Take some time to answer the following questions—write a couple hundred words. Try not to repeat each other. Feel free to respond to what your classmates say. Seniors who have read the book, please, don't give anything anyway. Feel free, though, to respond as a reader who has read the book once already.
1. Your reaction to the first chapter? Like? Dislike? Why?
2. What moment or image or character particularly jumped at you in this chapter, and why? Go ahead and quote from the novel in your response.
3. Going back to Friday: ask your parents (or a parent) what their definition is of the American Dream—and have they (or he or she) attained it?
4. Going back to your definitions of the Dream. Read this from the New York Times and briefly comment on its application, if any, to the definitions and our discussion.
Please have this done by 8 (not 8:30) tomorrow morning. And finally, just to let you know that this book is still "hip" and "cool":
See you all tomorrow.
1. The first chapter of The Great Gatsby appealed to me in a variety of ways. First and foremost is the style with which it is written and the overall tone of the book. I never thought the first chapter could show so much personality simply through phrasing and tone, but I have been proven wrong. Another aspect of the chapter that I enjoyed is the sheer level of character depth. The descriptions of each character give me the feeling that I've spent much more time than one chapter getting to know the characters. Overall it has been a great opening chapter and has proven to me why it is well known as a classic of American literature.
ReplyDelete2. I think the moment that jumped out at me the most was the introduction to Tom. With about a page of description Fitzgerald introduces us to a single character. The detail that is put into the description was fantastic. Over the course of the chapter we learn more and more about Tom, but nothing put a clear image in my head as well as the opening description did. For example, "Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward."
3. When I asked my mom about her definition of the American dream her almost immediate response was that the American dream is the idea that your children will have greater opportunity than you yourself will have. This originates from the fact that her grandfather, who came to America from Italy, was an illiterate worker in a steel mill. Her father was fully educated and earned himself a fair living all the while having seven children. Each of these children has grown up fully educated with children of their own. In her mind she has lived this American dream by providing her two sons (Thomas and me) with even greater opportunity than she herself had as a kid.
4. In my opinion the article applies to some of our definitions better than others. The fact that so many parents spent hundreds of dollars on things their child didn't need or didn't use all goes to show how consumeristic America is becoming. But despite the parents' screw-ups the first time through it seems that they learned their lesson and did not make the same mistake if they got a second chance. Still, the fact that parents feel the need to send their kids off to college (to live in furnished dorms) with a U-Haul full of belongings all goes to show that people buy what they want rather than need.
1. I really enjoyed the first chapter of The Great Gatsby. Usually when first starting a book, it takes a while to get into it, but this chapter really pulled me in. I also love Fitzgerald's writing style because it is very descriptive and easy to read. I love the small bit of foreshadowing about Mr. Gatsby on page 2: "Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men." This line really makes you want to know more.
ReplyDelete2. Like Andrew, I really enjoyed the character of Tom Buchanon. He is just such a stereotypical rich white guy who thinks he knows everything in the world and is better than everyone else. It is quite amusing the way he nonchalantly says to look at his giant house and all of the stuff he has. I love the way he was described on page 20. Nick says that "something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart." To me, this sums up Tom's character perfectly.
3. My mom's definition of the American Dream is that irrespective of the status or income level to which one was born, one can aspire to and sometimes even realize to end ones life in a much higher economic and social status. She feels that she has attained the American Dream because she arrived as an immigrant 25 years ago and has accomplished all her dreams. However, she is very aware that being white, having an accent that seems British, and having already attained a high educational status, made her pathway to success in America much easier than if she had arrived as a poor immigrant from another part of Africa. Also, the loans for education that enabled her to get her PhD in America are now much harder to get, so she is not quite sure that the American Dream is viable anymore and that it is not an even playing field. The foundation of the American Dream has always been education and without helping people access education, the American Dream is dying.
4. I found myself laughing quite a lot at this article because I can relate it to my experience college shopping with my brother. Ben left for college on Saturday and we made a quick trip to Target and Bed Bath and Beyond. I noticed lots of parents shoving things in their children's faces saying that they need this and that for their dorm room without even asking what the kid wants. It seems like parents think that the more money they spend on their child the more happy they will be in college. Like Andrew said, it is very consumerist that parents are spending so much money on stuff that their child will probably never use.
1. I thought the first chapter was interesting. I definitely haven’t read enough to determine whether or not I’ll like the book, but it was intriguing. What I most enjoyed about it was the sort of mysterious tone. The title character is mentioned several times, but we still don’t know much about him other than the fact that he’s rich and well known. The main character is also a bit mysterious. It isn’t exactly clear how he feels about most of the happenings in the first chapter. He doesn’t express an opinion on his cousin’s husband’s white supremacist views, but he does seem a little stuck up. Over all, I’m interested to see how everything pans out.
ReplyDelete2. The image that jumped out at me the most was our first glimpse of Gatsby at the very end. “…he stretched his out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling.”(21-22) The first time we see Gatsby, he seems to be out enjoying some sort of strange alone time so much that he’s vibrating. I’m interested to find out more about him.
3. My mom told me that over the years, her idea of the American Dream has changed. It’s been shaped as she’s grown and as times have changed. At this point she says the main points in the American Dream include having a job that one can be happy with, having a job that benefits society in some way, having and being able to afford health, and having kids who are happy and healthy. She feels that she has achieved all of this for the most part.
4. Funnily enough, I finished helping my sister move back into her dorm not five minutes ago. While the car was packed pretty tightly, I’d say that it was a vast improvement over how she prepared for her freshman year. I remember her bringing home a lot of unused items during her first break; items that had seemed obligatory when she was moving in. A few well-chosen items from home can go a lot farther than all of the shiny things in the Back to School section of the Target catalogue. That being said, the new mini-fridge was probably necessary. I think, to an extent, material items are important in life. Maybe some other people can live completely on love, but I like watching TV.
1) The first chapter of the book was interesting to read. At first, I was slow to follow but I quickly caught up and really enjoyed. I especially enjoyed how the first chapters introduced the character and even hinted some possible events later on the story. Most books take the first few chapters to introduce the characters and possible plots are introduce later on. I can already tell this is going to be a fast pace and interesting book.
ReplyDelete2) The moment in which Daisy hinted that Nick and Mrs. Baker will get marry was very unexpected, "In fact i think I'll arrange a wedding.". This sentence by itself made me realize that things in this book is going to to be fast pace and straight forward. I also realize that I am going to like Daisy because she has a sense of humor and is honest.
3) I asked my mom what the American Dream was to her and whether she had obtained. She told me that to her, the American Dream is wanting your kids to achieve an education the would provide them with a life better than theirs. When I asked whether she had obtain that dream, she thought about and said that not completely.
Her American Dream would not be complete until everyone of her kids would have graduated from college. I asked if she didn't consider finding a job part of her dream and she responded by saying that simply finishing your education was a success.
4) I think that this article relates to the definition of some people that the American Dream has become about buying things and how the American Dream has changed over time and become harder to achieve. It seem that most of the people going into their first year at college are more worry about what they have to bring into college than being in the actual classes.
1. One of my favorite things about the first chapter is it drops you right into the story. It gives you some background in to Nick’s life, but this information is not told in an expository way. The story keeps moving, very fluidly. It introduces you to the some of the other characters almost immediately and, as Andrew said, gives very good details about them. I agree with Christine in that I liked how we got these little hints about Gatsby, especially when Nick says “there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life.” I just really like how Gatsby is a mystery in the first chapter despite the book’s namesake.
ReplyDelete2.One description that particularly stood out to me was when Nick first sees Jordan and Daisy on the couch. He says “two young women were buoyed up [to the couch] as though upon an anchored balloon…their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house.” This was really interesting to me because it made me see the two women as weak, delicate, and unaware, and the page before, it establishes Tom’s “dominance”. This contrast shows who is “in charge” and the dynamic between the men and the women, only reinforced later in the chapter as we see more of the relationship between Daisy and Tom.
3. My father’s definition was, similar to Andrew’s mother’s definition, to work hard so you can provide a better, different future for your children. I found this ironic because my father’s parents were both teachers, and he ended up with the same job they had. Despite this, he still thinks they provided him with the American Dream because his path had more opportunities then they had, like a better education. He said that was more important to him: the fact that his parents gave him the ability to learn more and experience more than they did. He valued that aspect more of the American Dream than the aspect of being wealthier and having a better salary than his parents.
4. I thought the article showed how consumerist our society is particularly when it said that the common way to deal with sending a kid to college is just buying more stuff. It’s just funny to me that spending even more money on college would be the best way to get over losing your child.
1. I really liked the first chapter of this book. Although the main character is still somewhat mysterious as he didn't say much in the first chapter, I liked the two other characters, Daisy and Tom. The only bad thing I noticed is that for me personally the language seemed dated and somewhat cumbersome, although in some ways that was a good thing. It nmade me concious of the fact that the book is based in the 1920s. It definitly seems like a book where I am going to encounter passages that I will need to reread.
ReplyDelete2. The relationship between Tom and Daisy and the characters themselves seem like two interesting aspects of the book. Both characters were so extremely strange, Tom being the definition of an abusive alpha male, while Daisy seems to the pinnacle of sociality, a shining star with a somewhat dark undertone.
3. Both of my parents agreed that the American dream is mostly based on being able to acheive and be succesful. They also agreed that there is a definite fiscal part to it. The American dream is definitly, at least for now, rooted in money.
4. The article says a lot about the American dream, mostly that happiness and success are thought to be directly related to material goods. It seems that the more you buy for your child, the better off they will be in college. Contrary to this belief, the article cited multiple people who claimed the exact opposite, that buying too much will only lead to problems. I think that it is very telling that people try to buy their kids so much stuff, in that it shows what people truly see as valuable in life.
1. I truly enjoyed reading the first chapter of The Great Gatsby for a second time. Having recently read it all of the quirks of Fitzgerald's characters spring out and add and extra flare of excitement to the reading. I love how the city unfolds in a way that shows how flashy and elegant it is. Fitzgerald does a wonderful job in expressing the tension and underlying secrets from the very beginning of this chapter. I cannot wait to continue and expose the rest of this epic tale.
ReplyDelete2. I love the mysterious glance of Gatsby at the end. In just two paragraphs at the end of the chapter I think he has the largest presence so far. His power radiates but I also feel as though he gives off wisdom beyond his years. Fitzgerald seems to capture this well,"fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor's mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars." Gatsby is powerful and calm at the same time, a wonderful character.
3. I asked my mom about her definition of the American Dream and realized we had come up with a very similar definition in class. She said, "The American Dream is the freedom an individual has to pursue their own dreams hopefully bettering the community in turn." I don't think she thought about the money or power aspect of the American Dream but more about the rights such as freedom.
4. Money, money, money everything from education to just buying for the fun of it because it's there. I think this article portrays the idea that material goods are the only way to obtain happiness. I think it shows a fake American Dream that people try to buy. The article showed that everything is effected by the American Dream but not always in a good sense.
1. The first chapter of The Great Gatsby left me with a number of questions, but that really is what the beginning of a fiction novel is meant to do. I was taken a back by the dysfunctional family that was depicted between Daisy and Tom. There also seemed to be a lot of tension between the main character Nick and Daisy, and this was carried throughout the chapter beautifully. The only criticism I can muster is the vagueness in some of the scenes and the dialogue between characters left me confused at times. Overall I was thoroughly into the story by the end scene.
ReplyDelete2. The moment that jumped out to me most was the last scene where nick was driving home and he saw Mr. Gatsby in the darkness. When the green light was brought up, I was interested to know if the light was for shadowing what might happen in the later books, and if it was a hint at the two characters' relationships.
3.When i first brought up the question to my parents they answered with becoming a doctor. This seemed fair but i was able to coax out the true meaning to them, which was living comfortably with, you guessed it, money. it was unanimous that money is the key element to the dream at the time.
4. it brought into perspective just how much money goes into college, and how this dream, rooted by money, is part of the college experience. parents and students alike invest so much in even the little things such as shower curtains because they believe that college is the gateway to achieving the dream. In many ways it is, college trained students tend to have much higher salaries. But what the article brought up was that money may not help as much as people would think. Let kids make their own mistakes, rather than throw money at them to solve the problem.
1. I agree with Jake, that there will be certain sections I will have to reread in order to make sure I understood everything correctly.That being said, I think this is one of the most beautifully written book I have ever read! Even after the second page, I looked at my mom and started gushing about how eloquent Fitzgerald wrote. Just after the first chapter, the characters are complex and baffling in many aspects. They will definitely bring up several interesting conversations in class.
ReplyDelete2. Daisy was a character that really struck me. I think she really is the classic image of a well to-do woman that seems trapped in her own luxury. Daisy is upset over her husband's affair, but she puts on a mask so that her world seems perfect. A moment that shows Daisy's bitterness is when she tells Nick what she said when her child was born. "She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool-- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool'."
3. My parents believe that the American Dream is that your kids do better than you did. They believe that they have achieved the American Dream, no hesitations. When I asked them what they thought of people who said that it may not be possible for people to do better than there parents in this generations, they responded, "Not everyone can be Bill Gates. There's only so high you can climb."
4. I thought that this article was hilarious and described our society very well. I think that this demonstrates the relevance of money in American society, but does it help define the American Dream? Yes, it shows how much parents want for their kids and they are trying to give them a kick start into beginning their bright and hopeful future. But I do not believe that this is the 'dream' people think of when discussing America.
1. I've really enjoyed the book so far. I'm so curious about Gatsby, from Nick's original descriptions of him to the last scene in the chapter. I also really love the character of Daisy, and her relationship with Tom. They are both such strong characters, and they both seem very charming but also very cynical. Just from the first chapter I can already tell that Daisy is someone whom is never fully pleased.
ReplyDelete2. The part after dinner when Daisy and Nick are talking really stood out to me. Even though Daisy is so privileged, she seems to see negative in everything, even the birth of her daughter: "I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." This moment seems like such an insight into Daisy, and that even though she has a very flirty personality, she is smart too.
3. My mom said that the American Dream is about having space to be able to be who/what you want to. She said that with a country so large, there are lots of different opportunities for everyone. She doesn't think she has achieved this yet, but she is on her way and she is ok with that.
4. I found it interesting that many people seem to be overbuying because it is comforting, like retail therapy. In some ways this is sweet, because they want their children to be happy, but it is also completely unnecessary. I think a really important thing to realize is that in college the kids probably won't use most of the stuff their parents might be them, and it definitely isn't what would make or break a kids experience.
1. The Great Gatsby frustrates me. I read it in 10th grade and now re-reading it I do not feel any more prone to enjoying it. I understand the importance and the messages it hold yet Nick is a very annoying narrator. I love the descriptions of the characters and the houses and the situations, however I do not like the commentary Nick adds. He has very strong feelings towards certain things and makes those clear to the reader. Personally, I think this takes away from the book. He imposes his prejudices onto the reader and this taints the readers view of the situations. arts of it I enjoy thoroughly, I look forward to reading about the interpersonal relationships and how it ties in with the concept of the American Dream. I think reading it two years later will be interesting as I will get more out of it and understand it on a deeper level.
ReplyDelete2. The differences in Daisy and Tom's descriptions jumped out at me. Nick describes many different attributes of both of them yet the most striking was the description of their voices. Nick says, "His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed." This is at complete odds with how Daisy's voice is. Her voice is, "...the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again." This dichotomy established between the 2 characters, all the way to the difference in their voices, is sure to become fascinating in future chapters.
3. I asked my father what he thinks the American Dream is. He replied that the American Dream is that one can start with nothing and work their way up and attain a higher class level. He also said it is the idea of being able to allow for future generations to be successful. He believes that while he has not personally attained it, our family as a whole has. He said that his great-grandfather came to America as a poor baker selling loaves of bread out of a cart. He got enough money to provide for my great-grandfather to have slightly more opportunities. My great-grandfather, in turn, raised enough money to provide my grandfather with the opportunity to make more money and so on. His belief is that the American Dream cannot truly be attained in one generation because it is the idea of bettering the next generation and providing for them.
4. This article ties back in many ways to our discussion of Friday. The most obvious connection is that of money. We believe that through buying expensive back to school objects, somehow it will make our experience better. Like the idea that buying more and making more money will make our entire human experience better. I think a more interesting connection, however, is the idea of fulfillment. I was enthralled by that idea and it ties over into so many aspects of our life. The author talks about how we believe that buying this ridiculous amount of things will make separation easier, make the transition smoother, ultimately fulfill a part of ourselves. If we buy more things, go to expensive schools and then spend even MORE on pointless things just to reach some arbitrary level of fulfillment.
1. Although I was initially confused as to what was happening since I didn't know who the speaker was, I quickly found that I was enjoying the writing style and world that this book takes place in. The details that the book gives really helps to imagine the setting, which made the plot come together in my head. The pace of the book is different than that of other books that I have read, as it gives you an impression of a character when the narrator first describes them. I am excited to read what happens, and expect it to be an enjoyable book to read.
ReplyDelete2. In this first chapter, Tom is the most characterized person. Nick gives his own impression of Tom right away on page 7: "[he had] a rather hard mouth and supercilious manner... impression of fractiousness... there were men at New Haven who hated his guts". Tom is the archetypal spoiled white rich kid who thinks that the world belongs to him. When it was mentioned that he had a mistress there was no surprise, and Tom seems like the embodiment of the thing that Nick wanted to get away from, since Nick is "decent". Tom will no doubt play a big role, which I think will be villainous, in the plot.
3. My mom said that she believed that the American Dream is the freedom to pursue your ambitions. She loves this country, and it has given her more than what she had ever dreamed of when she was a child. She came to this country from China as a student with little to no English on an academic scholarship, so I agree with her that it's amazing what she has accomplished since that time.
4. I can't even think of how to fill up an U-haul full of stuff, but I think that the parents just want their children to be happy while they are away. I don't think it has much to say about how consumerist the American Dream has become because we're used to having more things in our daily lives that may not have been available 30 years ago, and parents sending their first kid off to college don't really know what to do, so they just do everything. The article doesn't really show that we're more materialistic, but rather there are more materials in modern life that parents think their child needs.
1. I really enjoyed the first chapter, mostly because I really enjoy the way Fitzgerald describes the characters. I can really picture exactly how the scenes and events are playing out and how the characters look and act. I'm very excited to read the rest of the book and see how it all plays out.
ReplyDelete2. Daisy really struck me as a character, because she very much seems to play the naive little girl of the book, which is not a character that I like so much. The line that stood out to me was "I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." To me, I was raised as this is the worst thing a girl can be growing up, so just to read sentences like that in such an iconic book really takes me by surprise. Granted, it is set in a completely different time period so I definitely get that, but still it's shocking to me.
3. My mother says that her definition of the American Dream is: "to be able to attain the career goals I wanted to achieve, to become educated, to be free from a religious and social and cultural persecution. To be able to live my own live according to my own values and to have a peace of mind and security and raise a family. and I've attained that."
4.To me, this idea of packing all these things makes lots of sense. I went away for just four weeks this summer staying in a college dorm, and I missed little things about home so much. I was definitely not the someone who brought their entire house to the dorm with them, but to me and my family, we were willing to find luxuries that we considered basic so that I would be comfortable, like a mattress egg crate so that I didn't sleep on a uncomfortable mattress for 4 weeks straight. Saying it now, it sounds absolutely ridiculous that we did all this, but we didn't go to bed bath and beyond and buy it or send it up from atlanta. we asked around in nyc from people we know to see if they had any extras and they did. I don't see how this is ridiculous, mostly because I can easily relate to the people in the article. I think that the parents really just want their kids to feel happy, and if that means filling up their dorm rooms with unneeded materialistic items, then to each his own.
1.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the eloquent style of Fitzgerald, who never ceased to amaze me in his description of otherwise meaningless aspects of the environment surrounding the characters. One example of such description is when our main character first enters Daisy and Tom's sitting room, "The windows were ajar and gleaming white against the fresh grass outside that seemed to grow a little way into the house. A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine-colored rug, making a shadow on it as wind does on the sea." Fitzgerald could have simply said, "There was a slight breeze blowing in the open windows," but instead he describes how the breeze interacts with the entirety of the room, setting up a full and amazing metal image of the environment.
2.
The scene that struck my attention was the final scene, in which our main character reclines to enjoy the night. So far the book has only eluded to Mr. Gatsby, for whom this book I'm assuming is named, and so far this character has remained a mystery. The reader's first run-in with this man is something of a mystery in itself as well, considering his peculiar actions before he departs. Oddly enough, the character that intrigued me the most is the one that we have read the least about.
3.
My mother, in short, defined the American dream as, "Wealth, health, and happiness," the order notwithstanding the importance of said quality. She also said, "It's not necessarily wealth that you aspire for, but security and education, a quality lifestyle." She firmly believes that she has obtained her dream.
4.
This immediately made me think back to Guns, Germs and Steel, a historical book published by Jared Diamond. This book was inspired by a New Guinean, called Yali, asking Jared a question, "Why do white men have so much cargo and we New Guineans have so little?" Diamond goes on to interpret the question as, "Why have Europeans dominated the world for so long?" But I feel that the question is much less fact based, and instead asks, as a culture, why do we feel the need to have so many items, to obtain so many trinkets and other possessions? Is it due to this dream that we feel entitled to have so much, that this dream makes us feel that we need so much? This article directly applies to what we have been discussing, and brings up this exact same question, albeit interpreted differently.
1. I really enjoyed the voice of the first chapter. It was casual and easy to understand. He made the pieces of the first chapter come together. It did not take me long to get into the different story lines. Who is Mr. Gatsby? What is going on with Daisy and her husband? I almost wanted to read on and find out more. The characters where very vivid and made me want to know more. I am eager to see what else happens as the book progresses.
ReplyDelete2. The line that stood out to me in this chapter was Daisy's reaction to hearing her daughter was a girl: "'All right, ' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool'" This line is a big moment in the development of Daisy's character. In her opinion was the world in such bad shape that her daughter had to be a fool to survive. In this day and age you would never hear a mother say she wanted her daughter to be fool. It would be an outrageous thing to hear. Maybe Daisy thinks that she herself is to "sophisticated" as she says in the text. If Daisy had been a fool would she have been happier? Her statement could also have to do with her relationship with Tom. If she was a fool could she be happy with Tom, not having to know about his affair?
3. My dad said that he thought it was the for people to come here and be able to succeed with ambition and hard work. For anybody in any social class to be able to do well and follow their passions if they have the drive to do so. He said that he has reached a part of the American Dream for himself, but isn't sure if it is possible to fully achieve the American Dream.
4. I don't think that that everything in this article comes down to money. Yes, parents do spend a lot of it on their children during this time period but it is all about the stress. Parents are so worried that their children will be in need without the parents looking after them. They then go to far lengths to make sure they are going to be okay. Every extra bottle of shampoo or toothpaste, no matter how useless it is, helps parents and their children cope with the process of leaving home.
ReplyDelete1. I really liked the first chapter. I thought Fitzgerald does a great job of introducing key characters and I love the hints at each of their back stories. I forgot how "juicy" the back stories of these characters are and how immediately the reader can feel the hostility among the characters. Like Jenny said, you're dropped right into the story which definitely intrigues me to find out more and to understand each of the character's more. I love that Gatsby is barely introduced in the first chapter. His introduction in this chapter definitely alludes to his mysterious demeanor.
ReplyDelete2. I'm really intrigued by Daisy's character in the first chapter. I forgot how sad she seems and how helpless she seems. All of her comments about how cynical she has become and how struck Nick is by how unhappy she seems. Her comment about her daughter when she is really born made me feel really bad for her and fascinated by her character. But then Nick says, "The instant her voice broke off ceasing to compel my attention, my belief, I felt the basic insincerity of what she had said." My opinion of her suddenly changed and I realized that her character is much more manipulative and empty she can be.
3. When I asked my dad about his definition of the American Dream, he said that it's the opportunity to achieve education and the ability to climb the economic ladder. It was interesting that he brought up the idea of needing money to "achieve the dream." When I asked if he has achieved it he said that he has because he has reached a higher level of education than his parents and has reached a better economic standing than his parents. I found it interesting that because he feels like he's achieved more than his parents it means that he's achieved the American Dream.
4. I found that this article related a lot to what my dad said was the reason he is living the American Dream. He is doing better than his parents ever were. The article shows that it's all a cycle. We strive to achieve more than our parents or what we were born into, and then we do everything we can to make sure that our children have more than we did. Once we achieve "more," we wish for our children to have "more."
I really like this book. I like the way it portrays the façade and materialistic aspect of the American Dream and looks beyond what appears to be a perfect life, a farytale, the life the Buchanons lead. It’s interesting that not only does the novel discuss the corrupt American Dream life of the Buchanons, but it involves society, by telling us that Tom’s affair is a known fact. People, including Daisy, know that he has a mistress living in New York. That skews the view of the American Dream, because besides it being a façade for the Buchanon family, it also means that in society it was “acceptable” for people of high class like Tom to have his dirty affairs be public. Nick is a character who intrigues me. He is not the most fascinating to me, but because I did not get a clear understanding of him the first time I read the book, I am looking forward to discovering more about him. He confuses me in the way he perceives things and is so mysterious as far as what he desires and is searching for in life. He is one of few who lives in West Egg, but also has connections on East Egg, and it is beyond my reach right now to understand why he would use his connections to investigate further on Gatsby and city drama rather than exploiting them in some way that is beneficial to him. Maybe it’s because all these rich people have nothing better to do with their time. I don’t know and am looking forward to talking about the book in class.
ReplyDeleteMy dad says that what people say about freedom, affordable healthcare, good education, a sustainable income, etc. is what lots of people in the world want, so how is that strictly the American Dream? He also thinks that the perception of the American dream to work hard to try and start something (a company a corporation) big is a gamble, because when you are trying to support a family and live a good life it’s a big risk to try and achieve that dream. He says he is not aware of living the American Dream, because what he does here is something that he could do somewhere else, like Italy, so to him (again) it does not seem particularly American.
I thought this article was pretty funny, because that is exactly what most people I know did recently. They all went out “college shopping”. I think that “college shopping” is simply a way to make the move easier for the kids and parents. I think it takes away the focus from the sad part of separating from ones parents and puts it on a brighter “Im going to live on my own and have my own rules!” Kids become excited about this idea and want to shop because it makes them feel more grown-up to buy new things, their new things, and move to a new place. The parents also are excited, but like mentioned in the article, can be nervous and therefore try to make sure that their child has absolutely everything they could possibly need. It does show that we have a very commercial/consumerist society, and maybe this is just an addition to the most modern version of the American Dream. Going to college is the beginning of building your own life (possibly trying to realize your own American Dream) and living on your own is part of it.
1) In reading the first few pages, I was overwhelmed by how poetic the writing was while still maintaining a progressive storyline. The mysteriousness of Gatsby, and the quote "the man who gives his name to this book" that follows his introduction really intrigued me. The balance of descriptions and dialogued fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the story. I was a bit confused about the relationship between Tom, Daisy, and Jordan, but I have a feeling that will be explained or forgotten in the coming chapters. Like Andrew said, it's very easy to see why this is considered a classic in American Literature.
ReplyDelete2) Although he never appeared in Chapter 1, my favorite character mentioned was Gatsby, himself. Every character spoke about him with so peculiarly, it reminded me of a rich Boo Radley. The scene that captivated this mysteriousness perfectly is the final scene of the chapter. "Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness." Gatsby is almost ghostly in his quick appearance. Alongside our narrator, we wonder about Gatsby's intentions and then he's gone as quickly as he arrived.
3) When I spoke to my parents about their definition of the American Dream and if they'd achieved it, my parents were both very quick to respond. My dad said that he had absolutely achieved his American Dream. He grew up in a poor region of Chicago, and spent every day thinking of a way out. My mom always considered the health of her family as the top priority on the road to success. Both of parents believe that hard work and family are the foundations of the American Dream and happiness stems from those two sources.
4) I found the article very interesting and very relatable. Although the article is about how consumerist American society is becoming, I found the most interesting part was the association that people make to anxiety and buying things. Moving to college is a nerve-wracking situation, and many people respond by buying an inordinate amount of useless items in order to protect their child from the world outside of their home. I thought it was very interesting how the author valued the mistakes of adolescence and said that they are necessary and shouldn't be avoided or censored.
1. The Great Gatsby has a completely different style of writing. The mood seems cheerful and graceful, because of the mansions on the water with the big lawns and Daisy and Jordan with their long beautiful dresses "as they float like balloons on the coach". But the tone seems depressing and gloomy. Even though, they are all rich and living the luxurious life, they don't seem content. I can already see the theme of appearance vs. reality especially with the characters. Tom seems very selfish and aggressive, but he also seems very immature. Daisy seems very happy and cheerful, but she really seems really emotionally unstable. Nick seems like he was just thrown into Tom, Daisy, and Jordan's life with all their drama.
ReplyDelete2. The moment that particularly jumped out at me is when Daisy is talking about her daughter and when she found she was a girl and said, "that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool". I don't quite understand why Daisy would say something like that about her daughter or what she mean by "fool". Does she mean that her daughter will have imperfections and make mistakes like her mom?
3. My dad thinks the American Dream is the opportunity to work for what you want. He believes he's attained it. My mom thinks the American Dream is equality, and if you work hard, you will be rewarded. She believes it can be defined as propaganda.
4. I really agree with Ben when he said that people spend more to protect their child from the outside world. America is just spending excessive amounts of money on extra college stuff when we're already paying about $50,000 a year. We work so hard to make money to achieve the American Dream yet we spend it on $300 comforters or an xbox.
1. I can already see very plainly, from the first chapter alone, why Fitzgerald occupies a special place among the pantheon of American writers. The style of his writing is unique; he describes the settings of the novel and the characters that occupy them in a sumptuous manner, no space is saved in describing the French windows in Tom's house, definitely straying away from the conciseness of Hemingway. Fitzgerald has an uncanny ability to describe the minds of people through their actions, like with Gatsby on the lawn of his house.
ReplyDelete2. The moment that struck me the most was when Tom began to mention his reading of some decidedly pro-Aryan (and anti-everyone else) literature. When the reader is introduced to Tom, he displays a sort of melancholy attributed by Nick to his past football success, but here he displays a bitter, even somewhat vicious streak.
3. When I asked my mother about her definition of the American dream, she was initially a little hesitant to answer. Both of her parents are Colombian immigrants (albeit somewhat well-off by Colombian standards), and they made their own way in the US, relying mostly on family for support. Even though they divorced, they made sure that their children had the best education possible. She said this is what the American dream is: working hard enough to ensure that your children will have at least as good a life as you did.
4. I felt the temptation to laugh a little at the students depicted in the article, it seems everyone these days is more concerned with getting a bean bag chair for their room than a calculator. I suppose it's probably partly nervousness on the side of the parents and the students that leads to a surplus of mostly useless dorm chotczkys that the students won't even touch.
1. I have read this book before, and I really like it. The first chapter while very interesting is not my favorite. The drama is low, and the characters are still a little confusing. However, this being the second time i have read this, I noticed a lot more detail in the plot than I did before. I noticed certain people, and certain things that before I had not noticed. Overall this is a good chapter that does a very good job of capturing the attention of the reader, and giving the reader a really good detail about each character that is perfect to hold on to throughout the book.
ReplyDelete2. The character that is my favorite from the beginning is Tom's wife Daisy. I love her. I love the way she speaks and how she think. Out of all the characters I can invision her the best. I see her run after Tom, and slink back to her seat. I think, while maybe not in this chapter, her character is very complex. I think the way she describes how she wants her daughter to be is very interesting. "I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool-- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." I think this shows what Daisy is struggling with. The fact that she is not innocent, but she tries to be, she wants to be. She wants a blank mind, and a loving husband. She was her daughter to live by the saying Ignorance is Bliss, so she won't get hurt. I love Daisy because just from this first chapter you can see that she will be a character tht grows throughout the book and evolves into someone new.
3.When I talked to my mother about her thoughts on the American Dream, she hesitated. Her version of the American Dream was to support her family and create a life for me that was better than her own. She wanted to protect me from all the evils in life, even though she knows that isn't possible. She wants to have financial security and doesn't want to worry about "making it". My mom thinks she has accomplished part of the American Dream, but not the whole thing. There is still more she wishes she could do, but is proud of what she has accomplished for us and her entire family.
4.I think this goes back to wanting your kids to have a better life, or chance in life to do better than you. The idea that these parents are spending even more money than the necessities and going above and beyond real needs for their children is a perfect representation of the parents American Dream, for them and for their kid. The idea of bringing a uhaul to college is astounding. People who just graduated and were going off to college recently were taking a car full of stuff. Like Ben said the lengths parents will go to protect their kid, and make sure they are problem free wil always be extremely expensive.
1. I have read this book before, but I'm excited to read it again. I like the first chapter because it really grabs me and sets the tone for the rest of the novel. The descriptions of everything that Nick sees, in particular, are really what captures my attention.
ReplyDelete2. Nick's description of Tom really stood out to me. He describes Tom as a "sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes has established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward." I like this passage because it paints a very vivid image of Tom in my head,and helps me get into the story more.
3. My dad said that his idea of the American Dream was being able to provide a comfortable and safe life for his family. Both of my parents grew up much worse off than they are today, so I guess you could say the American Dream is real to them.
4. This article shows that Americans have developed and obsession with over-spending. If you did not shake your head when you read about the students needing a u-haul for all their belongings, then you should have. I love that the author addressed the fact that these students were moving into already furnished dorms as well. It relates to the American Dream in that parents seem to want to provided as many opportunities, and in this case stuff, for their kids as they can.
1) I actually ended up enjoying the first chapter. When I first pick up a book I usually take a while to get going but it really did not take me too long to become invested in the characters portrayed.
ReplyDelete2) I don't really know why but I really enjoyed the part when Daisy and Tom were telling Nick how they had heard he was engaged. I really enjoyed when Daisy said, "we heard it from three people, so it must be true". I think that this quote shows her innocence and depicts, very well, her perception of reality that has been shaped by her wealthy upbringing.
3) I asked my dad to tell me his idea of the American Dream and I found it interesting that he could not tell me at first. When I asked both him and my mother they both told me to give them a day to think about it. My mother never actually answered but my father did describe a very structured dream. A main point of his dream is "to know that you are in control of your life - the moire you put into it, the more you get out of it." I think that this is such a strong point in his dream because he started his own business about 17 years ago and in his case, hard work did bring prosperity.
4) I think that it really connects two main points of the dream: to have an opportunity for education, and to have lots of money. This article really shows that the extreme focus on money that is often mocked actually is necessary if one wishes to live the American Dream.
One of my favorite things about this book is the fact that it is told from Nick's perspective. I also agree with everyone about Fitzgerald's descriptions, which are very well written in my opinion. I was once again reminded why I enjoyed reading this book in ninth grade. I feel that Nicks retelling of the story is easy to follow and interesting. The way he describes and see's the world allows me to rely on his narration.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Tom has another woman has always been strange for me. According to Jordan, everybody is aware or Daisy and Tom's relationship problems. She tells Nick , "you mean to say you don't know?" "Tom's got some woman in New York." (15) I have always been bothered by Tom's attitude and behavior.in this scene. I was very surprised and totally agreed with Jordan when " the other woman called". I did not line the fact that she had the nerve to interrupt Tom. Also Tom's selfish attitude and how he gets up, even with guests at the house to answer. I would really like for Tom to have respect to his wife and his daughter at least. But Daisy has a point when she calls herself a fool, because she is a fool for staying with Tom, but maybe it's for other reasons.
I asked my father about his definition about the American Dream and he responded with a similar definition to Anna's parent's response. My dad mentioned that it was the dream to see his children not go through what he did during his childhood and have a decent way of life. He also mentioned that of his kids recover a proper education, graduate, go to college and become a professional, that he would be happy and proud and his dream would come true. He also said that the dream to him wasn't necessarily the idea of becoming wealthy with a bits house anne fancy cars. He said a long as he was providing a nice and decent shelter, along with food and clothing, that he believed he was happy.
The article was about how parents get into their child's dorm plans and then they try to buy stuff to make their child happy Andrew has a point we have become a consumer society where instead of reusing and recycling most times we find it easier to go shopping and get new things. The image of the uhaul full of someone's items was interesting as well. This all makes me wonder what I am going to do for college and it I'll follow along just to fit in, I don't know.
1. Personally I really liked the first chapter because I thought it was interesting to see the class divides and different attitudes of the characters from very early on. I liked how you could see the immediate difference between Tom and Nick and how their lives are completely different. I also liked seeing how Daisy and Jordan, who are women of the same class, had different attitudes and behaviors. I think that Nick makes very interesting observations about the rich and the poor and those observations are still held in the 21st century compared to the 20’s, when this book was written.
ReplyDelete2. I liked Daisy and how mysterious she is. I liked how dark her view on the world is like what she said when her daughter was born “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” I thought that quote was very striking and for a woman that is described as dainty, well to do, rich, for her to have such a dark reaction to a beautiful moment in her life, was interesting to see.
3. I asked my father on his view of the American Dream and he thinks of it as a material thing, something that you could never actually reach. He does believe it is important to have a dream and to have something to work for but he does not agree with the way many Americans go about achieving their dreams. As a man who gave up everything to give his daughters the opportunity to reach the American Dream, he does not personally think it is something that he has or actually achieved in his life.
4. I think more recently in history, families have been clinging closer and closer to their children because the world has turned into a dark and difficult place for these newer generations. I think parents do try to overcompensate and recreate as much familiarity and home and comfort for their children to almost protect them from the dangers that are outside in the real world. However I do find this very counterproductive because a childs parents aren’t going to be there to hold their hand every time something is different or when something isn’t how it was at home. As the article said, I don’t think that parents give their children the room to make their own choices and mistakes.
I both liked and disliked the first chapter. What I didn't like about the first chapter was that personally it was a little hard to follow. I may just not be used to the style of writing yet, but at times I found myself a little lost. But what I did not like about this first chapter also ties into what I did like. Just from the opening few pages, anyone can tell that some big event is going to occur (or has already, as it is the character Nick writing about the past). There is tons of foreshadowing by both the situation itself that is presented and Nick's side thoughts. There are unanswered questions, open ends that most definitely imply there is something major and exciting to follow. I also loved the character descriptions. They give the reader such a vivid picture of their personality and, I would argue, morals. Yes, they are rather bias character descriptions as Nick is the one they are coming from, but those descriptions help to describe the character of Nick as well.
ReplyDeleteThe character that jumped out at me from the first chapter is Daisy. At this point in the book, Daisy seems to have the biggest problem. Her husband Tom has a mistress, and she isn't happy where she is and with her life. Even her child does not give her joy and comfort. "I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." And yet, she still gives off a fake persona of herself, appearing happy and delighted. In many ways she reminds me of Nora from "A Doll's House". She is not happy and wants to leave her home life as a wife and a mother, and yet she still stays and pretends to be happy. But, like Nora, there are many different factors, variables that need to be accounted for. It is not so simple as to just leave.
I thought it might be more interesting to hear from an earlier generation than even my parents, so I asked my grandmother what she thought the definition of the American Dream is, and if she has attained it. She describes the American dream as a more simple dream, a dream of a good job, good house, but most importantly a dream of a happy family. She feels that yes, she has attain the American dream. She held a good job up until retirement, has a good house, and two daughters.
This article applies directly to the American dream that is thought of by Americans today. The dream is to have more and more stuff, material goods to make life more comfortable. Parents, naturally wanting their children to be comfortable away from home for the first time, fit this dream by buying more and more stuff for their kids with the assumption that it will make life more comfortable.
1. The whole chapter was very mysterious to me because there was so much lack of background information. I even got confused on the narrator’s sexual orientation. On the first page he describes Gatsby as a “gorgeous” life-changing man. He wrote with so much admiration. Then later he describes Daisy so beautifully. Obviously the whole storyline is confusing right now because it’s the first chapter but, there seems to be something very big missing. I don’t know if I even like any of the characters. They all seem to annoy me right now, with their mysteries and all. But I definitely love the way F. Scott Fitzgerald describes the surroundings. I will actually admit I sometimes narrate my life as descriptive as Fitzgerald does.
ReplyDelete2. I really can’t stop thinking about how much Daisy reminds me of myself. I’m a bit antsy to find out what role she will play because I feel like she’s so familiar and similar to me. It’s weird how she can be so bright and then have, “turbulent emotions posses her.” Perhaps its universal or I’d like to think that everyone at one point has had these emotions but needed to hide them. Daisy has the exact behavior I would. Not to say I’m not real but sometimes I, like many others have to fake genuine happiness for the sake of others.
3.My parents both think the American Dream is appreciating everything this country has to offer. They come from Mexico so they explained the job opportunities here are different. They know for a fact that with the same knowledge and wisdom they have now they would not have anything close to what we have here. When I asked my parents if their dream had come true, they hesitated slightly and said they are still working on it. They admit the fall in the economy has affected them in enjoying this dream come true to the fullest, but it’s a partial win. I personally think that once they seem me or my brother have a successful career, then they’re dream will be fulfilled. Perhaps it’s because they are first generation immigrants that they won’t appreciate all the opportunities but they do whenever I do. I already have done so much they never got a chance to do and they feel so proud of that.
4. The article definitely reminds me of my life in general. I’m not quite sure how it applies to the first chapter of Gatsby but I can see how it applies to the American Dream. As the years advance, so does our basic technology. I can see how people are taking more unnecessary items to college. I know I will definitely take twice or thrice the time it took my brother to pack. Of course I want to feel like I have a fresh start, so I will go shopping for new items. I don’t mind too much that I fit the stereotype because I’m simply trying to appreciate what my parents give me.
1. I liked the first chapter, personally. It thrust us straight into the book, forcing us to sort out what was happening, who all the characters were, and it didn't even tell us what the book was really going to be about. Sure, we all know that the book will be about someone name Gatsby, but other than that, we don't know much. At he same time, I didn't like the first chapter because it was so confusing and hard to follow. I didn't know exactly what Nick (or Fitzgerald) meant by certain terms, and the flow of the first chapter, to me, seemed rushed and sporadic.
ReplyDelete2. Daisy, to me, was a very interesting character. As Nick's cousin, you might think that they know each other well, but Nick said that Tom and Daisy were "two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all." Not only that, but Daisy, as some other people have said before, seems like the most unfortunate character. So far that is. Her husband doesn’t seem to love her or even their child, exemplified when he changed the subject from the baby when Nick visited and by the fact that he wasn’t even there at its birth, and he openly has a mistress. But, what struck me the most was when Daisy said “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” This struck me because, in a way, she is right. However, this could also apply to men. A saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss,” because it is so much easier being ignorant, being a fool, than to have to deal with knowledge.
3. My mom’s most simple definition of the American Dream is opportunity. Many people come here, or at least used to come here, with the dream of America as a land of opportunity where they could get a nice job and live comfortably. And while I am living comfortably, my mom does not feel that she has achieved her American Dream, because she is doing almost the same thing as she was doing in Korea.
4. I feel that the article applies or deal heavily with the American Dream. Many people’s dream is to have more money, have more things, have more material things. And this article exemplifies that, showing how there is a generation gap between what kids are bringing to college now versus what their parents brought. But, it also applies to the American Dream in that the article said that the parents wanted their kids to have the best time possible for their kids, sending them to the best colleges possible, which is one part of the American Dream: Doing better than your parents.
1.) I think Nick clearly explains to us "It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy--it increased her value in his eyes." And clearly this is just in Gatsby's [and men of their time's] eyes because no one seems to think Daisy is worth all fighting. Like we said earlier Daisy is money to Gatsby so she is the top prize he needs to full fil this dream of being "rich enough" for her. I really agree with Tanja that Gatsby was so certain she was in love with him so he couldn't say no to her. Gatsby wasn't born rich and to have the "grail" at his fingertips is the highest he thinks he can get. I think in the beginning he wasn't planning on committing to Daisy but he fell in love with her. He wasn't working to get her the whole time he was gone because he was at the war but once again he unintentionally blew up this illusion of the "golden girl" he fell in love with years ago.
ReplyDelete2.) I don't think Wilson is compeltely out of his mind. Their really is something missing and I do believe it is God. For me, he is the one who is at a moral attention since the beginning and always will be and that is what Nicks wants. In NYC and The Valley of the Ashes and West and East Eggs there is only disorder. No one sees that they could live better if they just broke this immoral cycle. But Wilson isn't stupid. He knows what his wife does without having to see it. Maybe it's not always a matter of seeing with the eyes but with the heart and soul. And this goes back to what we talked about in class. People in this book seem to be dead without a soul. Not very aware of the wrong and right.
1.) I think Nick clearly explains to us "It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy--it increased her value in his eyes." And clearly this is just in Gatsby's [and men of their time's] eyes because no one seems to think Daisy is worth all fighting. Like we said earlier Daisy is money to Gatsby so she is the top prize he needs to full fil this dream of being "rich enough" for her. I really agree with Tanja that Gatsby was so certain she was in love with him so he couldn't say no to her. Gatsby wasn't born rich and to have the "grail" at his fingertips is the highest he thinks he can get. I think in the beginning he wasn't planning on committing to Daisy but he fell in love with her. He wasn't working to get her the whole time he was gone because he was at the war but once again he unintentionally blew up this illusion of the "golden girl" he fell in love with years ago.
ReplyDelete2.) I don't think Wilson is compeltely out of his mind. Their really is something missing and I do believe it is God. For me, he is the one who is at a moral attention since the beginning and always will be and that is what Nicks wants. In NYC and The Valley of the Ashes and West and East Eggs there is only disorder. No one sees that they could live better if they just broke this immoral cycle. But Wilson isn't stupid. He knows what his wife does without having to see it. Maybe it's not always a matter of seeing with the eyes but with the heart and soul. And this goes back to what we talked about in class. People in this book seem to be dead without a soul. Not very aware of the wrong and right.