The Great Gatsby. Chapter 1 Seminar

Transcription

1 The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Seminar

2 Character Development: Nick 1. What do we learn about Nick s background?

3 Nick is/was... entitled: a member of the upper class and old money as evidenced in his father s advice to...remember that all the people in this world haven t had the advantages that you ve had (7), along with the following quotes: My family have been prominent,well-to-do people and The Carraways are... descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch He is Daisy Buchanan s second cousin (11). raised to see himself and his class as somewhat better than his counterparts: fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth (7) traditional: raised in Middle Western America by a traditional family which makes its money from the wholesale hardware business started by his grandfather s brother in 1851 (8). attended New Haven in 1915, just a quarter of a century after [his] father (9).

4 Nick... got a taste of adventure after participating in the Great War upon his return, Father agreed to finance [him] for a year (9) and he needed permission from all of the aunts and uncles before going east. he went to New York to start his adventures with a dog that ran away and a housekeeper who made his bed and breakfast for him He saw the summer as a rebirth: life was beginning over again with the summer (10) and he fantasized that he was a guide, a pathfinder, an original settler (9). He has a girlfriend but is not ready to marry her so avoids the situation (24). INFERENCE: Nick is immature and restless. Sees life through the lens of fantasy and makes judgements based on that fantasy.

5 The Biased Narrator 2. What clues are provided to indicate that Nick is an unreliable narrator?

6 The Unreliable Narrator... Nick says, I m inclined to reserve all judgement and that reserving judgement is a matter of infinite hope (7). BUT The whole novel is one of judging Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and the 1920s society. He refers to the new money west egg as the less fashionable of the two (10),and then describes Gatsby s house in a tone of judgement (11).

7 Tom Had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savours of anti-climax enormously wealthy What do you infer about Tom so far?

8 Tom is Having a midlife crisis: actions: Tom drifts, shows off his wealth through extravagant house,ponies, and lives a life of leisure and is described by Nick in the following way: Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart (25). Insecure and trying to prove his worth aggressively: see Nick s description (effects on others) on pages actions pulls attention away from his child to himself on page 15 and he is having an affair. What he says, Never heard of them (15) and his need to sound civilized and intelligent on page 18. Racist: pg 18

9 Daisy What quotes prove that Daisy is attempting to portray childlike purity/perfection and vitality, but in reality she is unhappy and insecure?

10 Proof: Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth (14). Do they miss me she cried ecstatically (15). You ought to see the baby Top of Pg.17: The candle comment and what do people plan conversation She references Tom with unthoughtful sadness (18) She gossips: I ll tell you a family secret (18) we heard you were engaged (24) She praises others: I love to see you at my table Nick...An absolute rose (19) and makes Nick feel that the whole evening had been a trick...to exact a contributory emotion from me (22). Daisy tries to cover up the phone call from the mistress with tense gaiety (20) and later turbulent emotions possessed her (21).

11 Daisy represents the traditional woman That s the best thing a girl can be in the world, a beautiful little fool (22) Daisy says that Nick will take care of Jordan even though she is an independent, modern woman Daisy thinks her home (the so-called traditional home) would be a good influence on Jordan who doesn t come from a traditional family

12 Symbolism 1. Identify examples of colour symbolism and explain what they represent. 2. Predict: how might the unreliable narrator be symbolic? 3. How does Fitzgerald use light imagery in this chapter? 4. What are the two place symbols and what is the message in the way they are described? 5. Character symbols: when looked at together, what do Tom, Daisy, and Jordan represent in this chapter? What is the message in how they are described?

13 Connection to the 1920 s The American Dream: video + lecture Any person can achieve anything they dream of achieving and work hard to obtain (wealth, fame, respect, equality, etc.) What is Fitzgerald saying so far about the American Dream?

14 Fitzgerald and Zelda: handout + lecture Start at 0.24

15 CONNECTIONS TO THEME Taking into consideration the character development in Chapter 1, the place and colour symbols, imagery, the unreliable narrator, and connections to the 1920s, what is Fitzgerald saying about: The decline of the American Dream Wealth Time and aging