Chapter 8 - The Great Gatsby

Well... Gatsby died. Is it bad that I am not upset at all? (I'm upset that Leo is leaving the movie, but that is about where the emotions stop) I mean, he is a magnetic character. The fantastic things that surround him draw me to him. However, Nick reveals this grandeur in such a way that it does not quite settle in my stomach. Gatsby relies on a kind of masculinity that reduces him to nothing more than a psychopath - repeated antisocial behavior, egotistical, and poor impulse control. I have digressed.

Let's chat about his death. George Wilson? The poor, incompatible, dense mechanic? He's the one who gets to kill Gatsby? He is a product of delusion and emotion, which only combine to make the unimaginable effortless. What seems unfair is that he has no idea what he is doing and, yet, will only be to blame. Perhaps this is Fitzgerald's draw on the American Dream. The desire for more, more, and more can only stop in death. I wonder if Fitzgerald is claiming that the death of the American Dream will be a result of the people who wish to pursue it most. Wilson was going to move West (new money); he was working his way to the top - legally; he already had the girl, he just needed the cash. But when it all fell apart, did he go after those who stole the dream from him? Or was he really after the thing we all chase in life?

I have so many questions.

Nick's almost, kinda, sorta last words to Gatsby were, "They're a rotten crowd...You're worth the whole damn bunch put together," followed by his thoughts of, "It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end"(154). Well all I have to say to that is B freakin S. Either Nick is lying right then, or he lied to us at the beginning of the book when he said Gatsby was exempt from his scorn. And this definitely proves that he is lying when he says he's the most honest person he knows. Unless the only people he knows are pathological liars, which just makes me think that he could have made this whole thing up. I mean I know Fitzgerald made it up, but Nick is in that world so he's making it up. Nevermind I have confused myself.

Overall, Chapter 8 revealed many things to me:
One) I don't like Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanon, or really Nick Carraway. The only people who have stayed relatively loyal to their characters are Jordan Baker and George Wilson. Myrtle had to go and die so she's out of it, and Tom I never really liked in the first place
Two) Secrets are power
Three) Gatsby will always be reaching for something - maybe even in death
Four) I really want to know how the book ends

Gatsby Chapter Seven

Chapter seven is a very event filled chapter, which also cleared up many questions for the reader. The chapter begins with Nick noticing that ever since Daisy and Gatsby got together, his whole social life had stopped, not having hosted a single party since. Gatsby also fired his entire staff and hires brand new staff who he believes will keep his secrets safe.

          The chapter then moves into Nick traveling to East Egg to have lunch with the Buchannan’s, Jordan, Gatsby, and Tom and Daisy’s child, Pammy. Gatsby is stunned with he sees Tom and Daisy together since he hadn’t expected that they would be there until then. The lunch is filled with many obvious moments of romance between Gatsby and Daisy, which Tom begins to see more and more.

          As the day goes on and they are out in the city, Tom begins to question Gatsby more about his history and his personal life, trying to clear up the loose ends. Tom then tells Gatsby that he thinks he knows what is going on with him and Daisy, Gatsby quickly replies to him explaining how Daisy has never loved him. Throughout that scene, we see Gatsby and Tom arguing over which man Daisy truly loves, but when we thought that Gatsby and Daisy were the ones who were getting closer, we see that Daisy begins to side with Tom, within this argument. Which makes us question where Daisy is thinking at the time.

          Once Tom, Nick and Jordan drive back to East Egg, leaving Gatsby and Daisy to drive home by themselves, they discover a crowd at the Wilsons garage, and quickly discover that Myrtle had been killed by a car. The people around them were starting to talk about how the car was yellow and it did not stop. Nick finally realizes that it must have been Gatsby’s car.

          Overall, this chapter cleared up a lot of confusion for me as a reader but also the characters in the story. Tom knowledge of Daisy’s affair becomes known, Wilson knows about Myrtles affair, as well as Gatsby’s crime history. It is known consistently throughout the chapter that Gatsby is so obsessed with the idea of reliving the past with Daisy and for her to start his new life with him. However, we never know how Daisy truly feels, and the future of their relationship is left unknown.

Chapters 5 and 6

            Chapter 5 begins with Gatsby waiting for Nick. He asks if Nick wants to go to Coney Island but really he wants to know if Daisy has been invited over to Nick’s house. Nick tells Gatsby that he’ll invite her over for tea, and then Gatsby becomes an anxious little man. Once Daisy comes over, he becomes a nervous wreck. He tells her exactly how long it’s been since they saw each other, which is creepy. Then he makes a point for her to see how grand his home is. She’s very emotional so she’s crying a lot. She cries because he has so many shirts. This is a strange encounter. Another creepy thing he says is that he has collected clipping about her. This probably affirmed Emari’s belief that he is a psychopath. He then tells her about how he can see her house across the bay. He didn’t seem like a normal guy in this chapter. I want them to fall back in love, but I know this is not realistic. Gatsby doesn’t know this isn’t realistic since he basically lives in the past as we see in Chapter 6: “‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’” (110).

            At the beginning of Chapter 6 we learn who Gatsby really is, although Nick didn’t learn this at this time. Gatsby changed his name at age seventeen and didn’t truly attend Oxford. He worked as a janitor at St. Olaf’s college. Gatsby’s mentor/best friend was Dan Cody. Then we come back to present with Tom, Mr. Sloane, and some woman coming to Gatsby’s house. There’s no reason for them to be there. Mr. Sloane does not have a personality and the woman invites both Gatsby and Nick to her dinner party. Gatsby doesn’t have a horse so he’ll have to drive there. The horse part is ridiculous. Everyone in this book is ridiculous. Then Tom and Daisy go to a Gatsby party and Tom is sour the entire time. He’s so obnoxious. After they leave, Gatsby is discouraged because Daisy hated the party. I don’t believe that’s true, plus she had the most fun when she was with Gatsby. They’re meant to be. But is he a little obsessive and insane? Absolutely.

Chapter 4

               My feelings toward this chapter can be summarized through one idea: doubt. Even though there was so much new information in this chapter, I was skeptical of it to the point where I finished reading with more questions than answers.

               The chapter begins and we immediately are told another rumor about Gatsby and his wealth.  Nick over hears people claiming that Gatsby is a bootlegger and that he killed a man. While these rumors initially seemed outrageous and like general gossip to me, the more I hear them, the more I wonder if there is a reason he has this reputation. I feel similar to how Owl Eyes felt at the party; I feel like everything Gatsby does is a front. This only continues as Gatsby starts explaining himself to Nick. Nick’s skeptical nature might just be rubbing off on me, but the events that Gatsby described in his life did not make sense even though he had proof to back some of it up. For example, Gatsby tells Nick he is from a wealthy family in the Mid-West, but when Nick asks where, he says San Franscico, which is just not part of the Mid West. As he then explains his life in Europe, it sounds like a rehearsed script of what he feels like someone with the background he is claiming should have done. I also doubt his feeling about the war. He says it was a relief and that he wanted to die, which does not make sense with the timeline that we come to know later in the chapter that involves his and Daisy’s romance.

               Another reason I am starting to believe (or at least not dismiss) the rumors about Gatsby is because of his interaction with Mr. Wolfshiem. Wolfshiem seems like a shady character, and I found it odd that Gatsby would outwardly associate himself with someone who rigged the World Series. This is again reinforced when Wolfshiem brings up business that Gatsby is obviously involved in even though we do not know what it was. Gatsby was so quick to shut down that conversation, that I feel like the partnership is probably to do with something illegal.

               My final take away from the chapter is from Nick’s conversation with Jordan Baker. I found it odd that Gatsby would specify that he wanted to meet Daisy next to his house and not out at lunch like Jordan was so willing to set up. It makes me feel like Gatsby thinks that the way to win Daisy over is through wealth. I think he thinks that Tom’s wealth is why he lost her to begin with. This only reinforces my own idea that Gatsby is not necessarily who he claims to be. He has made himself into the person that he thinks Daisy wants.  

Great Gatsby ch 3

Chapter 3 follows Nick going to his first party at Gatsby’s house and his interpretation of the events
and people that he encounters while there. In this chapter the reader is introduced formally to
Jordan Baker and Jay Gatsby. Nick has been invited to Gatsby’s party by the host himself,
which Nick later learns is actually quite rare. Most guests just show up because they know someone who
is going. Not long after his arrival to the mansion Nick meets Jordan Baker, whom Daisy and Tom had
told him about in the previous chapter. Nick and Jordan then make it their mission to find and meet Mr.
Gatsby. Along the way to find him they come across many different types of people. From the twin
performers, to Lucille, to Owl Eyes, each character they meet has their own idea of who Gatsby is and
where he has come from. Nick also describes the scenery of the party. He discusses the lavish
decorations and extensive work that goes into creating such a party. For example there is a full
orchestra that comes in to perform, dozens of fruits brought in, and countless butlers and chauffeurs
that all work to pull off the event. Eventually Jordan and Nick meet Gatsby in the garden around
midnight. Gatsby introduces himself first, having recognized Nick from the military. However, Nick does
not realize that he is speaking to Gatsby and then becomes embarrassed when he learns who he is
conversing with. In the rest of the chapter Nick discuss his everyday routine stating that the events that
took place with Jordan or at the parties where only a small portion of his life. He goes on to continues
describing his relationship with Jordan. He says that he was curious about her but he was not in love
with her. He soon learns that she is a liar: “She was incurably dishonest”(Fitzgerald 58). He then
assumed that the rumors that she had cheated in her first golf tournament where true after she lied
about leaving a car’s top down. Although he thinks of himself as: “one of the few honest people that I
have ever known,”(Fitzgerald 59) he did not care that she was dishonest, he still liked her and continued
seeing her.