Chapter 1

  • Describes his high values and morals
  • Moves to NY, lives in West Egg - where the newly rich live
  • Characterized by gaudy taste, lack of social networking
  • East Egg- conservative, wealthy, refined area
  • Nick is Yale grad, has connections
  • Seeks success as a bonds salesman
  • Tom talks about The Rise of the Colored Empires
  • Tom agrees with the racist/white supremacy angle of the author
  • Miss Baker- traveling golfer
  • Nick is encouraged to pursue her
  • Sees Gatsby, desires to be alone also
  • Gatsby gestures to a green light, then disappears

  • He is recounting the past, we assume he is older and wiser
  • Have faith and trust recollections of distorted memories
  • Established trust in Nick- he should be logical and have good judgment
  • Brags about his education, origin,
  • Tom and Daisy = old money in East Egg
  • Tom has air of superiority, discriminates by class, racist
  • Two women dressed in white
  • Purity, wealth (does not have to work or struggle in life- suggested by “balloon, flutter”
  • Jordan Baker wealth and glamour hide the vacancy in her life- she’s bored and wants something more
  • Nick does not belong in the East, too shallow and superficial
  • Feels “disgusted” while heading home

     

Chapter 2

  • Road from W.E. to NY, lies a dusty valley where ashes are dumped
  • Billboard of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes watch over valley
  • Tom makes Nick follow him to the valley
  • Goes to George Wilson's garage to meet Tom’s lover, Myrtle
  • She is round yet sensual
  • All 3 go to Morningside Heights apartment
  • Tom’s apartment for his affair
  • Have a party w/ Catherine + Mckees
  • Catherine described flashy- red hair, heavy makeup
  • Mckees: mr. is soft & pale, ms. is shrill loud
  • They heavily drink, Nick gets drunk for the 2nd in his life
  • Nick is disgusted by the pretentious group, but keeps getting drawn in by arguments & discussions
  • Myrtle & Tom argue, Tom breaks her nose for yelling “Daisy”
  • Party stops, Nick leaves w/ Mr. Mckee on 4am train to Long Island

                                             

  • Grey Valley is the neglected area around W.E. Egg        
  • Symbolizes the neglect of character and morals in W.E. Egg
  • Long vanished but the Doctor’s billboard remains
  • Ominous, overseeing figure
  • Serves to represent religiousness and spirituality that the characters lack
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  • Could be a result of the roaring twenties- drastic social/moral changes (however seen more in women than men)
  • Wilson’s personality & appearance (spiritless, anemic) can be the result of living/working in the grey valley
  • Tom tells Myrtle to take next train, suddenly careful about affair- maybe only to Wilson?
  • Myrtle changes clothes, thus changes status from low to high
  • As she drinks, she becomes more like Tom

  • Nick has suspected Tom was capable of violence, incident w/ Myrtle has proven it
  • Tom could be opposed to change, 1920’s women became more liberal/vocal
  • Foreshadows other things that ...

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