gatsby55-7-2


 * //The Great Gatsby//** F. Scott Fitzgerald
 * 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?

I think the first ch. theme would be how women were supposed to be looked at as stupid, and people having secerets in a patriarchy **[Yes, these are certainly possible themes from the first chapter. What from the text makes you think this? Are there any specific instances where women are portrayed as being stupid? What secrets are there in the first chapter and what do these secrets tell you about how people act?]**, i think the second ch. theme would be how men cheat on their women and how people use people for their money.

The only symbols I have seen have been colors like gray,red,white.**[Where did you see these colors? How were they used and did the usage suggest anything as to their significance as a symbol?]** I think they connect to the feelings of the characters at that time or the mood of the story.

I think that Nick Callaway is insecure, curious and, shy. **[What makes you say this? I think you could argue that he is insecure, curious and shy, but I'm not sure I'm convinced. Show me where you see these traits developing.]** Also doesn't like to be around when people are doing things they aren't supposed to be doing, like when Tom goes to see his mistress Myrtle Wilson. What i think about Tom who is that he is a big, racist, angry, forceful, defensive end who cheats on his wife with Myrtle Wilson and thinks he is better than everyone else in the story.**[Yes, Tom is definitely not the most likable character though with the characteristics you pointed out it might be beneficial to say "thinks he is better than everyone else in the story which is seen when Tom....." and provide an example of the behavior that led you to this thinking of the character.]** Daisy who is Tom's wife is a smart girl and knows about what Tom does because she lives in a patriarchial society. **[Overall I think you brought up some good points. I especially liked that you acknowledged the colors you were noticing in the story repeating. I think from here you should try to incorporate examples from the text that are leading you to the conclusions you are making. Keep up the good work.]**

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?
 * Chapters 1-3**

What stuck out most at the party to me was the several dinners and the amount of drinking. **[It sounds to me that you read these behaviors as being excessive. What does this lavishness and excess suggest about the text and the characters? I think you pointed out something important and should elaborate on what these parties tell you about the characters in the text as well as how they relate to each other.]**

If reflects to the first two gatherings because they were just a couple of people, who know what everybody is doing and now at Gatsbys party there are probably hundreds of people, who dont know what the others people are doing. **[This is a sound reflection of how this quote relates to the parties thus far. Perhaps is just me, but did you find it interesting that the large parties were described as being intimate? Do we usually think of larger parties as being intimate?]**

//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?// I think if the story was told by Gatsby, the story woud be short and boring because he really doesn’t come in the story until the middle.**[Are there any other reasons you say this? What is it about Gatsby's personality and character that would make the story boring or interesting?]** I think he chose Nick to be the narrator because Nick seems like he is everywhere when something happens in the story which makes it interesting to read. **[What aspects of Nick's character make him an interesting or well-rounded narrator? Thinking about this might help you to talk more at length in your response.]**
 * Chapters 1-4**

//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.//

In this book wealth is portrayed as if you have old money you have the most respect and power to do basically whatever you want and if you have new money you have the power over the “normal” people but under the people with old money. **[Yes, this is very much how Fitzgerald is presenting wealth in the novel.]** A way money affects the characters lives is how when Gatsby and Nick got pulled over, the cop came up to the car and seen who it was after Gatsby showed him a white card and walked away like nothin happened. **[This is a good example, do you have a quote to go with it from the text?]**

//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. 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.//

**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.//

//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.//

I think that Gatsby is the protagonist because the story mostly follows him and Nick just tells the story and, I think that Gatsby’s feeling for Daisy is the antagonist.**[This is interesting and I like that you're using these examples to support the idea of Gatby's feelings for Daisy as being the antagonist. If you had to select a character as the antagonist, who would you select as being a force opposing Gatsby and why? Would it be Daisy since she is sparking these feelings or would it be someone else?** One example from the story is how he goes through the trouble of throwing big parties almost every day, hoping Daisy will walk through the door. Another example is when Gatsby is at Nick’s house talking to Daisy and, he is acting nervously. The final example is when Gatsby has a party that Tom and Daisy come to but, when everybody is leaving Gatsby insist that Daisy doesn’t like the party, when he doesn’t know if she did or not.

A theme becoming apparent at this point in the book is that if people have wealth and power they use it to get what they want. For example when Tom bought Myrtle (his mistress) her furniture and a dog to get what he wants from her. Another is when Gatsby and Nick get pulled over and Gatsby show the cop a white Christmas card he got from the Police Chief for doing a favor for him, the cop let Gatsby go without saying anything. Finally, is when Gatsby throws his big parties to get Daisy to come to his house. **[These are all solid examples of the theme involving wealth and power. I'm curious to see how this continues to play out through the rest of the book, or if it does.]**

//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.
 * Chapter 1-7**

Who would be considered a foil in The Great Gatsby? Why would the author use these characters to show differences? By applying structuralism and looking for binary opposition, what values are considered important in this book?//

I think that Gatsby is the most dynamic character in the book. Gatsby changed a lot from the beginning of the book to where we are now **[I'd definitely agree with you that Gatsby has changed a lot from the beginning to the end. In what ways did he change?**.] He would be considered round character. One example is when Gatsby was at Nick’s house he was acting nervous because Daisy, who he hadn’t seen in five years was there. Another is after Myrtle died and Gatsby was sneaking around Tom’s house. He seemed like he was curious about what going on between Tom and Daisy. **[These are good examples though I am curious about how the examples you provided make Gatsby out to be a round character?**] I think Jordan is a foil in the story because she shows differences to Daisy. I think the author used Jordan to show differences in Daisy to show that all women aren’t in love with money. **[Very good! This is a strong, though brief, analysis of who the foil is and how they are acting in the text]** The author uses Jordan by showing that she doesn’t fall in love with people because they have money like Daisy does **[You answered all of the questions asked, however I would encourage you to elaborate more on your ideas and responses to these questions as this writing material here will only serve to help you better formulate your thoughts and ideas on your paper. ]**

//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. • Ashes and Dust • Cars and Drivers • Colors • Houses and Owners • Photography and Lenses • Flowers
 * Chapters 1-9**

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