gatsby55-5-0


 * //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?//

ok i know what theme means i just don't really know what the theme is. But i do know that back then people seem more stuck up. people seemed more stuck up becuase when they described daisy and jordin, they sat on the couch with their heads high to the sky as if everybody else was scum. **[You make this great connection about the attitudes of the characters -- Why do you think they are "stuck up"? Have you seen any possible reasons for this that might form a possible theme?]** i think they are stuck up because of the old money Vs. new money dilema. Because the people that live in the east egg think old money is better because they deserve to be rich because they're money's been throughout generations. The people in the west egg think new money is better because it's fresh and new. so i think that's where the stuck up attitudes come from.

and the symbols we have been dicussing are mostly colors but i'm not sure what they mean......could you help me understand that better. **[If you're going to stick with colors and symbols, one way you could think about it is when the colors are coming up in the book, what's going on? Do they make the characters act or feel a certain way? How about you, do they make you feel a certain way?]** the characters that been introduced so far is Tom Buchanan his wife Daisy Buchanan and they have a kid together that they don't know much about. another interesting thing with them is that Tom is having an affair with another character named Myrtle Wilson who is married to George Wilson and it seems that Myrtle is real powerful in some kind of way because the way she treats George. Myrtle treats George like he doesn't exist, like she doesn't care about him. Nick Carraway is with Tom and the rest of the charactersi said before. Nick seems to be more layed back then the other characters, he moved to the west egg to get rid of the rumors of him getting married, my guess is that he does not want to get married. Well towards the end of the second chapter, i'm questioning Nick's sexuality. **[That is a good guess, and I'm excited to see if things in future chapters keep making you think this or not!]

//Celeste,

I'm glad to see that you're making strong guesses about the characters so early on in the book! It's okay to not know exactly what the theme is yet, but your first few sentences show me that you have more of a guess than you think you do. When you talk about the way the people seem stuck up, you could think about the possible reasons behind that conceit -- maybe how are these characters different from the others, therefore giving them a reason to BE snobby? As far as your question about symbols goes, I would say to just keep paying attention to them and reading closely -- color is a good thing to pick up on, and you can definitely go somewhere with that idea! I hope you keep enjoying the book as you read more of it!

Karissa// **

Chapters 1-3
//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?//


 * Well the first party was at Tom's house when nick was with Daisy, Tom, and Jordan at their party. That party was so small everybody knew what was going on with Tom and Daisy and, Tom's questionable mistress. The second party included Tom, Nick, George Wilson,mrytle's husband and, Mrytle which is Tom's mistress. This party George found out that she was having an affair, because when Mrtyle asked George to get some more chairs, and when he came back Tom and Mrytle was gone. At the third party it was just crazy out of control. People were getting drunk and there was hundreds of people in Gatsby's huge house. They all relate to each other because the parties involve alcohol.** //[Great observation! Do you think the constant presence of alcohol says anything about their lives?]//
 * When Jordan is saying that at small parties it's hard to sneak away,because you have to worry about talking to everybody. But if your at a larger party you can sneak away with out having to talk to all the hundreds of people at the party.** //[Good point -- Why do you think some of these characters would want to sneak away without talking to anyone?]//

//Celeste,//

//You make a couple of important points about the parties here. You point out that the parties all involve alcohol -- I suspect this might be a big connection. Do you think the way alcohol is always around, no matter the size of the party, is important? What might it say about the characters' personalities? How do you feel about Jordan's point about sneaking away from people? Do either Nick or Jordan seem to you to be the kinds of characters who would want (or need) to sneak away from the parties?//

//Karissa//

//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?// it wouldn't probably give the full story because nick is the calm honest character.becasue nick is a fair character.
 * Chapters 1-4**


 * [Good job on picking out Nick's character traits -- What in the texts does he say or do that leads you to think he is the most calm, honest, and fair character? Would another character still be able to give the full story, just from a less calm, honest, or fair perspective, or do we have to hear it from Nick to get the full story?]**

//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.// well i don;t know because i'm not really sure what marxist critism is.


 * [Maybe talking to Ms. Lange about this could help you feel more comfortable with using Marxist Criticism. In the meantime, you could look at how wealth (having it, not having it, different kinds of it, etc.) impacts the characters. Do you see money as playing an important role in the story so far? Why or why not? What does it do to the characters?]**

//Celeste,//

//You do a good job of identifiying what kind of a character and narrator Nick is -- calm, honest, and fair are good words to explain how he tells the story. I'm curious about if you think any of the other characters could tell the full story -- or do we have to have someone with the traits Nick has in order to get all of the specifics of the story? As far as the Marxist Criticism goes, I bet that if you ask Ms. Lange to explain it to you before or after school, she'd be happy to help you out so that you understand it a little bit more fully. Good luck!//

//Karissa//

//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.// I think that the clocks and watches represent time, like the time that Gatsby and Daisy had .lost with each other the symbols in this chapter is important because it focuses on Gatsby and Daisy and they miss each other because they spent so much TIME apart. " Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place". **[Good choice of a quote!]** When he knocked over the clock that represented him going off to war and daisy being dropped and she grew sad. When Gatsby's reflex picked the clock up with trembling hands i think it represented him still caring for Daisy because he CARED about the clock falling he didn't want to miss out on anymore time witht the one he loves
 * Chapters 1-5**


 * [I'm impressed by your analysis in the last sentence here! You picked a good quote to prove your point, and explained it well, good job. Do you see the use of other clocks and watches in the chapter fitting in with your ideas, too?]**

//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?// Yes because i think about my american dream a lot including my american dream job//.// **[I'm curious about how the American Dream, as you see it, influences the decisions you make in your life. Does trying to reach that goal change the way you think or act?]** //Is the American Dream attainable to everyone in the United States?// yes i thibk so **[I wonder why -- Do you think there is anything that might stand in the way of people attaining it, or not? I think your point is a completely valid one, I'm just curious about what might play into attaining it for different people, that's all.]** //Find one to three quotes from the text that you believe makes a connection to the American Dream and explain why//

//Celeste,

I am very impressed by your analysis of the quote about the clock -- You applied it to the characters well, and worded it well, too. Keep up the good work with the symbols! On the second question Ms. Lange gave you, you seem to definitely have a strong opinion on the way the American Dream functions in your life -- Now can you apply those views and opinions to 'Gatsby?' Do you see the American Dream popping up in 'Gatsby' at all, and if you do, can you point out the places you see it? The American Dream can be defined lots of different ways, so I'm curious to see what you think about it in relation to the story.

Karissa//

**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 think they both are the protagonist and tom is the antagonist. **[Okay, fair enough. Do you see either Nick or Gatsby having a little bit more of the focus or are they completely equal?]** because at the beginnig of the story it was just about nick but as we got further into the story gatsby started to be the protagonist also. and tom is the antagonist because he said gatsby was cheating with myrtle when tom was really the one having an affair with her not gatsby. **[Right -- I think you could definitely see Tom as the antagonist -- What does him claiming Gatsby was cheating with Myrtle accomplish? Does it cause conflict, therefore establishing him as the antagonist? Are there other scenes or events that reinforce your ideas about the protagonists and the antagonist?]**

//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 color is beginning to be the theme. because it represents daisy and gatsby's love for each other. **[Good job picking up on the colors -- Are there specific scenes in the book that make you think it represents this love?]** another theme may be nick who lives in the west egg moved there for a reson and now all of these events are happening. and it's about old money anf new money which represents Tom being old money and Gatsby being new money. **[Great! How does the difference between "old money" and "new money" affect each of them?]**

//Celeste,//

//I like the way you made a unique argument in the first answer about the protagonist, and back it up with a reason. I'm interested to see, since you saw two protagonists, if you also will come to see two antagonists or not. As far as the repetition of colors in the second question goes, if this is a theme, what is it saying about the story as a whole? I really like your observation about West Egg vs. East Egg, Nick vs. Gatsby, and old money vs. new money in the last sentence of your answer. You've obviously caught on to some important things here -- Keep paying attention to these ideas as you continue reading the book!//

//Karissa//

//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.// the most dynamic character i think is tom buchanan. because during his relationship with daisy he often had "sprees" which left daisy hurt. but she didn't mean to have a little spree herself but she did and it was with gatsby that changed tom real quick, and made him realize he wanted daisy and not another man was going to take her from him so i think he changed by becoming some what a new man. **[Good! I like the way you show that change makes a character dynamic.]** i think this character is very round because the story gives insight on how he looks, acts, what he does in the story and he is one of the main characters. **[Yes! This is definitely helpful in making a round character, isn't it?]** one thing from the story that proves tom is a round character. on page 41 tom showed his angry side when he punched mrytle in the face for repeating daisy's name. and when he showed his devious side was in chapter 7 page 130 when he lied and said gatsby's was his **[I like the way you use specific examples here!]**
 * 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?// daisy and nick are very different from each other. I'm not sure why the author would use these characters to show their difference. But the difference they have toward each other is that nick is more suttle and calm but daisy wants to be noticed and she is very into herself. **[Great example of binary opposition!]** The values that important in between these foils is the secrets that daisy has and the value that nick has is his friendship with gatsby, because daisy secret was she was in love and with gatsby and still is and nick's value is different because everybody knew he was friends with gatsby.

//Celeste,//

//You do a wonderful job of explaining the dynamic and round characters in the book. I really like the way you explain what a dynamic and round character looks like mixed in with pointing out how Tom fits into this. The fact that you backed it up with two specific examples from the text with page numbers is like icing on the cake. You proved your argument well. Keep it up! You do well with pulling out an example of binary opposition with Nick's and Daisy's attitudes -- Does it seem to you like the author is trying to tell the reader that one of their attitudes is better than the other? Do you find yourself liking the way Nick acts or the way Daisy acts more so far? The values regarding secrets vs. openness are interesting ones to bring up, and I find myself wanting to know even more! I like where you're going with this!//

//Karissa//

//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.//