"A small gust of wind that scarely courrugated the surface was enough to disturb its accidental course with its accidental burden. The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of a transit, a thin red circle in the water." pg. 162-163
At the end of his life, I mostly just feel sympathy toward and sadness about Gatsby. His life was extremely disheartening. After spending his whole existence trying to create a god out of himself, his efforts prove to have been completely in vain when he dies at a young age right after failing completely in his biggest endeavor ever: winning Daisy. It's common for men to attempt to build themselves up past the point of breaking, but it always seems to backfire. Gatsby is no exception to this rule. At the end of his life, he is nothing but an ordinary man, who has had some failures in life, and now he's dying alone, which makes it even worse. His whole struggle to the top left him nothing of substance at the end of his life. He's just another dead body. It is pretty sad to think that a man who spent his whole life trying to change his fortune really just caused his own sad demise in the end.
Monday, April 30, 2012
The Great Gatsby: Irony Round 2 (but a different kind and actually this happened before the last one...)
"She had told him that she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he had just recognized her as someone he knew a long time ago." pg. 119
Well, Tom's a hypocrite too. Let's just keep adding to the list of things that are terrible about him. This whole time he's been cheating on Daisy without any concern as to how it makes her feel. She's been emotionally torn apart and broken up inside to the point that its damaging her relationship with her child. But Tom, being the arrogant and clueless idiot that he is, doesn't see this or else he doesn't care because he continues to see Myrtle even though he knows Daisy has discovered that he's having an affair. But the tables are turned when Tom discovers Daisy is having an affair of her own. He doesn't like this at all. It's completely ironic that Tom is appalled at Daisy's behavior when he has been doing the same thing all along. He's completely shocked that Daisy has been doing this, and he seems to be in disbelief that she would have the nerve to cheat on him. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Tom, but you're really not all that great. And, you should have seen it coming. Daisy's a dime piece and it was only a matter of time until a proper man snatched her up and made her feel wanted. I like to think of Gatsby a lot like Sir Mix-A-Lot. I'm sure Gatsby's thoughts followed much along the lines of, in the words of the hip hop genius, "Some knucklehead tried to dis 'cause his girls are on my list. He had game but he chose to hit 'em, and I pull up quick to get wit 'em."
Well, Tom's a hypocrite too. Let's just keep adding to the list of things that are terrible about him. This whole time he's been cheating on Daisy without any concern as to how it makes her feel. She's been emotionally torn apart and broken up inside to the point that its damaging her relationship with her child. But Tom, being the arrogant and clueless idiot that he is, doesn't see this or else he doesn't care because he continues to see Myrtle even though he knows Daisy has discovered that he's having an affair. But the tables are turned when Tom discovers Daisy is having an affair of her own. He doesn't like this at all. It's completely ironic that Tom is appalled at Daisy's behavior when he has been doing the same thing all along. He's completely shocked that Daisy has been doing this, and he seems to be in disbelief that she would have the nerve to cheat on him. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Tom, but you're really not all that great. And, you should have seen it coming. Daisy's a dime piece and it was only a matter of time until a proper man snatched her up and made her feel wanted. I like to think of Gatsby a lot like Sir Mix-A-Lot. I'm sure Gatsby's thoughts followed much along the lines of, in the words of the hip hop genius, "Some knucklehead tried to dis 'cause his girls are on my list. He had game but he chose to hit 'em, and I pull up quick to get wit 'em."
The Great Gatsby: Dramatic Irony (Prepare Yourself for Another Rant)
"We saw the three or four automobiles and the crowd when we were still some distance away.
'Wreck!' said Tom. 'That's good. Wilson'll have a little business at last.'" pg. 138
So essentially Tom is the most awful person in the world. First you find out he's arrogant and annoying. Then, you find out he cheats on his wife. Then, you find out its with a married woman. Then, you find out that he's lying to her too. OH! And now, he sees a wreck and the first words out of his mouth are "that's good". So basically, he just serves the purpose of ruining everyone's lives and being an insensitive brat. However, the dramatic irony in this scene does work against him, which made me a little happy, even though its in the worst way possible. Little does Tom know that a woman died in the accident and that woman happens to be his mistress. The reader does know, though, and because the reader knows the truth, Tom's awful insensitivity becomes overwhelmingly apparent. It makes it obvious that this man gives little thought to anyone but himself. He sees a wreck and his first reaction is a snide comment. Seriously, whatta jerk. But that snide comment does serve a purpose in characterizing Tom and revealing his selfishness. Had the reader not known that Myrtle died in the accident, they might have just overlooked Tom's comment as a typical annoying remark (we already know he's an idiot). But because the reader knows Myrtle's fate, the comment carries twice the weight, and the reader recognizes Tom as the evil person that he is. I honestly would not be surprised if he served as an inspiration to Hitler.
'Wreck!' said Tom. 'That's good. Wilson'll have a little business at last.'" pg. 138
So essentially Tom is the most awful person in the world. First you find out he's arrogant and annoying. Then, you find out he cheats on his wife. Then, you find out its with a married woman. Then, you find out that he's lying to her too. OH! And now, he sees a wreck and the first words out of his mouth are "that's good". So basically, he just serves the purpose of ruining everyone's lives and being an insensitive brat. However, the dramatic irony in this scene does work against him, which made me a little happy, even though its in the worst way possible. Little does Tom know that a woman died in the accident and that woman happens to be his mistress. The reader does know, though, and because the reader knows the truth, Tom's awful insensitivity becomes overwhelmingly apparent. It makes it obvious that this man gives little thought to anyone but himself. He sees a wreck and his first reaction is a snide comment. Seriously, whatta jerk. But that snide comment does serve a purpose in characterizing Tom and revealing his selfishness. Had the reader not known that Myrtle died in the accident, they might have just overlooked Tom's comment as a typical annoying remark (we already know he's an idiot). But because the reader knows Myrtle's fate, the comment carries twice the weight, and the reader recognizes Tom as the evil person that he is. I honestly would not be surprised if he served as an inspiration to Hitler.
The Great Gatsby: Simile
"So the whole caravansary had fallen in like a card house at the disapproval in her eyes." pg. 114
In reading this novel, I've been extremely impressed at F. Scott Fitzgerald's use of similes and descriptive details. He's very good at making each scene vividly unfold in the reader's mind, and this simile in particular stood out to me. Not only does it sum up the situation, but it says a lot about Gatsby as a character as well. For five years, Gatsby had been throwing parties in hopes that Daisy would somehow end up at his house. He'd been doing it for five years with only that one intention. When Gatsby finds out that Daisy doesn't enjoy the parties, he completely stops them. He ends a tradition that he's carried on for five years all for Daisy because Daisy doesn't like it. I think that this represents Gatsby's desperation to gain Daisy's approval. He wants Daisy and all she represents. He wants Daisy because she is the best of the best when it comes to women and he wants the best of the best. I think Gatsby's complete willingness to please Daisy shows how susceptible he is to the demands that his aspirations make on him. He is willing to alter his whole life in order to achieve greatness, but in the end, its really just the luck of the draw.
In reading this novel, I've been extremely impressed at F. Scott Fitzgerald's use of similes and descriptive details. He's very good at making each scene vividly unfold in the reader's mind, and this simile in particular stood out to me. Not only does it sum up the situation, but it says a lot about Gatsby as a character as well. For five years, Gatsby had been throwing parties in hopes that Daisy would somehow end up at his house. He'd been doing it for five years with only that one intention. When Gatsby finds out that Daisy doesn't enjoy the parties, he completely stops them. He ends a tradition that he's carried on for five years all for Daisy because Daisy doesn't like it. I think that this represents Gatsby's desperation to gain Daisy's approval. He wants Daisy and all she represents. He wants Daisy because she is the best of the best when it comes to women and he wants the best of the best. I think Gatsby's complete willingness to please Daisy shows how susceptible he is to the demands that his aspirations make on him. He is willing to alter his whole life in order to achieve greatness, but in the end, its really just the luck of the draw.
The Great Gatsby: Ambition
"I suppose he'd had the name ready for a long time, even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people--his imagination had ever really accepted them as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself." pg. 99
I think one of the overwhelming themes of this book definitely centers around ambition. I've had a hard time completely deciphering it, but I'm pretty sure its something along the lines of "everybody wants to be the best but not everyone can be the best". Gatsby has spent his whole life aspiring to be some big shot with a life to envy. From the quote above, one can tell that his ambition certainly stems from some sort of dissatisfaction with the lot that he was born into. Every action in his life, thus far, has been conducive to creating a better or more superior image for himself. He's even altered the details of his past in order to make himself seem more awe-inspiring and exceptional. All he wants to do is impress people, and he craves reassurance from others that he is succeeding in this task. Nick especially serves as a confidence boost to Gatsby who is constantly expressing doubts about his relationship with Daisy just so that Nick will tell him that he's wrong. Even Daisy herself is a representation of the things Gatsby values: wealth, beauty, materials. Gatsby isn't used to not getting what he want, not being the best, so in the end when Daisy rejects him, I think the theme I stated above comes to full fruition. All his life, Gatsby just wanted to be the best. He did everything he could possibly think of to establish a reputation for himself. But, not everyone who wants to be the best will be the best. Gatsby's life ends with his own defeat and Daisy's rejection of him.
I think one of the overwhelming themes of this book definitely centers around ambition. I've had a hard time completely deciphering it, but I'm pretty sure its something along the lines of "everybody wants to be the best but not everyone can be the best". Gatsby has spent his whole life aspiring to be some big shot with a life to envy. From the quote above, one can tell that his ambition certainly stems from some sort of dissatisfaction with the lot that he was born into. Every action in his life, thus far, has been conducive to creating a better or more superior image for himself. He's even altered the details of his past in order to make himself seem more awe-inspiring and exceptional. All he wants to do is impress people, and he craves reassurance from others that he is succeeding in this task. Nick especially serves as a confidence boost to Gatsby who is constantly expressing doubts about his relationship with Daisy just so that Nick will tell him that he's wrong. Even Daisy herself is a representation of the things Gatsby values: wealth, beauty, materials. Gatsby isn't used to not getting what he want, not being the best, so in the end when Daisy rejects him, I think the theme I stated above comes to full fruition. All his life, Gatsby just wanted to be the best. He did everything he could possibly think of to establish a reputation for himself. But, not everyone who wants to be the best will be the best. Gatsby's life ends with his own defeat and Daisy's rejection of him.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Great Gatsby: Foreshadowing
"'You see,' cried Catherine triumphantly. She lowered her voice again. 'It's really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic, and they don't believe in divorce.'
Daisy was not a Catholic, and I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie." pg. 34
I think this excerpt is an example of F. Scott Fitzgerald foreshadowing future quarrel between Tom and Myrtle. Obviously, he is being false about the reasons why he isn't leaving Daisy. He must not really want to leave her. But, he also doesn't want to lose Myrtle, so he tells her that he is unable to leaver his wife. I think that there will be some discrepancy about this lie eventually. Myrtle will find out. Now, to the real point of why I chose this quote, I think Tom is disgusting. All he does is lie to women and he is just awful. I don't know if he respects anyone but himself. He talks to everyone in a demeaning manner, he slaps his wife, and he doesn't even respect his mistress, this woman that he is seeking outside of his wife. It seems he is completely filled with pride and dissatisfaction with life. He should probably stop taking it out on others.
Daisy was not a Catholic, and I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie." pg. 34
I think this excerpt is an example of F. Scott Fitzgerald foreshadowing future quarrel between Tom and Myrtle. Obviously, he is being false about the reasons why he isn't leaving Daisy. He must not really want to leave her. But, he also doesn't want to lose Myrtle, so he tells her that he is unable to leaver his wife. I think that there will be some discrepancy about this lie eventually. Myrtle will find out. Now, to the real point of why I chose this quote, I think Tom is disgusting. All he does is lie to women and he is just awful. I don't know if he respects anyone but himself. He talks to everyone in a demeaning manner, he slaps his wife, and he doesn't even respect his mistress, this woman that he is seeking outside of his wife. It seems he is completely filled with pride and dissatisfaction with life. He should probably stop taking it out on others.
The Great Gatsby: Personification
"He smiled understandingly--much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It face--or seemed to face--the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that tit had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey." pg. 48
I think this description of Gatsby's smile has honestly been my favorite part of the book so far. This meeting of Nick and Gatsby was enhanced by every moment prior to this one in which Gatsby was mentioned. Just as Nick was curious about the man, so too was I biting my nails at his description, anxious for his actual arrival into the story. I can't say I was disappointed when he was finally introduced. The man did seem to exude an air of wonder like many had described. But this moment in particular, where Nick addresses the effect of Gatsby's smile, I found pretty awe-inspiring. The personification of the man's smile really shows what effects it can have on you and it shows how powerful this man really is. If his mere smile can make you feel understood and appeased, there must be no limit to this man's charm. Though this personification and extended description of Gatsby's smile could seem unnecessary, I think it provides the right effect that Fitzgerald was trying to create. It succeeds in expressing the true wonder that is Jay Gatsby.
I think this description of Gatsby's smile has honestly been my favorite part of the book so far. This meeting of Nick and Gatsby was enhanced by every moment prior to this one in which Gatsby was mentioned. Just as Nick was curious about the man, so too was I biting my nails at his description, anxious for his actual arrival into the story. I can't say I was disappointed when he was finally introduced. The man did seem to exude an air of wonder like many had described. But this moment in particular, where Nick addresses the effect of Gatsby's smile, I found pretty awe-inspiring. The personification of the man's smile really shows what effects it can have on you and it shows how powerful this man really is. If his mere smile can make you feel understood and appeased, there must be no limit to this man's charm. Though this personification and extended description of Gatsby's smile could seem unnecessary, I think it provides the right effect that Fitzgerald was trying to create. It succeeds in expressing the true wonder that is Jay Gatsby.
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