gatsby61-7-7

Chapter 1-2: If these chapters were short stories, what would be their theme? (What insight do they give to human life? What do they tell us about how people act?) Have you noticed any symbols? What do you think they represent? What are you thinking about the characters we've been introduced to so far?
 * //The Great Gatsby//** F. Scott Fitzgerald

I feel the theme would be trusting people are commonly taken advantage of overall.People are too trusting and others are con-men who will easily take a person and mold them like cookie dough or playdo. I noticed it was a lot of color. I feel that each color is a symbol. **[What other colors are represented in the text? What do they symbolize?] Daisy** wore white which commonly represents pureness. [**Yes. Interesting observation. Keep this in mind as you continue to read and see if Daisy is truly pure.]** I feel that daisy will be an overall good character that is loyal or end up a character that is a tiny bit too trusting of her friends. [**Is this because she wears white? Are there other reasons?**] I think **Tom Buchanan** is an arrogant fool. He cheats on his wife (which is wrong) and buys his mistress pretty much the world (if she wanted it at least). **[Is there anything else in the novel that supports your argument that Tom is an "arrogant fool?"]** His mistress named **Myrtle Wilson**, I feel is taking advantage of Mr. Buchanan, conning the con-man if you will. **[How is she taking advantage of Tom? What about their relationship suggests this?**] i like the protagonist, **Nick Carraways**, because he is a person who doesn't judge. **[What from the text suggests that Nick doesn't judge? How do you know that he is the protagonist?]** Personally, i don't judge that much but he doesn't do what most people, especially in today's society, and that is not judge people at all. [**Interesting way of relating your argument and what you have read to real life.**]

//I can tell that you definitely understand the story thus far. You have good readings of the characters. It'll be interesting to see if they hold up throughout the rest of the story. Great job answering all the questions and focusing on the prompt. You make the claim that you noticed a lot of color, each of which is a symbol.This is an interesting reading, yet you only mention Daisy and the fact that she wears white. I'd like to know more about the other colors you noticed. Great first post!//

===[|Chapter3] Well, so far we've seen three crazy parties that Nick has shared with us. What stuck out to you about each of them? What do each of them tell us about the characters we've met and how they relate to each other? Jordan is talking to Nick when she says, “And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy” (Fitzgerald 52). How does this quote reflect each of the gatherings in the first three chapters?=== the second party that stuck out to me was the second where tom punched myrtle. **[Why does this stand out to you? Was it unexpected?]** The third party stuck out because at the party we were introduced to Gatsby. **[What's Gatsby's significance?]** Both of the smaller parties there is no privacy during the first two. the large party was more fun **[How was it "more fun?"]** and better described.the character in this book love to party and don't really care about life or the people they hurt too much. **[What about the text suggests this? Why don't they care about other people? What shows this?]**

//I enjoyed reading what you thought about the parties, but I'd like to know more. Why do these things stand out to you? Do you like the characters? Do you disapprove of their parties? What's Gatsby's significance? Keep up the good work!//

//The point-of-view that a novel is told in frames the entire story. How would// The Great Gatsby //change if if it were told in another character's perspective (like Jay Gatsby's point-of-view?) Why do you think Fitzgerald chose Nick to be the narrator?//
 * Chapters 1-4**
 * In my opinion, it is better that the story is told from Nick's point of view instead of Gatsby's. I think Fitzgerald realized that The Great Gatsby told in gatsby's point of view wouldn't be much of a book. **[Why wouldn't it be much of a book? Interesting thought, but I'd like to see more.]** ||

Apply Marxist Criticism to the first four chapters of The Great Gatsby//. How is wealth portrayed in this book? How does the characters' wealth affect their lives and their choices? PLEASE, USE EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.//

wealth is portrayed as sort of a battle. New Money Vs. Old Money. Tom recklessly spends his money on whatever he want while Gatsby is more of a safe spender (than Tom). **[How is this a battle? How does this affect Tom's and Gatsby's lives? What are the benefits/risks?]**

//You have some interesting thoughts on the book in relation to point-of-view and Marxist Criticism. What I'd like to see more of, however, is explanation for these thoughts. I can see where you're coming from, but it'd be great if you'd tell me just a little bit more. Good start!//

//Fitzgerald makes use of timepieces in several parts of chapter 5. What do these clocks and watches represent? Explain why these symbols are especially important in this chapter. The watches and clocks represent time and how time is one precious thing. Or rather how quick things change. Find one to three quotes that would serve as an example of a timepiece being a symbol, and explain what they represent.
 * Chapters 1-5**

The American Dream shows up as theme in many writings and discussions over// The Great Gatsby//. How do you define the American Dream? Does it have any influence in your life? Is the American Dream attainable to everyone in the United States? Find one to three quotes from the text that you believe makes a connection to the American Dream and explain why.// I define the American dream is living everyday with few worries. I would like to live life with a nice family, a career that I love, no financial worries, and with good health. **[Good explanation! Are there any other parts to the American Dream? How does this relate to Gatsby?]** I feel like that dream is achievable to anyone willing to put the work in to achieve their goal. The minute the person settles for anything less than what they feel is adequate, they will never reach their goal. **[Is the American Dream achieved in //The Great Gatsby//, or are people settling for less than what they feel is adequate?]**

//I think you do a great job of explaining what the American Dream means to you. You give some examples pertaining to your own life, but I would also like to see you apply the American Dream to// The Great Gatsby. //Are any of the characters living the American Dream?//

**Chapter 1-6 ** //There is sometimes a question about who exactly the protagonist is in The Great Gatsby. Is it Nick or Gatsby? Who then would be the antagonist? Explain your answer using at least three events from the story to defend your thinking.// I feel both Nick and Gatsby are both protagonist of the story. Since the beginning of the book, the story has been told by Nick but everything has been about Gatsby. **[Is Nick the protagonist just because he is narrating the story? What are some other reasons?]** They dig into Gatsby's past really deep but a little bit into Nick's life besides the basic. **[True. What does this mean in relation to the protagonist? Who is the protagonist?]** On the contrary, certain event that could have happened but are missed because Nick leaves. If I had to pick one it would be Nick because the beginning of the book, it is Nick talking about the "good ol' days" with Gatsby.

//What theme(s) are becoming apparent in The Great Gatsby by this point in the book? Support your answer with at least three examples in the text up until this point.// The theme apparent to me is that people have a tendency to hurt the people that care most for them. **[Good reading. There are tons of examples to back this up! I'm glad to see you used one.]** For example, in the text, Daisy states,"You have such beautiful shirts." She was crying because She could have married with Gatsby instead of her husband who constantly cheats on her. **[Good example! I'd like to see you explain it in a little more depth, though. Maybe explain it from Tom's perspective?]**

//I can tell that you understand the book so far, as well as the theme.This is very similar to the one you pointed out in your first blog entry, which is great! That shows that the theme you're picking out is constant each time. I think you definitely have some great thoughts on the book, but I'd still like to see a bit more detail and some more examples. I think by explaining your thoughts and supporting them with examples, you'll be able to convince me (your reader) of your thoughts. Good job so far!//

//Who is the most dynamic character in this book? How (and how much) do they change? Would he/she be considered round or flat? Support your thinking with examples from the text. I feel the most dynamic person in this book is Nick. I feel he learned he should be careful who they associate with. He started out not really caring about who he socialized with and spending everyday with them Now he is completely sick of them. In the text, Fitzgerald states," I'd be damn if i go in; I had enough of all of them for one day and suddenly that included Jordan too.
 * Chapter 1-7**

Who would be considered a foil in The Great Gatsby? I feel that Gatsby and Tom are foil. Tom represents pure arrognance while in most cases Gatsby represents modestly. **[What from the book shows Tom's arrogance and Gatsby's modesty? Are there any examples?]** Why would the author use these characters to show differences? I feel tha author uses these characters to show the effects money can have on a person and that ist is not all bad( Just mostly bad) **[How is it "mostly bad?" I like your idea that Fitzgerald uses these characters to show the effect of money, but how do the characters represent this effect?]**. By applying structuralism and looking for binary opposition, what values are considered important in this book? After using structuralim and binary opposition, the values that have been shown to be apparent in this story are that loyalty is a good quality even when that person isn't always loyal to the first.**[ This sentence is a little confusing. It might help if you try to word it differently. What I think you're saying is that sometimes people are nicer to others who have wronged them, but I'm not sure.]** Another is that in most cases trying to belittle someone will backfire and make the belittler look bad.// **[Interesting thought, but who is the "belittler?"]**

//You did a fantastic job of answering each of the questions, but I would like to see some more detail. Your description of Tom and Gatsby as a foil is really interesting, but I think you could take it further. I mean, you could probably write a whole paper on that! You have some great thoughts that would be even stronger if you backed them up with some examples from the text. (You're probably getting really sick of hearing that. I'm sorry!)//

//Choose one of the following symbols and explain what they represent. Then find three quotes in the text where this symbol appears – use MLA formats to avoid plagiarism.
 * Chapters 1-9**

• Ashes and Dust • Cars and Drivers • Colors • Houses and Owners • Photography and Lenses • Flowers

Answer definitively what the theme of The Great Gatsby is. Find three quotes in the text to support your thinking.//