The Great Gatsby Commentary on Chapter 9
The Great Gatsby Commentary on Chapter 9 In The Great Gatsby, Chapter 9, the last chapter of the novel, is used by Fitzgerald to create a sense of finality for the reader suggesting "the party was over". Fitzgerald repeats the word "last" to do this, which relates to Nick's, the narrator, end to his experience with Gatsby. Nick is writing two years after the events with Gatsby, showing that a substantial amount of his life has passed, with Gatsby still fresh in his mind. However, as Nick is a self conscious narrator, writing a time after the event, the information presented to the reader could be biased, as shown by Nick who thinks of him self as "one of the few honest people that I have ever known". Therefore, the reader does not receive a clear picture of the events that occur in Long Island, which Fitzgerald uses to create the theme of disillusion throughout the novel. On the other hand, Nick as a writer can be seen as isolated, just as Gatsby was throughout his life, due to the extravagant parties with non-invited strangers and a friendless funeral. Fitzgerald therefore emphasizes Gatsby's hopeful obsession of meeting Daisy ever again, by hoping she would attend his materialistic parties, however by his death, he was only described as a "poor son-of-a-bitch". The reader feels that Gatsby was indeed this as he had dedicated part of his life in trying to reignite his love
Great Gatsby Chapter 9 notes
CHAPTER NINE Fitzgerald draws his novel to its conclusion. This chapter allows him to make his final comment on the corrupt and destructive side of the American Dream. On one level it could be said that Gatsby represents the success story of the American Dream - the epitome of the stereotypical ascent from 'rags to riches'. He drives his own fortune and prosperity acquiring great wealth and material possessions; but , ultimately, his dream fails anyway. Fitzgerald makes it abundantly clear just how distorted the collective vision of society had become with regard to the accumulation of wealth and the influence of mass media - represented by the eyes of T J Eckleburg. Such materialistic goals had overtaken the more altruistic and virtuous pursuits inherent in the original interpretation of the American Dream. In this chapter the reader senses Nick's great sense of despair, disillusionment and disgust. He is appalled by the behaviour he encounters in his preparation for Gatsby's funeral: 'I found myself on Gatsby's side and alone.' After all the parties he had thrown for a countless trail of guests who paraded through his house 'Nobody came.' The reader has now experienced Nick's journey, his voyage - note the sea imagery to which he refers in the final lines of the novel. It is interesting to note just how much Nick has matured as a result of his experiences:
Write about the ways Fitzgerald tells the story in Chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby..
Write about the ways Fitzgerald tells the story in Chapter 5. Chapter 5 of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ creates a contrasting tone to what has previously occurred in the novel. Fitzgerald generally creates a surreal atmosphere in order to control the manner in which many readers approach the events within the novel. Fitzgerald’s use of first person narrative enforces a judgemental perspective upon the reader, although Nick Carraway appears to set aside all opinions and therefore simply overlook the action-taking place. This is structurally emphasized by the layout of the novel on the page. It is clear through Fitzgerald’s use of paragraphs that there is a clear conscious thought which remains constant throughout. “At first I thought it as another party, a wild rout that had resolved itself into ‘hide-and-go-seek’ or ‘sardines-in-the-box’ with all the house thrown open to the game. But there wasn’t a sound.” The long sentence structure contrasts the shorter sentence that follows it. This consequently implies a tense sentiment amongst the characters, which further enforces the tension that Fitzgerald seems to create within this chapter. These long sentences enhance the feeling of excess and extravagance that continuously appears within the novel. The use of commas creates this extravagance and alternate lifestyle. Yet it is also true to
"Great Gatsby" chapter 3 essay
HOW DOES FITZGERALD TELL THE STORY IN CHAPTER THREE? Following on from the previous chapters where we were introduced to all the main characters, this chapter is structurally separated into two parts. The first focuses on a lavish party thrown by Gatsby and it is here we witness Nick becoming a participant. In the second part of the chapter, we gain a general context of Nick, our intrafictional narrator’s day to day life. As before, Nick remains our retrospective narrator, “reading over what I have written so far” and Fitzgerald continues to present Nick as an outsider, an observer, listening in. Nick often feels to the reader as if he is giving an omniscient account “I watched” and appears lonely “I felt a haunting loneliness sometimes” evoking empathy from the reader. However, Fitzgerald uncharacteristically begins to present Nick in the present tense “The orchestra has arrived” making both Nick and the audience participants at the party. Nick appears to integrate into this society, the one on the surface he despises whilst also remaining an outsider “I was one of the few guests who had actually been trusted” disassociating himself from other people. Furthermore, in this chapter not only do we have the narrative voice of Nick, but Fitzgerald also incorporates the reported speech of other characters namely ‘yawning’ Jordan, but also for the first
Great Gatsby Chapter 3 notes
Great Gatsby Chapter Three • Begins with a very enchanting description "In his blue garden men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars." • It's a very magical image - romantic - and this all relates to Gatsby himself. He is an insatiable romantic. Look out for the colour blue. It permeates the novel, especially Gatsby's parties - 'blue music' etc - and symbolises romance and illusion. Look out also for the colour yellow. Look very closely at the description given in the first few pages of Chapter Three. Brilliantly, Fitzgerald uses colours and mood to describe the scene. It seems the solid world of human bodies is transformed into the insubstantiality of Gatsby's dream by his use of language. Descriptions are impressionistic/fluid - dream-like alluding to Gatsby's dream world - a world of illusion. • A very extravagant lifestyle is highlighted - " I watched his guests diving from a tower raft; or taking sun on the hot sand of his beach..." These people are happy enough to use his facilities but do not take time to meet him. He has his cars pick people up. • There is an organised body of people employed to carry out chores with a certain military precision:"Every Friday fine crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiter in New York - every Monday theses same oranges and lemons left his back door in a
Notes on "The Great Gatsby" chapter 3.
Chapter 3: * Gatsby's party brings 1920s wealth and glamour into focus * Nick receives an invitation to go to Gatsby's party and Nick agrees to go, however when he arrives he feels out of place. * Guests spreading rumours about Gatsby - no one seems to know the truth about Gatsby or his success to wealth or personal history. * Nick learns from the rumours that Gatsby: was a German spy within the war through Jordan's friend (Lucille) and also learns that Gatsby went to Oxford, along with that he killed a man in cold blood. * Nick and the reader learn that Nick and Gatsby served in the same division within the war. * Nick becomes increasingly fascinated with Gatsby as the party progresses. * Gatsby gets his butler to tell Jordan Baker that he would like a meeting with her - she emerges from the meeting saying that she has just heard something extraordinary. * Nick describes his everyday life, to prove to the reader that he does more with his time than just go to parties. * Nick begins to see Jordan Baker, which is advice given from Tom and Daisy. * Nick describes Jordan Baker as: dishonest as she cheated in her golf tournament but Nick is attracted to her despite her dishonesty. * West Egg and East Egg, both attend Gatsby's party - the "new rich" lack the refinement, manners and taste of the "old rich" but long to break into the polite society of the East
"Notes on The Great Gatsby" chapter 7.
Chapter 7: * Gatsby ends all of his parties (which were set primarily to impress Daisy). He also fires his servants, in order to prevent gossip and replaces them with people that are connected to Meyer Wolfshiem. * Nick joins Tom and Daisy in East Egg for lunch and finds Gatsby and Jordan there. * Gatsby discovers that Daisy has a daughter and is stunned. * Gatsby and Daisy cannot hide their love for one another. As Tom leaves the room, Daisy approaches Gatsby and kisses him. * Tom discovers the emotions shared between Daisy and Gatsby as Gatsby stares passionately at Daisy at the table. * They all decide to go to New York City due to boredom. Nick rides with Jordan and Tom, whereas Gatsby and Daisy ride together in Tom's car. * When travelling to New York City, Tom stops at Wilson's garage and learns that Wilson has discovered his wife's unfaithfulness; however Wilson does not know who the lover is and plans to move her to the West. * Conflict between Tom and Gatsby is made open and their confrontation over Daisy brings to the surface the troubling features of both characters. - Tom accuses Gatsby of lying about attending Oxford and asks about his intentions for Daisy. This causes conflict as Gatsby reveals what Daisy is feeling (Daisy loves Gatsby and not Tom). This shows that Gatsby's obsession with recovering the past with Daisy as he orders Daisy to tell
Structure in Chapter 1,8 and 9 of The Great Gatsby
Structure in Chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald begins chapter eight with 'I couldn't sleep all night...frightening dreams.' This creates the tension at the beginning of the chapter. Fitzgerald does this in order to prepare the reader for the worst outcome; the death of Gatsby. From Nick's diagesis about his restless night, the reader can understand the honesty of his relationship with Gatsby as he as a character can sense that there is something wrong. Beginning the chapter with the fog-horn 'groaning incessantly on the Sound...' surprises the reader as this is a sound that has not been mentioned up until this point of the narrative. The fact that this sound is not usual, also implies that the something out of the ordinary is going to happen, increasing the tension in build up to the crux of the narrative. Fitzgerald chooses to have the death of the protagonist in the penultimate chapter of the novel in order to present the reader with a mimesis, that is, that the death of Gatsby leaves the novel with no purpose to carry on. The chapter ends with 'It was after we started... and the holocaust was complete.' Nick describes the death of both Wilson and Gatsby as the 'holocaust'. This is symbolic of the two characters as one could argue that they were the most innocent of the characters in the novel, yet neither of them managed to fulfil their idea of the American
Great Gatsby Chapter 2 notes
CHAPTER TWO THE GREAT GATSBY What kind of imagery can be associated with the description at the beginning of CH. 2? * 'ashes'/'desolate'/'grotesque'/'smoke'/'ash-grey men'/'crumbling'/'powdery air' * In contrast to the plush settings of CH 1 this is very depressing. They are starkly contrasted. Fitzgerald does this on purpose. We notice associations with death which will permeate the novel. They foreshadow the 3 deaths which will occur in the novel - but also the death of Gatsby's dream and in a wider sense the death of the American Dream. SIGNIFICANCE OF EYES * The eyes of T J Eckleberg watch ominously over the activities of the characters in the novel and over society at large. 'yellow spectacles' and 'fatten his practice' allude to the corruption of a society obsessed by advertising and consumerism. The oculist who set up the billboard should have been correcting vision instead of seeking commercial advantage through advertising to 'fatten his practice' and most probably his bank account. This alludes to selfish materialism, greed and questionable morals of 1920s American society. * Later George Wilson refers to the eyes as the eyes of God - 'God sees everything!' - In a society devoid of religious virtues this could allude to God's dismay at the vulgar conduct of the characters in the novel. The God of advertising has taken over their empty, amoral
Chapter 2, "The Great Gatsby" - "Dying society" - review
Chapter 2, "The Great Gatsby" "Dying society" Fitzgerald presents in this novel upper-class people, who live in the world of dreams. He tries to describe the life of milliners, who spends enormous amount of money on drugs, parties, alcohol and other luxury things. In this chapter the writer clearly shows us that America in 20th was dying, there was no truth, no love and no real relationships, and everything was based on how much money each American had. All America had just people who were obsessed with appearance. "a small living room with a set of tapestried furniture entirely large for it" Even this description of a flat where the party goes on is a significance of a bad taste and showing off. What people could see is only glamorous dresses and costumes. The business which was attractive to anyone was gangster business. It was nearly admirable. America wanted quick money to be made. "Most of these fellas will cheat on you every time. All they think of is money" Fitzgerald used an oxymoron in his play to show that the country on its surface is growing but in the heart of it is dying, which he calls: "a valley of ashes, a desolate area of land". Also the writer suggested that America is leaving without any colour, people houses gardens relationships are under nasty, coverless surface" a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and
