5th response

Jaehak

11-1

23-11-2008

 

The Great Gatsby

 

Response #5, pp. 61-111

Response type #4: Quotations

 

Quotation:

             After Nick arranged the list of people who attended Gatsby’s parties that summer, a roll call of the nation’s the most wealthy and powerful people, he described the trip that Gatsby called on Nick to go to New York city in order to have lunch there. During driving to New York City, Gatsby and Nick had a conversation. “Look here, old sport,” he broke out surprisingly, “what’s your opinion of me, anyhow?” A little overwhelmed, I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves. “Well, I’m going to tell you something about my life,” he interrupted. “I don’t want you to get a wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear.” So he was aware of the bizarre accusations that flavored conversation in his halls. “I’ll tell you God’s truth.” His right hand suddenly ordered divine retribution to stand by. ”I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West – all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition.” (pg, 65) Although this short conversation seems nothing for all of the factors that create story, this small element was a motive that stimulated me to read this book more and more. The reason was this conversation is the first part to mention about Gatsby’s past. From the beginning of reading, I expected the story’s plot is going to be about Gatsby as the title says so. However, page one through page sixty; there were no information about him. What I read was the rumors that people in the Gatsby’s parties made. I wanted to know who Gatsby is, why he is creating luxury parties even though he is joining, and what factor will explain why the title said Gatsby is a great man. Finally, as I started to read over one third of book, the story mentioned a little bit about Gatsby like above quote. And I believed that the story will disclose Gatsby deeply as the story passed.

             In the middle of the story, Nick met Jordan who is friend of Daisy. And, Jordan talked about the conversation that the history of Daisy. Jordan said “The officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking in a way that every young girl want to be looked at some time, and because it seemed romantic to me I have remembered the incident ever since. His name was Jay Gatsby, and I didn’t lay eyes on him again for over four years” (pg 75). This quote helps me to solve several Gatsby’s mysterious. In the past, Gatsby and Daisy fell in love each other, but some of obstacle let them take away. Later, Gatsby missed her so that he brought his house nearby Daisy house where is Long Island. Moreover, he produced luxury parties every Saturday in order Daisy came there. Because of that, he did not join parties and looked at the parties from outside. After I read this part, I could understand his behaviors. 

4th response

Jaehak
English 11-1
November 2, 2008

The Great Gatsby

Response #1, pp. 1-59
Response type #5: Questions
After I read the one third parts of book which is called The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, suddenly, two of questions are appeared in my brain about this story.

The Great Gatsby is talking about lavish American people based on actual American circumstance in 1920s. Gatsby is a secret and famous person in egg western. Although he creates the luxury parties every weekend in his house to serve the neighbors to join, practically the person himself just looks at the parties from far away. Because of that, the people in the parties were curious about his personal life and wealthy. But, nobody knows about him so that only the rumors go the round such as he killed a person; he is a son of the rich person, and etc. The narrator, Nick Carraway, also begin to be curious about him.

I do not realize that why author used The Great Gatsby as a title of book.

As leaning and reading English or my native language, the title always comes from the main story of book so that people may guess what the context of book is going to be about by reading the title. However, F.Scott Fitzgerald, the author, used one of the characters in the book to represent the book’s title, also there are not enough story about Gatsby in one third part. Who is going to recognize the story of The Great Gatsby by looking at the title? I want to know how Gatsby is connected to lavish American people without reading the context.

Author uses Nick Carraway as a narrator, not directly Gatsby.

“As I waited for my hat in the hall the door of the library opened and Jordan Baker and Gatsby came out together. He was saying some last word to her, but the eagerness in his manner tightened abruptly into formality as several people approached him to say good-by.” (pg 52)

Nick Carraway, a narrator, has first and third perspective in the book. So, the story is telling to the reader what Nick Carraway experiences and observes. Because of indirect tell the story, reader have no way to know what Gatsby, main character, thinks. Moreover, Gatsby is a cause of main secrets. So, as I think, if Gatsby has first and third perspective, he is going to tell the truth of rumor, secret and thought about lavish American people.