- 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!
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Hi Jake. I figure I will leave a comment on Wolfsheim. I don't know what he symbolizes but it is apparent that he's a shady character and he hints that Gatsby once was involved in bad situations, possibly crime. I don't really understand why Gatsby is involved with Wolfsheim because Nick admires his lack of connection with phoniness(probably not a word). I'll comment again when I have more understanding on this. Bye
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ReplyDeleteHey Jake. I was also wondering why Nick lists off the names of people that attended Gatsby's party. I think that perhaps Nick wanted to emphasize the difference between people from West Egg and East Egg. Nick's descriptions of each of the groups of people that attend Gatsby's party almost always include whether they are from East Egg or West Egg. From East Egg are Clarence Endive who goes to the party in "white knickerbockers, and [has] a fight with a bum named Etty in the garden" (62), Ripley Snells who gets "so drunk out on the gravel drive that Mrs. Ulysses Swett's automobile [runs] over his right hand" (62), and Beluga who is a "tobacco importer" (62). On the other hand, Nick's descriptions of people from West Egg are more sophisticated: "Gulick the State senator and Newton Orchid, who controlled Films Par Excellence..." (62). So, the differing descriptions of people from East Egg versus those from West Egg is emphasized through Nick's list of attendants to Gatsby's parties.
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