The Great Gatsby Analysis of Chapters 1-4
The Great Gatsby Literary Insights
Do this sheet for each chapter. Please hand write these rather than typing them if possible. Copy lots and lots of my wording to try it on for size. Use The Stop! Sheet.
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To Start With
Make a title for the chapter. It should show that you understand the chapter enough to be able to title it. (e.g. Chapter 4: Daisy Rents a Plane.)
Write a mini plot summary. Using more than two sentences will result in a mark deduction. You must start with the words “Fitzgerald uses chapter __ to depict…” Use literary present tense with “ing” to describe what is going on (“saying” or “going.” Not “said” or “went.”)
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Purpose of Chapter/Authorial Views (Use section 4 to back up these points)
Identify a major point or topic that the author is addressing with this chapter. First you will claim that he is doing this, wording the issue as an issue or topic, rather than a question. (No question marks or “5 Ws” question words) Then you will say what exactly Fitzgerald (clearly) thinks about this issue that must have been important enough to him that he wrote a book about it.
Some Choices:
- Are the rich nothing more than pretty, powerful but pointless parasites?
- How much should people build and live lives designed mainly to impress others?
- Are material, financial and social success sufficient to give your life meaning?
- Do right and wrong really matter?
- Are the wealthy “above the law?”
- What does it mean for you to “be alone in a crowd?”
- What can material success cost you?
- Is the pursuit of happiness, and of the American Dream in general, not a lofty enough goal for you? Do you need more?
- Does society tell you who you are?
- Does America have an old money/new money caste system, and an aristocracy?
(note that I have annoyingly worded these as questions, leaving them for you to reword as topics. I have also liberally used “you,” (and “your”), which words you are absolutely not allowed to use in this assignment). You must use the fill-in-the-blank structure below, with my exact wording:
Chapter 4 allows Fitzgerald to explore[1] the larger issue of the importance of eating fibre regularly. He is clearly suggesting that although eating fibre is terribly important, sometimes people have to eat some meat as well. This idea is then developed throughout The Great Gatsby.
Go on to add an explanation to the end of this claim, mentioning specifics from the chapter, that make it clear that Fitzgerald really does seem to be exploring this idea in chapter 4, and that you aren’t simply making stuff up:
... meat as well. Fitzgerald three times mentions John eating a bran muffin, first at the baseball game, and then later at the horse races. He also, however, eats a hotdog while he is there. All of this makes Fitzgerald’s views as to a healthy diet for the wealthy upper class very clear.
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The Writer Being Artful (Use section 4 to learn how to back up these points)
Do several of the following for each chapter, using the fill-in-the-blank structure and a new paragraph for each one, to talk about authorial choices (more than two per section below would be excessive. Use at least one quotation from the book per chapter for a – c and also one for d.):
a) Characterization (personality):
The characters in Gatsby are often amoral and superficial, lacking any kind of virtue or moral compass. They are also bored and vainly in search of having a point to their “successful” lives. Talk about that.
- (For a new character): Chapter 3 sees Fitzgerald introducing the readers to Jessica, who immediately strikes them as rude and aggressive.
- Fitzgerald (begins to establish/further establishes) that Nick is an angry person.
- Fitzgerald here presents Nick as taking important steps toward fulfilling his goal of finding things to do to fill in all of his ample free time. He purchases a BMX bike, which he rides in the town square, among the pigeons. Nick has nothing else to do.
b) Setting:
- Fitzgerald is known for using place, especially landscape and weather, to convey the inner landscape of the characters in his writing. (include these exact words ^ in your analysis.)
- Fitzgerald frequently uses his descriptions of the landscape, and of the places people live and work, to instill a lingering mood in the reader. (include these exact words ^ in your analysis.)
(Back it up like this: When Fitzgerald writes that winter has come, with a biting wind, this reveals Gatsby’s thoughts and feelings at this point. Gatsby is facing financial ruin, and his future looks as bleak as the view out the window of the house he will soon no longer be able to afford.
c) “One-off” Symbolism
(stick to physical objects (not people) for this exercise. The physical representing the abstract.):
Fitzgerald seems to be using the neighbor’s fatally ill parakeet to represent how Nick’s hope is slowly dying.
d) Recurring Symbols/Imagery:
You must use a direct quotation from the book every single time you cite something in the Recurring Symbols/Imagery section. And quotes from this section are going to be used in The Recycled Essay assignment, so quote away. In Gatsby, Fitzgerald makes endless, unsubtle use of the following:
- Floral imagery, especially to discuss Daisy “Flower Name” Buchannan, who is like a hothouse orchid; drooping, pretty, all white and gold, but ultimately she can only function as an expensive decoration. Other women also offer floral imagery in the book. Clothes, too.
- “Money colours,” mainly silver, gold and green. Also copper and nickel. The book is about wealth.
- Automobiles. These are status symbols for the wealthy, and also show their misuse of mobility, money and power, in how they are misused. If you cite this one, tell whether the automobile is mainly showing power, money, mobility or misuse of same.
- The fading, painted eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, which seem to watch, but don’t see anything. Eckleburg makes one think Fitzgerald is presenting a painted God who is now a thing of the past, certainly not actually watching, or if so, not intervening or playing any part in the lives of the godless, superficial characters.
Back it up like this: When Fitzgerald writes that Daisy wears “ a green dress, green as a dollar bill and as crisp,” he is once again employing the money imagery with which The Great Gatsby is so rife. (I’m actually looking for a correct use of the word “rife,” here.)
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Backing Up Your Points
For sections 2 and 3, you are going to claim a number of things both about how Fitzgerald put the novel together, and about what specifically he is saying with it.
Things rather like:
Fitzgerald is suggesting the American Dream is not achievable for just anybody, unless they cheat or are unusually lucky.
Things almost, but not exactly, like:
Fitzgerald is choosing to make Gatsby’s car the same colours as the Canadian five dollar bill to further associate Gatsby with money and exotic things.
Things precisely like:
Fitzgerald has the weather and seasons in Gatsby reflect the mood of his characters.
Well, you’re going to need to back statements like these up. You need to support your claims. You can’t just claim claims and leave them sitting there all lonely. Vital to demonstrate that you’re not just imagining or making all of this up, but that there is some support in the actual book for what you’re saying it does and says. Otherwise you’re wasting your time. So use one or both of two methods:
a) Quotation
This is the strongest, simplest way to make yourself look right. You start a sentence, and have Fitzgerald himself, from beyond the grave, finish your sentence for you. How right does that make you look? You do the first half, he does the second:
Fitzgerald is choosing to make Gatsby’s car the same colours as the Canadian five dollar bill. When Fitzgerald introduces the car, he writes that the car is “cream coloured, decorated with nickel and with a bright, Tardis-blue interior that [strikes Nick][2] as both expensive and quintessentially Canadian.” (p 89)
Note that you start with Fitzgerald’s name (never simply saying “the author”) and the book’s title (never simply saying “the novel”). If in a paragraph you have named both, subsequent sentences in that one paragraph may resort to pronouns like “he” and “it.” Also note that when quoting bits of dialogue, entire conversations are very awkward to try to quote, due to changing speakers. So don’t.
b) Explanation
To do this, once you’ve made a very specific claim, you will then make very specific reference to very specific things in the novel itself. You may, if absolutely necessary, make very brief, very specific reference to an event that happened in the book. You may not go on for more than perhaps two sentences, simply retelling an entire scene. Don’t retell a scene from the book in detail. Be as concise as you can.
Fitzgerald uses chapter 16 to explore the idea that material, financial and social success are insufficient to give a person’s life meaning. This is evident when Fitzgerald describes Nick going uptown and buying opium, to try to give his life whatever it is currently missing. A recovering addict, Nick is now about to fall off the wagon, causing more trouble for the whole affluent, old money social circle of which he has become a part.
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Exemplar
Do each chapter analysis just like this (only don’t make up stuff that’s not in the book). Recording page numbers for the quotations will enable you to find them later for The Recycled Essay.
Instructor
Course
Date
The Great Gatsby
Chapter 1: West Egg versus East Egg
Fitzgerald uses chapter one to depict the differences between West Egg region and East Egg region. By introducing the hero of the story, Gatsby who has a gorgeous personality, Fitzgerald explains how social, material and financial success is insufficient in giving meaning to life.
Chapter 1 allows Fitzgerald to explore the larger issue of the importance of true success that is not based on appearances or behaviours. He is clearly suggesting that although financial success is equally important in making life more comfortable, sometimes people need to thinks of other types of happiness. This idea is then developed throughout The Great Gatsby. Nick is living in the West Egg region, which is the home for the new rich, people who have made their wealth recently. This is unlike the aristocratic East Egg. At West Egg, Nick lives next door to Gatsby. However, Nick is more connected with East Egg than West Egg because of his level of education and friends he interacts with.
By comparing the characters of Nick and Gatsby, Fitzgerald explains the difference between the new rich people living in West Egg whose main concern is displaying their wealth and garish poor tastes. Fitzgerald further gives the differences of the houses Nick and Gatsby live in to emphasize on his argument of living to impress others. While Nick lives in a modest house, Gatsby lives in a mansion, which is a sprawling Gothic monstrosity. In addition, Fitzgerald explains how West Eggers lack aristocratic pedigrees and social connections.
Chapter 2: The Valley of Ashes
Fitzgerald uses chapter 2 to depict the high poverty level and absolute desolation at the valley of ashes. The valley lacks a glamorous surface even though it lies between New York and West Egg. This is the place where ashes from New York are dumped and with men living in the area working in shovelling up the ashes. There is a commuter train connecting New York and West Egg and passing through the valley with a number of stops.
Chapter 2 allows Fitzgerald to further explore that larger issue of the moral decay hidden by the beautiful faces of the Eggs. He clearly suggests that while there is an ornamented West Egg and mannered charm of the East Egg, there is an ugly valley in between. This idea is then developed throughout The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald emphasizes on the industrial dumping in the valley to introduce the issue of capitalism. Unlike the rich people living in the Eggs, Fitzgerald introduces the poor characters who live in the valley.
By using symbols such as the Doctor’s monstrous and bespectacled eyes that gaze down from the billboard, Fitzgerald troubles the reader. Even though the eyes do not have symbolic value at this point but only “brood on over the solemn dumping ground” (13), the aim is to show the moral decay of the town. In addition, Fitzgerald uses landscape and especially space in explaining how New York City is opposite from the valley with its glittering and garish nature but lacks a moral centre. This questions the importance of right and wrong since while Tom can appear in public with his lover in West Egg, he cannot do the same in the valley. Further, Nick seems unconcerned that Tom is playing his cousin, Daisy.
Chapter 3: Gatsby’s Party
Fitzgerald uses chapter 3 to depict bring the 1920s glamour and wealth into full focus. The rich from the Eggs interact without restraints since even though most of the invitees do not know Gatsby in person, they still attend his party. Nick is one of the invitees even though he feels out of place as he is in the midst of jubilant strangers.
Chapter 3 allows Fitzgerald to further explore the larger issue of living lavishly in the lives of the American upper class in search of the American Dream. He clearly suggests that even though enjoying life is somewhat important, socializing rightfully is more important. This idea is then development through The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald starts by explaining how the invitees are strangers to each other and even do not know their host. This is the reason most of the invitees are in small groups discussing the origin of Gatsby. Further, the party is described as unbelievably luxurious with guests marvelling over the Rolls-Royce, swimming pool, beach, buffet tents, live orchestra, and crates of fresh fruits.
Fitzgerald also uses place and more so landscape to depict the inner landscape of the characters. By explaining how the crowd gets louder and rowdier as they get drunk, Fitzgerald shows how the party attendees do not mind who their host is bur rather how they enjoy their time. However, Nick is in a different mission. As earlier explained in Chapter 1, Nick is different from West Eggers. He is not a heavy drinker like others and is more open minded. As a result, while others are drinking, he is interested in finding Gatsby and knowing him better.
Fitzgerald uses chapter 3 to further explore the idea of the extent people should live and build lives to mainly impress others. This is shown after Nick finds Gatsby and after their introduction, he realizes that Gatsby does not drink. Even though he has organized a very expensive party, Gatsby distances himself from it showing a character who is only after impressing his neighbours.
Chapter 4: Gatsby’s Mysterious Past
Fitzgerald uses chapter 4 to depict the mysterious past of Gatsby, which does not match with his current status and behaviour. Even though he narrates his past to Nick, he does not seem to believe anything he says. Gatsby associates himself with rich parents from San Francisco, claims to having schooled at Oxford, to have hunted a big game, collected jewels in Europe capitals, and won medals in WWI by various European countries. Gatsby shows Nick a medal from Montenegro as well as picture when playing cricket at Oxford to counter Nick’s scepticism.
Chapter 4 allows Fitzgerald to further explore the larger issue of how important some people emphasize on wealth making without minding how they become rich. Even though becoming rich is important, it is important to decide how to pursue one’s riches. This idea is then developed throughout The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald starts by expressing the doubts Nick has about Gatsby’s past to the extent that he has to produce a medal and picture to prove himself. Additionally, Fitzgerald introduces the character of Wolfshiem during their lunch to show Nick’s unpleasant impression of the fortune of Gatsby since he might be involved in organised crime. This shows how Fitzgerald uses space to explain how the lunch brings to light some hidden truth.
Fitzgerald uses chapter 4 to further explore the idea that material, financial and social success are insufficient to give a person’s life meaning. This is evident when it is revealed that while he associated himself with famous people and wealthy parents, Gatsby might not be the person he pretends to be. Gatsby might be like many other people in his era who are more concerned with riches and impressing others. Gatsby is therefore presented as a crooked businessman representing moral corruption and greed.
Chapter 5: Gatsby’s Reunion with Daisy
Fitzgerald uses chapter 5 to depict the pivotal chapter, which the novel swings on. Before the reunion, Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship only exists in prospect since Gatsby is after a achieving a dream that nobody can discern. However, the plot of The Great Gatsby shifts after it focuses on their romance following the revelation of their history in chapter 4.
Chapter 5 allows Fitzgerald to further...