Jazz Era:1920s
Nick Carraway lives in West Egg in New York next door to Jay Gatsby.
West Egg is where the people of new money live.
Nick travels around the east with Tom Buchanan during the 2nd chapter so that he can meet Myrtle Wilson.
They find Myrtle at her house which is above her husband's unsuccessful autoshop. Myrtle's life is now not so glamorous as she thought it would be. She is disappointed with her husband's life because he isn't wealthy or rich like Tom is.
Later on when Tom and Myrtle take Nick to a fancy apartment in New York City. Nick gives descriptions of how grand and luxurious the room and furniture are. The guests in the apartment are also of high class. Here is where Nick is informed about how much Tom and Myrtle despise their spouses.
I believe that the character Owl Eyes is a symbolic name. It shows that he is observant and also has very big eyes like an owl.
In chapter 2, the Valley of Ashes symbolizes the decay of society and moral codes. It says that the ashes take "form of houses and chimneys, where men move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air".
There are several themes throughout the story but the one that keeps showing up is how society keeps degrading itself. Moral values aren't kept such as the affair that is shared between Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson and when Jordan Baker cheated during a golf tournament.
Social and moral values start to lose their true value caused by corruption, emptiness and greed of the people.
Simile:
"ashes grow like wheat" (chapter 2)
"there was a jauntiness about her movements as if she had first learned to walk upon golf courses on clean, crisp mornings." (chapter 3)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Characters: Chapters 1-3
Nick Carraway is the first character introduced because he is the narrator.
The story opens up with a description of his life and back story of how he ended up on the East Coast.
Nick was originally from the Midwest but then later on moved to the East after the Great War. The Carraway family owns a wholesale hardware business. After he served in the Great War, he went back home but decided that home didn't feel like home so he moved east to study bond business.
Jay Gatsby is also mentioned several times in the opening chapter. He enjoys throwing lavish parties that last from morning to dawn. He is a very rich person, possibly new money. In chapter 3, it shows that he is a very busy man with calls from all over the country. He is also reserved and speaks with a formality but with a habit of calling people "old sport".
Several of Gatsby's guests say that he might have committed a murder and others say that he was a German spy.Nick notices that Gatsby likes to separate himself from his own party as he observes the scene from the marble top.
Daisy Buchanan is Nick's 2nd cousin twice removed. She is married to Tom Buchanan who comes from old money. She loves powerful men. She is also aware of Tom's affair.
Tom Buchanan is a rich man that went to school with Nick. His family comes from old money. He is also arrogant, racist, and hypocritical. He thinks that he is so much better than many people because of his status and race. He also expects moral values to be upheld when he himself can't even do that.
He has an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Somewhat of a woman's man. Suspects his wife of cheating.
Myrtle Wilson is married to George Wilson and Tom Buchanan's lover. She can't really leave her husband because of her Christian belief. She dislikes the fact that her husband is poor, which is why she like Tom. She is a bit greedy. Her husband's business isn't going so well so she looks for something better while being married and having a home to live in. She is an opportunist, which is how she met Tom. She isn't exactly gorgeous and beautiful like Daisy is, but Tom finds her appealing.
George Wilson is Myrtle's husband. He owns an unsuccessful autoshop which upsets his wife since he was poor to begin with. He is madly in love with his wife.
The story opens up with a description of his life and back story of how he ended up on the East Coast.
Nick was originally from the Midwest but then later on moved to the East after the Great War. The Carraway family owns a wholesale hardware business. After he served in the Great War, he went back home but decided that home didn't feel like home so he moved east to study bond business.
Jay Gatsby is also mentioned several times in the opening chapter. He enjoys throwing lavish parties that last from morning to dawn. He is a very rich person, possibly new money. In chapter 3, it shows that he is a very busy man with calls from all over the country. He is also reserved and speaks with a formality but with a habit of calling people "old sport".
Several of Gatsby's guests say that he might have committed a murder and others say that he was a German spy.Nick notices that Gatsby likes to separate himself from his own party as he observes the scene from the marble top.
Daisy Buchanan is Nick's 2nd cousin twice removed. She is married to Tom Buchanan who comes from old money. She loves powerful men. She is also aware of Tom's affair.
Tom Buchanan is a rich man that went to school with Nick. His family comes from old money. He is also arrogant, racist, and hypocritical. He thinks that he is so much better than many people because of his status and race. He also expects moral values to be upheld when he himself can't even do that.
He has an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Somewhat of a woman's man. Suspects his wife of cheating.
Myrtle Wilson is married to George Wilson and Tom Buchanan's lover. She can't really leave her husband because of her Christian belief. She dislikes the fact that her husband is poor, which is why she like Tom. She is a bit greedy. Her husband's business isn't going so well so she looks for something better while being married and having a home to live in. She is an opportunist, which is how she met Tom. She isn't exactly gorgeous and beautiful like Daisy is, but Tom finds her appealing.
George Wilson is Myrtle's husband. He owns an unsuccessful autoshop which upsets his wife since he was poor to begin with. He is madly in love with his wife.
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