Great Gatsby Chapter 5 notes

Great Gatsby Chapter Five Why might Ch. 5 be described as a pivotal chapter? • Ch. 5 reveals just how long Gatsby has been dreaming about rekindling his romance with Daisy - 5 years. Before this point we have been gradually getting to know Gatsby not fully sure of who he is and from here the reader follows his downward spiral as 'his count of enchanted diminished by one'. • This chapter also makes Gatsby's dream a reality and it is clear that because the chasm between the dream and the reality has become so great that the dream, his idyllic, perfect image of Daisy is doomed to fail and disappoint him. The past and the passage of time is a dominant force in this novel. When is it brought up in this chapter? Think about symbolism here. • ' "It's too late!" ' Gatsby exclaims. This is highly significant to his desperate attempts to repeat the past, to conjure up the Daisy he knew five years ago. • '...the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously...whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place' This symbolises/represents Gatsby's vain attempts to stop the passage of time in order to retrieve the past. You should also note that it is a 'defunct mantelpiece clock'. It does not work. It has stopped at one moment in time just as Gatsby's life has stopped. He is trapped in the past, fuelled only by his over-elaborate dream -

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Notes on "The Great Gatsby" chapter 5.

Chapter 5: * Nick goes on a date with Jordan and returns to find Gatsby's mansion all lit up but unoccupied. * Nick is startled by Gatsby as he walks home and notices that Gatsby seems to be agitated - Gatsby invites Nick to Coney Island and for a swim in his pool but Nick realizes that Gatsby seems agitated because he wants Nick to agree to the plan involving Daisy coming round for tea. * Gatsby is overjoyed when Nick agrees to help Gatsby out, but Nick is offended when Gatsby offers to pay him for arranging the meeting with Daisy. * Nick shows tolerance as a main quality of his - the arrangement of the meeting brings his practise of tolerance to a level of complicity (tolerantly observes Tom's affair and facilitates the commencement of an affair between Gatsby and Daisy, hoping to wreck her marriage) * On the day that Daisy is coming to Nick's for tea, Gatsby is nervous - shown by trying to make everything perfect to impress her (having Nick's grass cut, flowers being delivered to Nick's house) * When Gatsby and Daisy reunite it is awkward - Gatsby knocks Nick's clock on the floor and then reveals that the meeting was a mistake. This also symbolizes the clumsiness of his attempt to stop time and retrieve the past. However Nick leaves Gatsby and Daisy alone for two hours and returns to find them happy (Daisy is crying and Gatsby is glowing) * When Gatsby and

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby?

How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby? In chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby, the theme of love becomes ever more apparent as does Gatsby’s true self. These emotions are revealed to the reader as the chapter progresses and Gatsby becomes more confident around Daisy. Fitzgerald uses only two settings for chapter 5 in order to draw parallels between the change of scene and the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. At the start of the chapter - where Nick, Daisy and Gatsby are gathered in Nick’s house – the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby seems incredibly awkward and both characters seem extremely tense and nervous to be re-united (shown by Gatsby’s ‘abortive attempt of a laugh). However, when Gatsby invites Nick and Daisy over to his house his relationship with Daisy gradually becomes stronger and Gatsby becomes far more relaxed, even to the point of having a friend ‘play the piano’ to further impress and improve his relationship with Daisy. Fitzgerald does this to show that Gatsby is only comfortable when he is in his own house. Gatsby feels more at ease in his house because he is surrounded by his ostentatious luxuries that impress other people, and indeed Daisy – even to the point of sobbing over ‘such beautiful silk shirts’ – and so Gatsby holds extravagant parties because he feels proud of his ostentatious lifestyle

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does Fitzgerald tell the story in chapter 5 of the Great Gatsby

LYDIA GEORGE How does Fitzgerald tell the story of the Great Gatsby in chapter 5? During chapter 5 Gatsby is reunited with Daisy and it becomes clear to the reader that Gatsby's emotional frame is out of sync with the passage of time as the novel explores the coming of love of the past into the present. The chapter starts with the return of Nick from his date with Jordan whose relationship seems very impersonal and surface deep compared and contrasted to the passionate and fulfilling relationship of that of Gatsby and Daisy that is addressed and unpicked during chapter 5. Nick describes Jordan to have a ‘disembodied face’ and a ‘wan, scornful mouth’ which give her a ghost like quality suggesting a transparent and empty liaison. Nick returns home to find Gatsby’s house all lit up – ‘from tower to cellar’ and believes Gatsby is having another extravagant party, Nick walks over to investigate and on his way is startled by Gatsby. Nick invites Gatsby to have tea with himself and Daisy the next day, at this Gatsby becomes very alarmed and nervous about meeting Daisy. This brings to light Gatsby’s feelings towards Daisy and the subject becomes a sensitive one; this foreshadows their romantic connection later on in the chapter. Before Daisy arrives Gatsby orders for the grass to be cut and flowers to When Gatsby first meet’s Daisy he is wearing a ‘silver

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The Great Gatsby - Chapter 3

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 3 In chapter three Nick tells us about the first party he attends at Gatsby's one friday night. He sees himself as the only guest who was actually been invited by Gatsby's chauffeur earlier in the morning. He describes all preparation on fridays before the party and on mondays after the party, e.g. gardeners cleaning Gatsby's property (p.37-39) Arriving at the party Nick doesn't know anyone he could talk to and can't even find the host, so decides to stop at the bar, where, a little later, he welcomes Jordan Baker. They end up in a conversation with three men and two girls talking about rumors about Gatsby (p.40/41). After a short time they leave the group to look for Gatsby, since they haven't met him yet. They don't find Gatsby, but the library, where Jordan and Nick meet a drunk man talking about the realism of the books. Leaving the house and sitting down on a table, Nick meets Gatsby, not knowing it is him (p.44). Gatsby, an elegant, young man with tanned skin and short hair, invites him to a short trip with his new hydroplane in the next morning. Gatsby leaves and after Nick has learned Jordan's rumors about him, they see him standing all alone on the steps of his backyard. When his butler delivers Gatsby's message to Jordan, that he wants to talk to her, Nick, alone, goes back into the house to observe young ladies and old men

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  • Level: GCSE
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The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1

Read the beginning of the novel chapter 1 up to page 12 "Tom Buchanan in his riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch." How effective do you find this as an introduction to Great Gatsby. In your response you should pay close attention to voice, language and style. The Great Gatsby was written by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, and is set during 1922, a period tinged with moral failure of a society obsessed with class and privilege. Fitzgerald presents us with the conflict between the illusion and the reality of the American dream. The novel begins in the present tense, and is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, the narrator and moral centre of the novel. His tale is told in retrospect. Nick Carraway is a young man from the Mid West, introducing himself as a graduate of Yale and a veteran of World War One. He begins the first chapter by relaying his father's advice: "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages as you've had." He states that he is also "inclined to reserve all judgement" about people and be a tolerant listener; who is entrusted with people's secrets. This encourages him to withhold formulating opinions about people until he gets to know them, demonstrating his caution. Nick puts himself forward explicitly, as someone with an above average "sense of

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Great Gatsby, chapter eight essay

English - Great Gatsby Practice Exam Essay Look again at chapter 8. Then, respond to the tasks. i) What do we learn about Wilson in this chapter? ii) How does Fitzgerald tell the story in this chapter? iii) Some critics see "The Great Gatsby" as a novel shaped by time and place, and, therefore, extremely modern. What do you think? What do we learn about Wilson in this chapter? First, the reader learns more information about Wilson's character and how the death of Myrtle had affected him, showing his love for her, while "George Wilson rocked himself back and forth on the couch inside". This suggests how deeply distressed he is; he is mourning her and trying to come to terms with what has happened. Also, Wilson "flinched and began to cry", this suggests his deep grieving. From this we can also infer that Wilson loves his wife dearly, as he is the only character in the novel who grieves over Myrtle. Secondly, Wilson starts to behave erratically as he is in deep shock, he mutters to himself and at last spoke and said that he took Myrtle to the window just before she died and told her how "God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me, but you can't fool God". This infers that he strongly suspects that his wife was having an affair. The "dog-leash" and the broken nose that she had the previous month is evidence of the affair. Also,

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  • Level: AS and A Level
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Chapter One of Great Gatsby

Write about the ways in which Fitzgerald tells the story of the Great Gatsby in Chapter One... The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the 1920's, a period renowned for the moral failure of a society fixated with class and privilege. This obsession was dubbed "The American Dream" and through the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents us with the conflict between the illusion and reality of the dream. Chapter one is very significant as it lays the foundations for the conflict and essentially prepares the reader for upcoming events. The novel begins in the present tense and is told through Fitzgerald's mouthpiece, Nick Carraway. It quickly becomes obvious to the reader that Nick is the narrator and moral focus of the story. His narration begins with some self-analysis, desperately trying to pin down pertinent aspects of his character. He relays his father's advice, to show tolerance towards others, and to reserve judgement, adding that 'reserving judgement is a matter of infinite hope.' This self-analysis that begins the account confirms to the reader that Nick is also a participant in the story as well as a narrator. He has his own specific characteristics. As the novel progresses we learn more about his character, soon discovering that Nick Carraway is an intelligent young man from the Mid West, introducing himself as a 'graduate from Yale' and a veteran

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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"The Great Gatsby" Chapter one analysis

Fitzgerald opens his novel by introducing Nick Carraway, the story's narrator. Nick has, by his own admission, come "back from the East last autumn," jaded and embittered by his experiences there. The reader knows immediately that the story has already taken place and that Nick is telling it to us through the filter of time. He is distanced from the events at hand and is recounting them by way of memory. It is imperative that readers trust him, then, because time can distort memories, and the reception to the story hinges largely on his impartiality and good judgment. As a means of establishing faith in the narrator, Fitzgerald carefully develops Nick and positions him both within and without the dramatic situation, creating a dynamic and powerful effect. From the very beginning, even before learning about Gatsby, "the man who gives his name to this book," Fitzgerald gives details about Nick. In his "younger and more vulnerable years" (suggesting he is older and wiser now), his father gave him advice that he has carried with him ever since: "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one . . . just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." The implications are strong: Nick comes from at least a middle class family that values a sense of moral justice. In this was, the reader is encouraged to trust Nick and to believe in his

  • Word count: 1639
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Great Gatsby Chapter 6 notes

CHAPTER 6 "He smiled understandingly - much more than understandingly ...picking his words with care." How does this description of Gatsby relate to what we find out now in CH. 6? • Nick's attitude to Gatsby is ambiguous. Here two images of Gatsby are presented: the eternal romantic, charming and eloquent gentleman; the other is uncultured, common bordering on ridiculous, who is careful in not revealing his social deficiencies: "...this quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness." Significantly, in CH. ^ it is revealed that Jay Gatsby, ostentatious and glamorous is, in fact, James Gatz - much more common. 'Jay Gatsby' is, therefore, his own creation. • This passage from CH. 3 highlights just how precarious this self-constructed image is - how utterly dependent it is on the impression of the observer and his/her ability to enter into Gatsby's world of make-believe and invention. It is worth noting that Fitzgerald chose his characters' names with care - a 'gat' is a slang term for a pistol, and so Gatsby's name is an effective pun at a time of bootlegging and gangsters, and indeed foreshadows how he is killed. "The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God - a phrase which if it means anything, means just that - and he must be about His

  • Word count: 1771
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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