Significant Gatsby?
So far, what do you find most prevalent and significant about the characters, tone, and atmosphere in The Great Gatsby? In your response, please include one quotation from Chpts. 1-4 that really supports your claims about prevalence and significance. (This blog response must be completed by Fri., March 11th at 2:30p.m.)
posted by Greg T at Wednesday, March 09, 2011
22 Comments:
I think the characters in The Great Gatsby all tend to be hiding something. It may be something that they've already trusted Nick with by telling him, or something that they're keeping to themselves, but I think each is definitely keeping something to themselves that will shape the story later on. The tone tends to be light, but a little on the mysterious side to me. I always feel like something is being kept from me, or another reader, which is definitely going to contribute later on. The atmosphere definitely changes throughout the story, yet you can really tell its set in the 1920's. The things that contribute to this are the music and surroundings that they talk about at the parties and also the fact that everyone seems to be smoking, which I definitely connect with the 20's. The difference in class is also obvious with the difference of the West Egg and the East Egg. One quote from the party at Gatsbys was "The lights grow brighter as the Earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music and the opera of voices pitches a key higher..." pg. 40. This quote just basically sums up what I picture a party in the 20's would look like; jazzy, elegant, and in this case expensive.
"She's not to know about it. Gatsby doesn't want her to know." Jordan told Nick. There has always been something strange or mysterious about the situation and especially about Gatsby as far as his motivation. In this last part of chapter 4, it was finally revealed to a certain extent why Gastby has been acting the way he does. It is still concerning and very strange but we as readers are starting to find out the motivation behind the actions of Gatsby. Up until this point we have been in the dark but it is just starting to make sense. That is why I think the most important part of the book so far is what just took place at the end of chapter 4.
I think this book wants to make you think and figure out the personality of the characters. I feel like Gatsby is a great mystery to be known and i feel like he doesnt care what others thing about him he justs wants to live his life. When Martyl says, "I married him because i thought he was a gentleman, i thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasnt fit to lick my shoe." She can be very confusing when she says this but i think she is trying to make herself think that she married the wrong guy and is trying o think of a good excuse. I feel like the setting and time period of this book are good thought because you really get a sense of what it was like back then.
I feel like the characters in this book are supposed to be a little mysterious. I think by not exposing their personalities further we are able to expand our own personal views as to what kind of people they are. Gatsby seems like a pretty mysterious guy to begin with and just seems like the type of person that has confidence in himself. Although there seems to be multiple sides to the characters and maybe there is a reason we don’t know as much as we want about them. “I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby’s face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness,” (pg 95) I think that this quote expresses how there is something deeper within some of the characters that we have yet to discover. I think that by not knowing certain things about the characters makes us focus more on the actions they take part in and expand our thinking from there.
I think that the most significant part about the characters in The Great Gatsby is the fact that the characters all seem to be so mysterious and secretive. This is shown though Nick's description of himself, which revealed a lot about his family but little about himself, or through his vague descriptions of Gatsby. All of these are mysterious, but I think the most prevalent appearance of being secretive is Tom's affair. When he is describing Wilson he says, "Wilson? He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York. He's so dumb he doesn't even know he's alive."(26) I think that this show that Tom not only has a disregard towards the fact that he and Myrtle are both married, but also for the fact that somebody could possibly trust somebody else. This shows how secretive Tom probably is in his home life.
I think that the most prevalent thing about the characters in Great Gadsby is there upfront mannerisms. When we are first introduced to a new character, we know there motive and reasons for there actions right away. A perfect example of this is in chapter three when Nick is at Gadsby's first party. Nick is talking to a man he just met and says "This is an unusual party for me. I haven't even seen the host." p. 47 It turns out that he is talking to the host Gadsby himself. The point is that when a characters first meet in this book they are very upfront with each other just like in this example.
I feel as though all the characters in The Great Gatsby all live a double life. They are all very public, but all have their own little secrets and lifestyles they try to keep hidden. For example in Chapter one Nick finds out from Miss Baker that Tom Buchanan has a woman other than his wife Daisy. "'Tom's got some woman in New York.' 'Got some woman?' I repeated blankly. Miss Baker nodded." This just shows that Tom has a very secret life; later in the story Nick finds that this is true, when Tom brings him along on his trip to his woman in New York. The significance of this secretively and double lives starts to become clearer as the story goes on. The people start to confide in Nick and it is almost inevitable that the secrets will become public and that there will be some issues that occur because of it.
The characters are mysterious in the Great Gatsby. Like Katie P. said they seem to be hiding something. The seem to have there little secrets. Like when Tom Buckanan says "Oh , I will stay in the East don't you worry" To me it seems like he has something to hide, like going back to the Midwest would be bad for him.
When I started to read this book is was very confusing and I had no idea what was going on. The more I read it the more things start to unfold and come to life. I do feel like almost every character in the book is hidding something from someone. No character is down to earth ansd open. We have learned right now about a gold digger, she must have something to hide. Especially Gatsby I feel like he has much more to hide then all the other characters.
In my opinion, the characters in The Great Gatsby all represent the higher class of citizens and are a somewhat comical representation of the rich people that are always found at a country club or golf course. "I married him because I thought he was a gentleman" further explaining the idea that this book represents the "higher class" of citizens in the early 19 hundreds. Going further into the analyzation of the characters, I feel as if the author of this book wants the reader to think further into the reading after hints given as to what kind of person the author is talking about. This book is definitely based in the early 19 hundreds, given the vocab used as well as the "classy" way they act.
Many of the characters in The Great Gatsby are financially well off. Gatsby is a very mysterious character in the book. Not much is known about him. He comes off as a having superior social stature to others by the way he puts others in an inferior position like when he talks to Nick saying, "Good morning, old sport. You're having lunch with me today and I thought we'd ride up together"(64). He almost treats him as a child. He seems to put himself in situations that he is in charge and comfortable.
Some of the characters(other than Nick) in the Great Gatsby seem to be a bit mischevous and sly. They all have another side to them that tends to be secretive and distant from, (in some cases their significant other.) On page Catherine quotes, "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." To follow up with, Fitzgerald writes, "Daisy was not a Catholic, and I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie." After reading these two quotes it is obvious that these characters are lying and hiding different feelings or truths about what is going on. I also think that the characters are mysterious to the reader; therefore making the book more engaging because the reader wants to know more about each character.
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Each character portrays a different set of charateristics unique to him or herself in The Great Gatsby. It seems as though each character has two sides, generally a more positive and inviting side, as well as a rather hidden and mysterious side. "He's a bootlegger, said the young ladies, moving somewhere between his cocktails and his flowers. One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil." This quote explains how people make assumtions of Gatsby because they do not know the truth about his more mysterious side in life. As of Chapter 4, we have yet to hear of a second side to Nick's character, but I am curious to see what will be explained about Nick through the rest of the book.
Many of the characters in The Great Gatsby seem to have a secret life. They all have factors they regret about their normal lives, so they lie to go out and enjoy the company of people that usually don't have social lives with. In addition, the characters are very mysterious and don't reveal much about themselves or why they do certain activities. "Good morning, old sport. You're having lunch with me today and I thought we'd ride up together"(64). Gatsby does not reveal much about himself, but puts on a facade that he is everyones finest friend.
I think that the characters in the Great Gatsby all seem to have something that they are hiding. It has created a lot of suspense as the story has gone on. Nick has been an important character in the story because most of the secrets have been told to him and then he began to spread them. As a reader, it feels as though I have been kept from a lot of information as well. "I married him because I thought he was a gentleman". This quote describes the mysteriousness of the characters throughout the book. There is always more to people than what they put off.
I think that the characters in the Great Gatsby all seem to have something that they are hiding. It has created a lot of suspense as the story has gone on. Nick has been an important character in the story because most of the secrets have been told to him and then he began to spread them. As a reader, it feels as though I have been kept from a lot of information as well. "I married him because I thought he was a gentleman". This quote describes the mysteriousness of the characters throughout the book. There is always more to people than what they put off
It is apparent that all of these characters are from the early 1800's. We all see that in this novel that money is the foundation of the relationships. "I married him because i thought he was a gentleman". this shows that even though they go for money that there is some sign of love for the human being! the undeceiveness it very unorganized and unseen.
I think that the most important part about the characters in The Great Gatsby is that the characters all seem to be so mysterious. This is shown though Nick's description of himself, which shows lots about his family but little about himself, or through his little descriptions of Gatsby. All of these are mysterious, but I think the most prevalent appearance of being secretive is Tom's affair. When he is describing Wilson he says, "Wilson? He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York. He's so dumb he doesn't even know he's alive."(26) I think that this show that Tom not only has a disregard towards the fact that he and Myrtle are both married, but also for the fact that somebody could possibly trust somebody else. This shows how secretive Tom probably is in his home life.
I believe that all of the character in this story are all just looking out for themselves, they look for anyway to get ahead of one another by outdoning them in any aspect they can find. For example Gatsby way of proving this is by having huge parties that he himself usuall does not even attend, Tom does this by having Daisy which obviously disturbs Gatsby. "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." this quote explains that Tom only married Daisy to get at Gatsby, or else why would he mary somebody that doesnt even please him. This is why he goes out to the city to see Myrtle every now and then.
I believe that all of the character in this story are all just looking out for themselves, they look for anyway to get ahead of one another by outdoning them in any aspect they can find. For example Gatsby way of proving this is by having huge parties that he himself usuall does not even attend, Tom does this by having Daisy which obviously disturbs Gatsby. "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." this quote explains that Tom only married Daisy to get at Gatsby, or else why would he mary somebody that doesnt even please him. This is why he goes out to the city to see Myrtle every now and then.
I believe that all of the character in this story are all just looking out for themselves, they look for anyway to get ahead of one another by outdoning them in any aspect they can find. For example Gatsby way of proving this is by having huge parties that he himself usuall does not even attend, Tom does this by having Daisy which obviously disturbs Gatsby. "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." this quote explains that Tom only married Daisy to get at Gatsby, or else why would he mary somebody that doesnt even please him. This is why he goes out to the city to see Myrtle every now and then.
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