value of the kind of love that Wilson has for Myrtle, the kind that lives without material appeal.

The Great Gatsby is the first book I have read about the American dream that does not deal with the working class or minority immigrants . In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, all Lennie and Geroge wanted was exactly what Gatsby already had-a big house and a stable life. The fact that Gatsby escaped the tedious and unpredictable farmer's lifestyle that George and Lennie so desperately tried to depart from, and was still unsatisfied, exemplifies Gatsby's unusual and uniquely ambitious behavior. He seeks more than what most only dream of. Perhaps Gatsby's unrelenting determination in achieving his "Platonic self-perception" is what Nick describes as "something gorgeous about him," in the beginning of a novel. Nick seems to lack Gatby's ability to dream beyond what is rooted in reality; Nick is very caught up in the miniscule, often arbitrary subtleties of what he observes (see pages 1 through 180 for proof) and perhaps lacks the ability to imagine and dream of things greater than he can imagine.In the beginning of the book, Nick also states that Gatby "represented everything for which [he] has an unaffected scorn-" materialism, pretentious social hierarchies, superficiality ect. The fact that Nick can find beauty in that which he disgusts shows that he is unique in his ability to view something from every angle, unlike he piers who only see the world in black in white; east and west; rich and poor.

The Great Gatsby

So I'm not sure how I feel about any of the characters in this novel. It is clear that the novel is about identity and the American Dream, but I don't like what Fitzgerald is suggesting about the dream. I feel as though he is saying it is just that. A dream. It cannot be obtained easily and maybe at all. Gatsby was so much happier when his dream was just a dream. And when he tried to create reality from his dream he could only do so by sacrificing his identity and losing his sense of self. Gatsby lived a life that was not his own from seventeen "and to this conception he was faithful to the end(98)"(foreshadow of his death). I understand to achieve what one wants in life he or she will HAVE to sacrifice, but is this the only way? Or is Fitzgerald suggesting that we must sacrifice, but never change who we really are or lose ourselves? I'm curious as to what he really feels about the American Dream. If we go by Gatsby's story it seems like the American Dream cannot be accomplished. Social barriers are too oppressive. I would like to think that he is saying that failure is certain if we go about obtaining the American Dream by the same means as Gatsby...but is really sacrificing everything for the one thing you truly want in life so wrong? I know I've considered it...but this story is reason why I would not. The risk of failure is too daunting.

Chapter 9 Reader Response

Hi Mrs. Arnaboldi! Hi English Class!

Chapter 9 recapitulates Fitzgerald’s views with various tools: the image of the woman in the white dress being hauled away on a stretcher, Wolfsheim’s reaction to Gatsby’s death, Gatsby’s funeral, the physical condition of Gatsby’s house after his death, Tom and Daisy’s disappearance, and so much more. I believe that the concluding line of the novel, however, conveys Fitzgerald’s message more powerfully than all of Chapter 9’s symbols and characteristics combined. The final line of the book reads:

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (180)

Here, Nick realizes that Gatsby’s desire, and his own desire, to progress and achieve higher socio-economic levels is a futile and endless chase. Fitzgerald compares life to a river, somewhat stating that life is driven by an inexorable backwardness, a natural inclination or flow towards previous states. Thus, any attempt to push against the river can only be scorned upon and labeled as superfluous ambition and selfishness.

The reader can elaborate further upon this quotation and transcend the context of the novel to discuss its bond with America as a nation. The founders of the United States came with visionary and honorable ideals such as progress, equality, and justice. However, the test of time has proven that these bold fantasies could not hold strong through the ages, and that America fell into the same condition which its founders tried to escape, conditions of imperialism, injustice, inequality, cruelty, and moral corruption.

Therefore, in Fitzgerald’s solemn view on the 1920s, Gatsby’s rise and fall mimics the decadence of America itself. As Nick stated at the inception of the novel, the past determines who a person is, and whether they are suited for a particular class or quality. Nick’s views are reiterated in Chapter 9 by the constant depiction of the West as the homeland and the East as a land of social climbing and perversion. Ultimately, attempting to break through any social or natural barriers, like attempting to move upstream, is a hubristic abuse of human willpower.

-Shervin Rezaei

Chapter 8 Reader Response

Hi Mrs. Anrnaboldi! Hi English Class!

My first instinctual reaction to Chapter 8 relates to the differences between my final views of Gatsby and Nick's final understanding. By this point in the novel, at his death, I've accumulated a sizable condemnation for Gatsby, for his criminal history, his vain imaginings and moral flaws, and for his heartlessness after Myrtle's death. I feel that throughout the novel, including all of the parties and actions of the upper class, Nick (along with Fitzgerald) defines the 1920s, along with Gatsby, by deplorable qualities: lasciviousness, cynicism, and cruelty. However, in Gatsby's final appearances in the novel, Nick conveys his admiration for him by saying that Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch put together." (154) Nick recognizes that Gatsby is capable of achieving great things with his power to dream and his will to move forward. However, he believes that because his dream focused solely on Daisy, he lost the entire social ‘game’. Nick, then, regards Daisy as an undesirable product of upper-class, societal laws.

Also, the pool served as a remarkable symbol with which to end the chapter. Gatsby’s Butler says he’s going to drain the pool because summer is nearly over and the leaves of the autumn season are beginning to contaminate it. Even though it is clear to Gatsby and to the reader that Daisy has formed an indissoluble bond of reliance and social dignity with Tom, he still refuses to let go of the past, to allow time to control him, which is why he does not succumb to the seasons and uses up his final moments in his pool. With this particular death, I felt a strong correlation to Macbeth’s final moments, and how both of these characters refuse to surrender in the face of death, a mark of true perseverance and proof of the strength of the American Dream.

-Shervin Rezaei

Chapter 8

I have still to read chapter 9, so I will write my journal on chapter 8 alone.
First of all, I was so sad for Gatsby. I've always loved him and thought he was a teddy bear, so the reflection on the demise of his and Daisy's relationship disheartened me. Also, from the description of Gatsby's relationship with Daisy, he clearly sees her as more of a dream and an object, rather than someone he truly loves. She is described as "the first 'nice' girl" Gatsby ever met, so that must have given him some sort of hope towards love. Then, his love grows with material items and the fact that other men have loved her, rather than her personality. "He felt married to her, that was all" (149). Marriage does not necessarily include love, but the dependency of two people. Therefore, Gatsby and Daisy's relationship seems to be based on the image and the dream and the stability of it, rather than true feelings. This is also confirmed by the fact that Daisy did not marry Gatsby-she was not stable with him financially, and by the fact that she stays with Tom, showing that her feelings are not fully there. The best moments are also depicted as the times when she would kiss his shoulder or he would touch her fingers, purely physical actions, rather than discussion, or how he liked when her voice was huskier when she was sick. Gatsby focuses more on her physical aspects, rather than care about the the fact that she was sick. Basically, Gatsby and Daisy's relationship does not seem legitimate. Their love is based on silly actions and details.

-Brittany Bishop

Thoughts on the End

- I was disappointed that Nick was unable to interact with Daisy after the accident, and after Gatsby's death. I wanted to know what she would have said about Gatsby, maybe reveal how she truly felt about him. I guess it makes sense though; Daisy was nothing more than a dream for Gatsby, a being that was above him in every way, and she could not be bothered to attend his funeral. Nick comments that she is careless, but I believe she was a product of her society, and had no other idea of how to act.

- Nick's new found disgust with the East shows what Fitzgerald thinks of the rich Easterners and their ideals. The idea that none of the Mid-Westerners, Nick, Jordan, Tom, and Daisy, would never be able to fit in with the Eastern society is a comment on society as a whole, how different groups are always striving to climb the social ladder, only to find out that there is nothing but pain and sadness once reached.

- The green light. A symbol for the American dream, what Gatsby hopes to one day reach. Riches and Daisy are his goals, and despite never getting closer, his continuous optimism makes him believe he can obtain them. Gatsby himself is a symbol for the hollowness of the American dream, that having all the money in the world doesn't matter. One can convince his or herself that they are happy, but the American is only happy when he or she no longer has to strain themselves for it, like Gatsby on the boat with Cody. That was the only time Gatsby felt truly satisfied with his life, while the rest of his story is a commentary of his failures to reach that high place again.

Daisy and Tom

Daisy and Tom, no matter what Gatsby thinks, really seem to be made for each other. Tom cheats on Daisy with Myrtle and Daisy cheats on Tom with Gatsby. Each one has their lover convinced that they are about to leave they spouse, but neither actually plans on doing so. Gatsby is convinced that Daisy is about to run off with him and that she never actually loved her husband, and Myrtle is convinced that the only thing holding Tom back is that Daisy is a Catholic. Though neither Tom nor Daisy is especially happy in their marriage, they are each too worried about their social standing to give it up. Daisy and Tom are members the truly upper class, so much so that they cannot even enjoy Gatsby's party, something people enjoy going to because everyone goes. Daisy and Tom are beyond that need. By the end of chapter seven we see that, though their marriage may not be happy, there is "an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about" them. Their relationship is "natural" one way or another, and in the end that will probably be enough.

Avery's chapter six response

Until chapter six, I thought that Gatsby was one of the more genuine characters in the book, and one of the few who was where he wanted to be in life. After learning about his past, my opinion changed completely. Gatsby lives entirely in his own fantasy world. "He invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end" (98). He began living based purely on what he thought his life ought to be, and he never made it back to reality. Now, he throws extravagant parties in which he doesn't participate, keeps a library of books he doesn't read, lives in an amazing mansion on the wrong Egg, and has an affair with an old love which he convinces himself will end with a happily ever after. Gatsby has built his life up around his own fantasies to the point where it almost seems true, but in the end it is still just that, a fantasy.

Comment on Michele's Reader Response (same issue as Jeff)

Hi Michele Abercrombie!
I noticed in your post that you mentioned Daisy's preference for a simpleminded man such as Tom instead of a complex character like Gatsby. I don't believe, however, that she recognizes Gatsby as a genuine lover, and I don't believe he's complex(unless you're saying his past is complex, in which case I misunderstood). I think she feels that Tom does not give her the attention she craves (this crave can be seen in the first scene when Daisy energetically attempts to entertain her guests) and because she feels that Gatsby does not comprehend her at all, especially when he thinks he has complete control of her heart. In this sense, Gatsby thinks of her as an object, a key to the majestic universe of East Egg.

I agree with you in a sense, though. I think Tom will change because of the recent Wilson incidents, but that Gatsby will continue to use the same methods as before to reignite his relationship with Daisy.

-Shervin Rezaei

Chapter 7

I was really moved by the way Gatsby behaves towards Daisy and how much he loves her. Although it was she who hit Myrtle, Gatsby took the blame in order to save Daisy. On the other hand Daisy seemed to have lost all concern for Gatsby after the accident and found herself more comfortable with her superficial, hypocritical husband than with the man that loved her truly and was willing to die for her. This is illustrates that Gatsby isn’t meant to be a part of Daisy’s wealthy, snobbish world as he values love over money. Tom, even though he is insistent that Daisy loves him and that he loves her, isn’t able to comprehend the value of love and the meaning it has for Gatsby. Daisy ‘loves’ Tom because he provides her with a comfortable wealthy lifestyle surrounded by people of her own class. For Tom, Daisy is a pretty girl of wealthy background that keeps him feeling secure and successful. Tom thinks of Daisy in a similar way that Daisy thinks of her daughter. Daisy has no real concern for her daughter, who is a mere doll-like being that Daisy has access to when she wants to show off to her friends. Daisy introduces her daughter to Gatsby and Nick saying, “That’s because your mother wanted to show you off…you dream, you. You absolute little dream”(177). In a similar way, Tom likes to know that Daisy is available whenever he needs her for support or pleasure but in actuality he has no feelings for her that go as deep as true love. As Nick portrayed at the beginning of the novel the rich are mostly made up of phonies. Daisy and her society are not evil, apathetic people; they are just childlike characters that enjoy the security of materialistic objects and people that they can relate to. For Daisy, Gatsby is too complex and alien for her to understand. His genuine love for her is too much for her too deal with and for that reason she turns back to the simpleminded Tom for security.

The truth behind the narrator

I always wanted to see the light in Gatsby and deep down I could feel that he wanted to be a "good guy". Something about Nick's word choice throughout the narration made me a little uneasy about Gatsby. I got the impression that he wasn't the perfect confident wealthy man that we constantly saw at his parties. As we find out in the latest chapters Gatsby is actually Jay Gatz, the product of two unsuccessful farmers. This book does an amazing job of displaying the insecurities of being ones self despite wealth or social class. Everyone's main concern in this novel seems to be how he appears to everyone else around him, including Nick. I think Nick may possibly even be an unreliable narrator because he may be too concerned with what the reader thinks (which is why he doesn’t come out as a bi-sexual…YEA I SAID IT! The proof is there if anyone is willing to look. And I am not the only person to think so). Though Nick claims to be the most honest person he knows, many would say the exact same thing about themselves, so we cannot actually assume all that he says is true. Nick shows his insecurities in chapter three. As soon as Nick arrives at the party and can’t find Gatsby, and rather appear to be lonely, he made his way to the cocktail table. Nick makes being alone at a party of this caliber to be one of the greatest embarrassments he can face. Gatsby was “on [his] way to get roaring drunk from sheer embarrassment (42)”, when he finally recognizes someone he knows at the party. To be alone is to be unpopular. To be unpopular is to not be wealthy, and if you’re not wealthy then you surely don’t belong in East Egg. We can probably trust what Nick narrates about Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, which seems to be the real story, but I encourage everyone to take what he says about himself cum grano salis and read between the lines

re: reader response chapter 7

Sorry to make this a new post, but the library computer is not letting me publish my comment. This is in response to Stephanie's reader response on chapter 7 and Liam's comment on her post. I'm not sure if I am agreeing or not...but I'm just making a few statements I guess...

I don't think Daisy will end up with Gatsby at all to be frank. She likes the thought of being with him, and being loved for that matter, but she is too superficial to actually be with a man who isn't a true East Egger(yes I just made up a word). Tom's hypocrisy is simply warranted by the fact that he is living his American dream. Though we may view his actions as wrong and morally corrupt, I see Tom's American dream being to do as he pleases. Plus, being an East Egger gives him the notion that he is above social norms and standards. Essentially Tom believes his wealth and status is the answer to everything. I do believe that Daisy will have the strength to leave Tom in pursuit of her American Dream...which sadly doesn't include Gatsby

Gatsby - Chapter Seven

The two posts that were made about chapter seven mainly focused on Gatsby's dream crashing down around him and Tom's hypocrisy when dealing with his wife's affair with Gatsby. Although both are extremely important points, I believe that this scene was also a huge revelation of Daisy's character.

Daisy, of course, is beautiful. She is delicate and lovely and captivating, but she is very imperfect. Her voice, which is praised throughout the novel, is finally said to be "full of money" (120) by Gatsby himself. Nick in turn realizes that money "was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it." (120) Daisy is so irresistible because of her looks and most importantly her money and status. Furthermore she is commanding and critical of her husband: "'Open another window,' commanded Daisy, without turning around." (126) Again, Daisy attacks Tom: "Now see here, Tom... If you're going to make personal remarks I won't stay here a minute. Call up and order some ice for the mint julep." (127) Daisy's hostility may stem from being pampered all her life or perhaps her hostility toward Tom is her indirect reaction to being cheated on, but either way, it is a particularly unattractive quality that seems to be forgiven or classified as a general multitude of a woman's fancies that must be satisfied.

And speaking of being Tom's multiple affairs, Daisy's reluctant-ness to leave Tom is surprising after she has been given the opportunity to leave with Gatsby who has secretly and unwaveringly loved her for five years. She cries multiple times "Please don't! Let's all go home," (130) wishing to avoid the broached conflict of her affair. This makes me wonder if she enjoys being lusted after by Gatsby while being married to Tom. Perhaps the secrecy was thrilling, but I belive that she enjoys the ego boost; Daisy takes advantage of the effect she tends to have on men until they are eating out of the palm of her hand, but her confidence wavers when she is at risk of losing control of a situation (a quality very much like her husband).

Over all, Daisy's excessive love of herself and her image make it impossible to truly love someone. Her reputation is too spotless withstand the event of her being seen with someone below her or off-limits, which explains why her scandal with Gatsby causes her to react with such emotional indecision.

Upon arriving in the salon of the Buchanan's mansion, Nick immediately observes Daisy and Jordan: "[They] lay upon an enormous couch, like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the singing breeze of the fans" (115). This is perhaps the most accurate description of Daisy we have seen thus far; she is merely an idol that has been falsely worshiped by Gatsby, Tom and even Nick.

Chapter 7 - Reader Response

Daisy boldly invites Gatsby to her house for lunch with her husband which fuels Tom’s suspicions about a relationship between Daisy and Gatsby. The hot afternoon eventually spirals into a confrontation between Tom and Gatsby. Tom’s hypocrisy is accentuated when he berates Gatsby for being with Daisy when Tom himself also cheated on Daisy: “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” (131). Tom sees nothing wrong with his own actions of infidelity with the even lower class Myrtle, but sees the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy as apocalyptic: “I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife…Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and intermarriage between black and white” (130). Tom degrades Gatsby by accusing him of owning “side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and [selling] grain alcohol over the counter.” Regardless of Daisy’s love for Gatsby, Tom knows that Daisy’s snobbery is alike to his own and she would never leave her upper-class husband for a bootlegger. Daisy is unwilling to say that she never loved Tom causing Gatsby’s hopes of repeating the past to die. Ultimately, Gatsby is unable to connect past to present and Daisy, in the end, stays faithful to Tom.

Chapter 7 Reader Response

I think that all is revealed in Chapter 7: Gatsby and Daisy's affair, Daisy's ultimate intentions, and Gatsby's desperate attempt to hold on to his "American Dream". All of these events quickly surface one after another, making this chapter fast paced and hard to keep up. When Nick, Jordan and Gatsby are invited to Tom and Daisy's house, it is quite obvious that Gatsby feels out of place and awkward. When Gatsby and Daisy make eye contact, Tom immediately recognizes that there is something going on between them and gets upset. I think that this is highly hypocritical of Tom to this think because he has a mistress and has been cheating on Daisy ever since their marriage. Nick observes that "[Tom's] wife and his mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate, were slipping precipitately from his control" (125). Tom is extremely possessive and likes to have everything under control.

Gatsby even admits to nick that Daisy's "voice is full of money" (120). Not only does Gatsby realize that Daisy's only interest is in his wealth, he also realizes that his "American Dream" (the dream of obtaining Daisy) is slowly slipping away. Gatsby has always deamt of reunitig ith Daisy as a passionate and dramative moment and this clearly did not happen.

Also in this chapter, Gatsby desperately tries to hold on to his dream of being with Daisy. Tom begins to interrogate Gatsby, demanding answers from him. When Tom asks Gatsby what kind of trouble he's trying to cause, Gatsby begins declaring Daisy's love for him and puts it all in the open. Gatsby, replying to Tom's question, cries "'Your wife doesn't love you. She's never loes you. She loves me'" (130). Gatsby is stuck in the past and still strongly believes that he can fix everything. Taking a step further, he also claims that Daisy is going to leave Tom for him. When Daisy interjects the screaming fight between Tom and Gatsby, she reveals that she loves both of them. When Daisy claims this, Gatsby's dream is ultimately crushed.

Chapter 6: Gatsby and His Dreams

In this chapter, the readers learn of Gatsby's past. Gatsby started as a lower-class male, both economically and socially diverse from the people in both of the eggs (although mostly the East Egg). Upon meeting Dan Cody, who is a powerful and rich man, Gatsby strove to become great. He never grew up in wealth, and therefore, when he became rich, did not fit into the culture. He may be economically equivalent to the people of the East Egg, but he is not socially the same as them.

The idea of dreams plays a huge part of why Gatsby acts the way he does, and demonstrates how the world continues to move in the way that it does. Gatsby's dreams not only haunted him, but continued to push him to try. "Each night he added to the pattern of his fancies until drowsiness closed down upon some vivid scene with an oblivious embrace. For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality; a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy's wings" (99). Although Gatsby's dreams gave him hope for the future; at the same time, the dreams gave him false hope. By using "unreality of reality," Fitzgerald is suggesting that Gatsby saw the world with new heights, but they were unrealistic and caused Gatsby to try so hard for nothing. Gatsby thinks that enchanting occurrences and hope can change the world, hence "the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy's wings," but once again, the use of reality breaks that depiction of amazement and magic towards not only Gatsby's dream, but the American (and possibly all-human) dream in itself.

In the end, as shown through the dinner party at the end of the chapter, although Gatsby seems to fit into the high-class world, he does not. His dreams led him to fight for his social stance, but once again, Gatsby truly cannot compare to the naturally rich. Mr. Sloane and the lady are smug and rich, and Gatsby seems to want to be them, but at heart, he is still the same man as he was before the party.

Finally, as reiterated in class, Daisy is Gatsby's "American Dream." Although there were hopes for their love when they were alone- and at the party when the two were alone, the hopes are gone. Daisy had to bring her husband Tom to the dinner. At the party, Daisy says, "Or present a green card. I'm giving out green-" The use of the color green by Daisy relates back to the green light from across the bay from chapter 5. Before, the green light disappeared, showing that Gatsby was one step closer to his dream, but now, the green has returned, illustrating that Gatsby returns to where he started with Daisy. Reality will always triumph, and Gatsby's dream seems like it will never truly be accomplished because he is always set back (almost like the clock? hm... but that's for another post entirely).

-Brittany Bishop

Hannah Nussbaum's chapter six response

For me, chapter six drastically changed my perception of Gatsby. Until this chapter, I viewed Gatsby as almost a concept, less so a tangible character than a mysterious symbol. In learning the more personal details of his past life, I was able to better understand his present day character, and make sense of his feelings for Daisy. In revealing Gatsby's young character to have a wild and romantic imagination, his "heart in a constant, turbulent riot," Fitzgerald provides a reasonable background for the flighty emotions of present day Gatsby. His passionate and complex feelings for Daisy seem to be less a product of true romance, than the product of an unstable individual, who has never not harbored "grotesque and fantastic conceits [that] haunted him in his bed at night. Chapter six left me questioning whether Gatsby is truly in love with Daisy, or merely a passionate individual whose fancies and romantic ideas seldom correlate with reality. His surreal parties and luxary correlate with his romantic and dreamy passions; Gatsby seems to be a character always struggling to translate the fancies in his head into reality. His lack of stability must certainly stem from his inability to translate that which is in his imagination into his real life.

Evidence for this assertion can be found in the despair Gatsby feels following his party. Daisy is a married women, so it is only reasonable that she should bring her husband along with her to the party. Gatsby is the host, so it is only reasonable that he is not able to spend his entire night with one woman- and certainly not when her husband is there. Though he is able to entertain her, dance with her, and introduce her to his friends, Gatsby feels "far away" from daisy, come the end of the night. Again, reality falls short of his expectations, his extravagany luxary and grandeur even not able to be a vehicle by which he lives out his dreams. The chapter is as a whole, in my opinion, tragic, for it for me conveys the futility and irrelevence of Gatsby's dreams when measured against reality.

Chapter 6-ish Reading Response

Well, for the sake of the argument, I'm going to call this a Chapter 6 Reading Response. In reality, it's about Tom and Daisy's relationship. I'm going to try to make sense of it.

The not so lovebirds thus far: Okay, we know Daisy's feelings towards Tom and her marriage from Chapter 1. She is not satisfied; she has a husband who cheats on her and a sense that maybe her grandiose life isn't all it's cracked up to be. ("Sophisticated--God, I'm sophisticated!") Tom, on the other hand, is a little harder to understand. He is also unsatisfied with his marriage, at least enough to cheat on Daisy, but that's not all of how he feels. There's a part of him that wants to keep Daisy around, as it is presumably Tom who lies and says that Daisy is a Catholic as a reason not to divorce her. Arguably, Tom only wants to keep Daisy around like Gatsby wants books in his house: for show only. Still, we know that Tom has no problems doing what is socially unacceptable if he wants to do it, like dragging his mistress around to East Egg's fancy restaurants. Jordan Baker's story almost gives the impression that Tom married Daisy because she was pretty, and lets us know that he was cheating from the very beginning.

In Chapter 6, there's more proof that Tom likes having Daisy around (for whatever reason). Maybe he picks up on Gatsby's unease, but he dislikes something about Gatsby, and likes even less that Daisy knows him, referring to Gatsby as a "crazy fish" indirectly. He's looking out or Daisy, one small sign that he may in fact care about her. Tom also finds an interest in Gatsby, probably because Gatsby's connection to Daisy worries him. (Ironic...?) He tries to persuade her that Gatsby and his parties really aren't that cool. ("You didn't look so interested.")Failing, he just turns to Nick and tries to make fun of Daisy. (What a good relationship...)

There's something to Daisy that keeps Tom coming back to her, either her value as a mantelpiece or maybe some actual love. One thing is for sure. You are not good enough to even say Daisy's name, and if you try it, he'll Tom will punch you in the nose.

Chapter 5 - Gatsby's Wealth

Hello!
Though there is no concrete evidence that Gatsby was not born wealthy, it seems we can agree, at least based on Nick's doubt, that Gatsby lies or exaggerates when he says "[he is] the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West" (65) and from them "came into a good deal of money" (65). We wonder, therefore, what was his ultimate motivation to pursue the wealth he presently possesses. I think that he was inspired to become wealthy not by the sparkle of materialism but by the pains of lovesickness, and by a naivete that told him to use his wealth as a crutch on which to snag Daisy. Gatsby's dream of Daisy is his own personal American Dream. I don't really think Fitzgerald necessarily means to "criticize the upper class' version of 'love'," as Adrian said [somewhere on this blog]. By stressing Gatsby's use of wealth, I think he means to criticize the general American, rich and poor, route to love, in all of its forms (romance, family, career, etc.). Fitzgerald does not call Gatsby a heartless or greedy rich man, for he is far from it--instead, the author asserts that Gatsby has simply allowed his desire for love (a representative of the general American desire for love) to mutate into a desire for wealth. Ever since young lieutenant Gatsby fell in love with Daisy, he felt the understandable yet irrational need to be socially superior in order to obtain her: "He wants her to see his house" (79); he assumes that well-kept lawns will please her; he hopes to attract her to his lavish parties so that she can relish in his expensive social life. He does not want to rely on wealth to obtain love, he simply sees no other way. He, like many Americans, has a warped take on life. He is dedicated and good-hearted, but silly, and can "[act] like a little boy" (88) in his infatuation with Daisy and thus, because of that infatuation, blind misuse--or overuse--of money. Gatsby is so obsessed with self-invention and reputation that he does not know who he really is, or how to obtain love without an outer shell of material appeal. Fitzgerald means to say that, while Americans may enter the country with dreams of family and art and romance, those dreams conform to a really rather vulgar need for money in order to obtain anything. American society is so centered around that one universal obsession that no other quality could mean as much, and that is no fault of any individual. Gatsby has only fallen victim to this corrupt American society, succumbed to an impossible, therefore, American Dream, and subordinated his desire for love to his desire to obtain money in order to get Daisy. Fitzgerald, then, believes that money has destroyed pursuits of all that may have once been possible without it. Fitzgerald may have lost faith in Americans, who "have always been obstinate about being peasantry" (88) and no longer find joy in that which costs nothing.

Chapter 5 Wisdom

Until chapter 5, as noted in my previous response, Gatsby seems always to be cool, calm and collected. Of all the characters we have met thus far (except possibly Nick), he has seemed to feel the least pressure to be a certain way, or to put on a certain affect. This is not to say that he does not effect an affect (Owl Eyes notes the books are unread and Gatsby is overbearing at times), but simply that he has always seemed comfortable and even in control at all times. In chapter 5, however, Gatsby is very awkward and uncomfortable. I believe the change is that he no longer has absolute power in his relationships. Gatsby is used to people who are either in debt to him or want to impress him. (It is interesting to note that this is a very Godfather-esque quality). In chapter 4, however, he indirectly asks Nick for a favor. This is why in chapter 5, he is so uncomfortable around Nick. He tries to gain the upper hand once more by offering to take Nick into New York, or to go swimming but Nick refuses. Nick even refuses to work for Gatsby: a job that would have forever given Gatsby the upper hand in their relationship. Similarly, Gatsby is not so much uncomfortable around Daisy because he feels awkward about having kept his feelings for her for so long, as he is uncomfortable because those feelings, which may or may not be requited, give her power in the relationship. He wants her affection, yet she may not care for his. This is why he becomes so much more confident when Nick tells him that Daisy is embarrassed; Gatsby knows that she wants him (or, moreover, his wealth) and thus is in the comfortable seat of power. IN CONCLUSION, Gatsby actively maintains his calm and superior demeanor by keeping his acquaintances in a lower social position than him by doing them favors, throwing popular parties, etc..

Chapter 5 Reader Response

Gatsby is further characterized in Chapter 5 as a worldly, material man unaccustomed to moments of intimacy via his encounters with Nick and Daisy. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's insecurity and his wooing of Daisy to contrast with Nick's self-confidence, and wooing of Jordan. In the previous chapter, Jordan and Nick have a heartfelt conversation about Daisy and Gatsby's past. The two talk as equals – lovers, yes, but equals.
On the other hand, Gatsby goes to extremes to make himself appear more “manly” when Daisy visits him. He insists that Daisy and Nick move the party to his mansion, and appears visibly awkward when he attempts to woo Daisy in Nick's house – away from the signs of Gatsby's wealth and status. Nick describes it as “reclining against the mantelpiece in a strained counterfeit of perfect ease, even of boredom”(86). Gatsby also storms out of the room several times to pace nervously before Daisy arrives, almost like a teenage boy awaiting a girl's call.
However, as soon as Gatsby moves Nick and Daisy to his mansion, and conducts them on a guided tour that shows his exploits, Daisy begins to fall for him. Gatsby even decorates his room with a gold toilet set (91) and allows Daisy to use it. Upon seeing his shirt collection (and hearing Gatsby pompously proclaim that they come from England), Daisy bursts into tears, saying “It makes me sad because I've never seen such – such beautiful shirts before”(92).
Soon after, Daisy puts her arm around Gatsby “abruptly”(93), symbolizing the abrupt change the couple has undergone. When compared to Nick's relationship with Jordan, Gatsby's relationship with Daisy is obviously based around Gatsby's material accomplishments – his achievements in the paper, his wealth, etc. Using this, Fitzgerald continues to criticize the rich and idyllicize Nick, and the middle class, as having the true idea of 'love'.

Gatsby - Chapter Five

Okay. This post is essentially a response to Stephanie's post about Daisy's relationship with Gatsby, but also a deeper exploration of their relationship.
In Stephanie's post, she questions if Daisy is truly in love with Gatsby or just his money in the last sentence of her second paragraph. At this point in the story, Daisy is in complete awe of Gatsby - his home, his clothing, his possessions, and ultimately his presence. Everything about Gatsby is everything Daisy has ever wanted but was unable to find: love and riches. (Tom showers her with riches - the pearls - but is an adulterer; Daisy's devotion and love are not returned.) It seems as if Daisy has at last found her 'prince charming' but it is unclear if she is merely dazzled by Gatsby's reappearance in her life and display of grandeur or if she is actually in love with him.
Looking back on previous events in the story, Jordan tells Nick that "[Daisy and Gatsby] were so engrossed in each other that she didn't see me until I was five feet away" (74). Here, it is obvious that Gatsby and Daisy were romantically involved, but to what extent is unknown. Jordan also says that "After you (Nick) had gone home she (Daisy) came into my room and woke me up and said: 'What Gatsby?' and when I described him - I was half asleep - she said in the strangest voice that it must be the man she used to know." (77) These stories and Daisy's drunken episode with the letter (presumably from Gatsby) before her wedding day give us proof that Daisy, at one point, was in love with Gatsby.
Presently, Daisy is feeling a lot of things after seeing Gatsby again after so many years apart, but I do believe she still loves him. When Gatsby asks Daisy what she thinks about the rain stopping she says "'I'm glad, Jay.' Her throat , full of aching, grieving beauty, told only of her unexpected joy." (89). Perhaps the theory of Daisy only loving Gatsby's wealth is supported by her tears over his "beautiful shirts" (92) and other notable possessions because the Gatsby she used to know was only a soldier with no material possessions and now Gatsby has a beautiful home right across the bay from hers with more wealth than she could imagine.
At this point we can only wait and see what happens next between them.

In chapter 5 we learn a lot about Daisy and Gatsby in the sense of what is really important to them. It was clear earlier in the book that Daisy was in love with Gatsby but Tom had more money than him so she married Tom. Gatsby has been waiting and working hard to win Daisy back, and after finally gaining enough confidence, he meets with her. When we first met Gatsby at one of his parties, I thought of him as a smart guy who had everything planned for him and others. In this chapter, I see I different side of him; I see a weak person. He asks Nick to invite Daisy over to his house so that his shy self can talk to her after all these years. Its strange that he can have all these parties with tons of people, but can’t invite Daisy over. We also see how uncomfortable he gets when Daisy is about to arrive at Nicks (Fitzgerald describes how white Gatsby gets). I thought the “expensive shirt” scene was a funny one. It is clear that Daisy is fascinated by the fortune that Gatsby has. It was a little absurd that Gatsby was just throwing colorful and expensive shirts down in front of Nick and Daisy. Daisy begins to sob. It’s a strange scene but we learn that Gatsby needs money to win love and that Daisy will fall for it. THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT IF DAISY NEVER TURNED GATSBY DOWN IN HER EARLIER LIFE FOR THE MUCH RICHER TOM, GATSBY WOULD NOT BE THE MAN HE IS TODAY.
Im also curious if anyone thinks that Gatsby I simply using Nick to get closer to Dasiy….

Chapter 5 Reader Response

I think that in Chapter 5 (in comparison to the previous chapters), Gatsby reveals the most about himself. In the beginning of this chapter, Gatsby seems to be tense about reuniting with Daisy and this is apparent through his small talk with Nick. In the previous chapters, the reader is only able to see glimpses of Gatsby, who is portrayed as a mysterious, wealthy man. but through his conversation with Nick, Gatsby hints at his more manipulative personality that has been relatively hidden before. At first, Gatsby appears to be thankful at the favor Nick does for him. But, when Gatsby offers to cut Nick's lawn, it shows Gatsby's embarassment towards Nick's less extravagent home. Then, Gatsby offers Nick a chance to be involved in his "little business" that he does on the side. When Nick declines this offer, Gatsby is aware of Wolfsheim's sketchy business but decides not to say anything more about it.

Not only does this chapter reveal a lot about Gatsby, it also reveals what kind of a woman Daisy is. When Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick are at Gatsby's mansion, Gatsby brings both of them into his bedroom, sifting through his clothes. Gatsby declares that he has "a man in England who buys [him] clothes" (92). Gatsby ultimately tries to prove his wealth to impress Daisy. Daisy responds to his wealth by sobbing over his "beautiful shirts", suggesting her attachment to material things. Through Daisy's reaction, the reader can imply that Daisy is just as shallow as the other women in Gatsby. And, by the end of this chapter, Daisy falls in love with Gatsby (again / never was out of love) and Nick acknowledges their happiness together. This makes me wonder whether or not Daisy is actually in love with Gatsby or just in love with the fact that Gatsby has money.

I want to make one more point before I end this blog. Near the end of Ch. 5, Gatsby says, "If it wasn't for the must we could see your home across the bay. You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (92). This reminds me of the valley of asked and the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. In the valley of ashes, there is smoke that screens The Eyes from seeing anything. I think that this might represent Gatsby's inability to see Daisy's secret ambitions or her true personality. I also think that this not only suggests Gatsby and Daisy's emotional difference, it also suggests their physical separation (West Egg vs. East Egg).

Chapter 5 - Reader Response

Since Daisy left Gatsby to marry the wealthy Tom Buchanan, Gatsby has led his life making sure that Daisy would accept him when they met again. He prepares for a future reunion with her by becoming rich and buying an extravagant mansion across the lake from her house. Gatsby has had only the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock to fuel his hopes of seeing Daisy once again. When Daisy and Gatsby meet, Gatsby acts like the shy awkward soldier in love who met Daisy 5 years ago. He clumsily knocks over the mantelpiece clock after muttering “’We’ve met before,’” to Daisy, signifying his desire to return to the time when he and Daisy were together and Daisy had not married Tom. During this awkward first encounter, the rain is pouring outside paralleling the nervousness and anxiety that Gatsby experiences. When Gatsby returns to the room to speak to Daisy, the rain stops which parallels the “new well-being [radiating] from” (89) Gatsby. Thus, the rain is a symbol of Gatsby’s feeling and emotions. Then, Gatsby feels the need to show Daisy his splendid mansion. First going through the gardens, then the “Marie Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration salons…[and] the Merton College Library” (91), Gatsby wanted to be sure to show Daisy every aspect of his new extravagant life so that Daisy would accept him. Nick observes that Gatsby “revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes” (91) which shows that he owned all of the magnificent rooms and wondrous shirts from England for the sole purpose of convincing Daisy that he was wealthy enough to be with her. I didn’t understand the significance of the song that Mr Klipspringer sings so I looked up the rest of the lyrics of The Love Nest: “Every morning, / Every evening, / Ain't we got fun / Not much money / Oh, but honey / Ain't we got fun / The rent's unpaid, dear / We haven't a bus / But smiles were made, dear / For people like us” (link). The lyrics are ironic because the tone of the song is light and cheery which starkly contrasts with the awkward and uncomfortable manner of Gatsby and Daisy’s reunion. The lyrics “Not much money…Ain’t we got fun” also contrasts with Gatsby and Daisy’s situation since Daisy left Gatsby because of his poverty and now returns to him for his wealthy remarkable life.

Chapter 5

So. In this chapter Nick helps Gatsby have a little reunion with Daisy, as they are former lovers. Nick is offended that Gatsby offers him a job in return for his help but has no other issues with assisting him. Gatsby does not like being indebt to anyone (this was also shown when Gatsby bought a new dress for a girl when her other dress was stained at his party) and therefore he is uncomfortable with using Nick. Nick has no problem with potentially ruining Daisy's marriage, whether this is because he respects Gatsby or dislikes Tom, is unclear. It has been depicted throughout the novel that Nick plays the role of the observer and has no strong influence on any of the characters. As for Daisy, when she reunites with Gatsby she seems to be more thrilled by the extent of his wealth and his expensive possessions than in seeing Gatsby himself. I find her to be a shallow character, but Gatsby's youthful love for Daisy blinds him from seeing that she has potentially changed. As Gatsby is exhilarated from meeting Daisy again, he is off his guard and we get a glimpse of his genuinely nervous, awkward self. Gatsby has always been careful of what he says, perhaps this being because he has something to hide, but after spending some time with Daisy he doesn't speak cautiously with Nick. For example he says in reference to his house, "It took me just three years to earn the money that bought it"(90). When Nick replies that he thought he inherited the money, Gatsby quickly says "I did old sport...but I lost most of it in the panic---the panic of the war"(90). Gatsby is usually more conscience of what he says, choosing his words carefully, but as this has been an extremely emotional occasion for him, he speaks with little understanding of what he is saying.

Thoughts on Chapter Four

- I thought it was interesting how Nick just rattled off names in the beginning of the chapter, seemingly without pause, even when he mentions his or her death. I guess the point being made is that after the smug and snobby way these people carry themselves, they end up being just names on a list of people who visited Gatsby that summer, nothing more.

- Nick's attitude towards Gatsby contradicts his opinions at the start of the novel. He doesn't show any admiration or even pity (which Nick foreshadows in the 'prologue') but only the "unaffected scorn' that he feels towards all people of Gatsby's stature. Obviously some tumultuous event will change Nick's opinion, but what it is exactly remains to be seen (or read).

- Like what Liesl said in her post, colors once again play an important part in this chapter. When Jordan is describing Daisy and Gatsby's encounter, she notes that Daisy was 'dressed in white, and had a little white roadster'. The fact that she is in all white could symbolize her purity and maybe angelical-ness, if one were to assume that this event happened before she became so cynical and unhappy. While Daisy's car is white, Gatsby's is cream, which is close to white, but not close enough. A symbol for his nearly perfect life, but one that is missing the key element of love, perhaps?

- Lastly, I was somewhat confused as to the role Wolfstein played in this chapter. I wasn't sure if he was another "fallen American Dream" symbol, or something less depressing. I figure we will discuss it in class, but if someone wanted to leave a comment, that would be good for both of us!

Encouragement & reminder to read Chap. 4 tonight

Bravo to the first three posters.

Anyone else care to comment tonight on the significance of Owl Eyes and what he notices?

Also, please include the chapter title in the "Title" of your post.

The Most Insightful Comment Thusfar. Period.

Chapter 3:

Hey everybody,

I’m just getting my first sixteen words out of the way before I begin. It seems, as has been noted in class, that many of the characters, rich and poor, try to be what they are not. Daisy and Tom each lie to Nick about their situation. We learn in the third chapter that Miss Baker simply lies about everything. Myrtle and the Mckees seem to seize the chance they have to live out of their class through Tom. To me, Nick seems unsure of what he wants. Indeed, he is as he described himself in the opening passage: he is an undecided observer. Gatsby is the one exception. Gatsby does not have to pretend to be something because he is all everyone else wants to be and more. Other characters are even surprised by Gatsby’s genuine qualities. For instance, Owl Eyes is surprised that Gatsby has real books in his library; the expectation for this social group is that he would have fake books so as to only appear as one that reads. Moreover, Gatsby is the only one at the party we know not to be drunk (although Nick once again is an undecided slight drunk). This illustrates how he does not need to live in a fantasy world. He has all he wants in the real world. Gatsby does, however, live a lie in the most permeating way of all. Nobody knows who he really is. If this were a real paper, I’d somehow explain this, but it’s not and I’m out of space. I hope you’ve enjoyed two hundred sixty-nine words of wisdom.

Chapter 2 Reader Response

I think I'm going to ignore the whole rich vs poor theme going on in this chapter and focus more on the colors. Colors make a frequent appearance in this chapter, and each seems to have its own special meaning.

Gray: Gray is the first color to appear in chapter two. First, it describes a "certain desolate area of land", which happens to be "a valley of ashes". The valley isn't exactly Disney World. The houses, landscape, and people are obscured by a cloud of gray ash. People move dimly and are already crumbling, almost as if they aren't people but ghosts of people. In a way, they appear to be. Nick never gives them another thought and these dismal people disappear in the story. People are also described as gray. "A gray, scrawny Italian child," and a "gray old man," who sells Tom a puppy are both mentioned once, and then never again. The upholstery of the cab is also gray. When something is gray, it is insignificant, and has almost given up on standing up or fighting the world. It goes through the motions of a dismal life, working as well as it can, but in the end, doesn't even get a second glance from Nick. This bleak color has an equally bleak meaning.

Blue: Blue immediately contrasts with the gray in the valley in the form of the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, a weather-beaten pair of eyes left in the valley by an oculist who was trying to open a new business there but, for reasons Nick doesn't know, had to leave, leaving the eyes behind. The eyes of Mr. Wilson, an inhabitant of the gray valley, are also blue. He lives a hard life, verbally abused by Tom, hated by his wife, and running a slow business. Wilson's wife, when first introduced, is wearing a blue dress, although it is spotted. She, like her husband, lives a hard life in the gray valley. Blue is the sign of being beaten by a hard life. Unlike gray, what is blue is significant. It struggles, but has a sense of life and importance, not displayed by gray.

Brown: The second dress Wilson's wife wears is brown. She wears this dress on the train and to the apartment, trying to transition from living in the gray valley to being Tom's mistress. The dog Tom buys, the one the gray man claims is an Airedale but to Nick is clearly a mutt, is also brown. Brown means trying to pass off as better than you are, plain and simple.

White: White made an appearance in Chapter one in Daisy and Jordan's dresses. Now, white comes in full force. The feet of the dog are white, and two of the guests have white on them. Catherine has a milky white complexion, and Mr. McKee has a white spot on his face from shaving lather. Wilson's wife makes her third change into a cream (off-white) dress. White here means being upper class, or at least trying to be. The dog now belongs to Tom, and will live a privileged little doggie life in Tom's apartment. Catherine and Mr. McKee both act well to do, although Catherine passes it off better. She has been to parties and gone on trips, while Mr. McKee only has a few pictures framed where people can see them, and even then, no one really knows where they are. Nick ends up wiping the white off Mr. McKee in the end. Wilson's wife's dress is pointedly cream, because she is clearly know as Tom's mistress from the gray valley, and thus decidedly not exactly upper class, although she tries to act like she is.

Yellow: Yellow rarely appears in the chapter, and all mentions of it are dispersed. First, there are the yellow glasses that frame the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. The building where Wilson's car business is happens to be yellow, and Nick describes the windows in Tom's apartment as yellow. Here, yellow means different from its surroundings. The yellow frames surround the blue eyes, which are different from the gray valley, both in color and meaning. The yellow building, also different from the gray valley, contains the Wilsons who have a relationship not common in most couples (I hope). Finally, the apartment also contains a couple different from most (A man and his mistress).

Clearly, the colors and their meanings play an important role in Nicks observations, and portray important information.

Chapter 1 Reader Response

The first chapter of The Great Gatsby completely denounces the rich as transparent and aloof, dressing themselves up in clothes of sophistication to hide their lack of redeemable qualities and corruption. Nick's dinner with the Buchanans shows this reflected in the personalities of Daisy and Tom. Both characters, who live on the “more-fashionable” East Egg, own a large, luxurious mansion, which Nick describes in detail (“A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine-colored rug, making a shadow on it as the wind does on the sea”(8).) and with liberal use of metaphor and simile. Nick's extended usage of these conventions not only serves to illustrate the apparent majesty and grandeur of the Buchanan mansion, but also to show that, in actuality, it is nothing special. Beneath the grand description, all Fitzgerald is describing are fluttering curtains, a white ceiling, and a purple rug.

This juxtaposition of a majestic-seeming scene with an actually bland reality also appears in Tom and Daisy's personality. Tom is a hulking, arrogant, and remarkably unattractive man. Fitzgerald describes him by saying “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.[...]It was a body capable of enormous leverage – a cruel body.[...] There was a touch of paternal contempt in it [Tom's voice], even toward people he liked”(7). Nick is large, arrogant, and intimidating, obviously capable of cruel actions, but all he does, as Daisy says, is “reads deep books with long words in them”(13). Nick's attempt at sophistication clashes with his stolid nature, making him a contradiction in terms.

Daisy, on the other hand, is Tom's opposite. She is frail and transparent, and laughs at almost any opportunity she gets. Instead of attempting to sound sophisticated by reading, as her husband does, Daisy merely agrees with whatever he says. When Tom speaks about the book he was reading, and how the white man, as the “superior race”, needs to subdue the other races, Daisy immediately responds with “We've got to beat them down”(13). Daisy believes that, in agreeing with her husband on this supposedly “deep” topic, she will seem more sophisticated and more stereotypically “rich”. Instead, she comes off as unintelligent and unthinking, following unconditionally what her husband says. In addition, she also styles herself as a cynic (“We'll, I've had a very bad time, Nick, and I'm pretty cynical about everything”(16)), which clashes with her agreeing unconditionally with her husband. Daisy's comparing of Nick to a rose, in one of the more humorous moments of the chapter, also serves to show her lack of intelligence (14).

Fitzgerald's attack on the rich in the first chapter of his novel paints them in a negative light – the rich are unintelligent and base, but determined to be sophisticated. To show this, Fitzgerald has them put on airs of sophistication, while in reality being brutal, or shallow, in the cases of Tom and Daisy Buchanan.