So this is going to be a description of the minor character(s) we meet in Chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby. (Another one of my late night renditions that is ^.^)
*Meyer Wolfsheim:
--He is described as being, "A small flat-nosed Jew...with a large head...", "two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril..." (Ewww) and "tiny eyes." (pg.74)
>>Nick meets Gatsby for lunch in a well-fanned Forty-second Street cellar where he also meets Wolfsheim who seems to talk in a very fast-paced and odd manner.
----"...whereupon Mr.Wolfsheim swallowed a new sentence he was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory (definition: Of, pertaining to, or subject to somnambulation; Carried out while sleep-walking; Going through motions) abstraction." (pg.74)
>>Wolfsheim says he likes the restaurant across the street better but Gatsby disagrees saying it's too hot over there which in turn causes Wolfsheim to agree with him but state the restaurant across the street, the Metropole, holds memories.
----" 'The old Metropole,' brooded Mr.Wolfsheim gloomily. 'Filled with faces dead and gone. Filled with friends gone forever. I can't forget so long as I live the night they shot Rosy Rosenthal there...' " (pg.74)
>>Rosenthal was shot three times in the belly and died. Wolfsheim seems to carry some sadness over the event but more bitterness in my opinion. It's like the event holds a sour taste in his mouth and memory. He's not broken up over it but he mourns the death of his colleague.
>>After this, he asks Nick if he's interested in a business gonnegtion (definition: Eye dialect spelling of connection). Gatsby quickly dismisses that train of thought much to Wolfsheim's disappointment. Wolfsheim is a businessman above all else. He makes and sells deals. He's also a very cautious bordering (or going over into being) paranoid man evidenced by the way he scans the room almost from top to bottom as if on the look-out for threats all around him.
----"His eyes, meanwhile, roved very slowly all around the room-he completed the arc by turning to inspect the people directly behind. I think that, except for my presence, he would have taken one short glance beneath our own table." (pgs.75-76 top)
>>He precedes to tell Nick all he knows about Gatsby's military service, as well as the personal knowledge he has observed o Gatsby over the time he's known him. It's not much compared to what other characters seem to know of him but then again, Wolfsheim is a cautious man who probably wouldn't put all his cards on the table. When Gatsby returns to the table, Wolfsheim precedes to get up and leave.
----" 'You're very polite but I belong to another generation,' he announced solemnly. 'You sit here and discuss your sports and young ladies and your-' He supplied an imaginary noun with another wave of his hand- 'As for me, I am fifty years old, and I won't impose myself on you any longer' " (pg.77)
>>Gatsby then tells Nick that Wolfsheim can be very "sentimental" and he is having one of those "sentimental days." Then he tells Nick outright that Wolfsheim is a gambler. Now all his cautiousness and apparent surveillance make sense! You don't live to be a fifty-year-old gambler in New York City in the 1920's without being careful.
>>Gatsby even says, "He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919." (pg.78) Nick then thinks to himself that, "It never occurred to me that one man could start to play with the faith of fifty million people- with the single-mindedness of a burglar blowing a safe." (pg.78) When Nick asks why Wolfsheim hasn't been jailed, Gatsby simply says, "They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man." (pg.78)
>>Wolfsheim is basically a shady character with a good head on his shoulders, not getting caught shows that, but with crooked morals as well. He does give Nick the notion though that Gatsby may also be dealing in unsavory and illegal things (beyond smuggling liquor into his parties). He gives Nick some hint as to where to look for Gatsby's money trail.
**Overall I think Wolfsheim is just a human manifestation of the criminal activities and illegal "free-for-all" that was going on during the 1920's. Gambling was big during that time and everyone who moved to NYC seemed to want status and money as quick as possible and gambling seemed to be the way to do that.
*Owl Eyes:
>>While walking home from Gatsby's after a party, Nick comes upon the scene of a car accident. One of the cars he remembers being at Gatsby's house prior. When the man comes out of the wreck, Nick realizes it's the same man from Gatsby's library earlier in the night:
----"A stout, middle-aged man with enormous owl-eyed spectacles..." (pg.49)
>>He seemed absolutely mystified that the books on the shelves were real.
----" 'Absolutely real-have pages and everything. I thought they'd be a nice durable cardboard. Mater of fact they're absolutely real. Pages and..." (pg.50)
----" 'It's a bona fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me This fella's a regular Belasco. It's a triumph. What thouroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop too-didn't cut the pages." (pg.50)
----"He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on its shelf muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse." (pg.50)
>>Well, Owl Eyes is obviously quite acquainted with alcohol and all it's unsavory effects. He's totally fascinated by the books that can actually be opened and have actual words in them to read, which is a fact he continuously points out to Nick and Jordan.
----"I've been drunk for about a week now..." (pg.50) He even says!
>>While walking away from the scene of the crash, Owl Eyes seems absolutely astonished that the car went into the ditch. He also takes no responsibility of the accident saying he has no idea how it could have happened.
---" 'Don't ask me,' said Owl Eyes, washing his hands of the whole matter. 'I know very little about driving-next to nothing. It happened, and that's all I know.' " (pg.59)
>>He shows complete disregard over that fact! It's as though it happens everyday and it quite possibly might in the 1920's America he's currently living in.
>>Apparently only the wheel of the car came off. Ans, according to Owl Eyes that's barely something to scoff at. When he sees the other man come out of the wreck one of the first things he asks him is, " 'Wha's matter?' " as thought the man didn' just walk out of a car wreck! Owl Eyes wants to go to a a "gas'line station" as though that would fix the car up new, despite numerous people telling him that the steering wheel is no longer connected to the car. He just says, " 'No harm in trying.' " (pg.60)
>>Owl Eyes is definitely representative of the typical 1920's resident of the Eggs. He's materialistic and just like his idea of a book: pretty decent on the outside but completely empty on the inside. Every thing's just for show, the books, the car. He is very reckless with the car and unconcerned for himself or the safety of others.
Neither Owl Eyes or Michaelis the Greek show up in this chapter of Gatsby. But be on the look-out for them since they're sort of important since they made our posting lists you know...^.^
-Kelli <3
*Meyer Wolfsheim:
--He is described as being, "A small flat-nosed Jew...with a large head...", "two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril..." (Ewww) and "tiny eyes." (pg.74)
>>Nick meets Gatsby for lunch in a well-fanned Forty-second Street cellar where he also meets Wolfsheim who seems to talk in a very fast-paced and odd manner.
----"...whereupon Mr.Wolfsheim swallowed a new sentence he was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory (definition: Of, pertaining to, or subject to somnambulation; Carried out while sleep-walking; Going through motions) abstraction." (pg.74)
>>Wolfsheim says he likes the restaurant across the street better but Gatsby disagrees saying it's too hot over there which in turn causes Wolfsheim to agree with him but state the restaurant across the street, the Metropole, holds memories.
----" 'The old Metropole,' brooded Mr.Wolfsheim gloomily. 'Filled with faces dead and gone. Filled with friends gone forever. I can't forget so long as I live the night they shot Rosy Rosenthal there...' " (pg.74)
>>Rosenthal was shot three times in the belly and died. Wolfsheim seems to carry some sadness over the event but more bitterness in my opinion. It's like the event holds a sour taste in his mouth and memory. He's not broken up over it but he mourns the death of his colleague.
>>After this, he asks Nick if he's interested in a business gonnegtion (definition: Eye dialect spelling of connection). Gatsby quickly dismisses that train of thought much to Wolfsheim's disappointment. Wolfsheim is a businessman above all else. He makes and sells deals. He's also a very cautious bordering (or going over into being) paranoid man evidenced by the way he scans the room almost from top to bottom as if on the look-out for threats all around him.
----"His eyes, meanwhile, roved very slowly all around the room-he completed the arc by turning to inspect the people directly behind. I think that, except for my presence, he would have taken one short glance beneath our own table." (pgs.75-76 top)
>>He precedes to tell Nick all he knows about Gatsby's military service, as well as the personal knowledge he has observed o Gatsby over the time he's known him. It's not much compared to what other characters seem to know of him but then again, Wolfsheim is a cautious man who probably wouldn't put all his cards on the table. When Gatsby returns to the table, Wolfsheim precedes to get up and leave.
----" 'You're very polite but I belong to another generation,' he announced solemnly. 'You sit here and discuss your sports and young ladies and your-' He supplied an imaginary noun with another wave of his hand- 'As for me, I am fifty years old, and I won't impose myself on you any longer' " (pg.77)
>>Gatsby then tells Nick that Wolfsheim can be very "sentimental" and he is having one of those "sentimental days." Then he tells Nick outright that Wolfsheim is a gambler. Now all his cautiousness and apparent surveillance make sense! You don't live to be a fifty-year-old gambler in New York City in the 1920's without being careful.
>>Gatsby even says, "He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919." (pg.78) Nick then thinks to himself that, "It never occurred to me that one man could start to play with the faith of fifty million people- with the single-mindedness of a burglar blowing a safe." (pg.78) When Nick asks why Wolfsheim hasn't been jailed, Gatsby simply says, "They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man." (pg.78)
>>Wolfsheim is basically a shady character with a good head on his shoulders, not getting caught shows that, but with crooked morals as well. He does give Nick the notion though that Gatsby may also be dealing in unsavory and illegal things (beyond smuggling liquor into his parties). He gives Nick some hint as to where to look for Gatsby's money trail.
**Overall I think Wolfsheim is just a human manifestation of the criminal activities and illegal "free-for-all" that was going on during the 1920's. Gambling was big during that time and everyone who moved to NYC seemed to want status and money as quick as possible and gambling seemed to be the way to do that.
*Owl Eyes:
>>While walking home from Gatsby's after a party, Nick comes upon the scene of a car accident. One of the cars he remembers being at Gatsby's house prior. When the man comes out of the wreck, Nick realizes it's the same man from Gatsby's library earlier in the night:
----"A stout, middle-aged man with enormous owl-eyed spectacles..." (pg.49)
>>He seemed absolutely mystified that the books on the shelves were real.
----" 'Absolutely real-have pages and everything. I thought they'd be a nice durable cardboard. Mater of fact they're absolutely real. Pages and..." (pg.50)
----" 'It's a bona fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me This fella's a regular Belasco. It's a triumph. What thouroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop too-didn't cut the pages." (pg.50)
----"He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on its shelf muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse." (pg.50)
>>Well, Owl Eyes is obviously quite acquainted with alcohol and all it's unsavory effects. He's totally fascinated by the books that can actually be opened and have actual words in them to read, which is a fact he continuously points out to Nick and Jordan.
----"I've been drunk for about a week now..." (pg.50) He even says!
>>While walking away from the scene of the crash, Owl Eyes seems absolutely astonished that the car went into the ditch. He also takes no responsibility of the accident saying he has no idea how it could have happened.
---" 'Don't ask me,' said Owl Eyes, washing his hands of the whole matter. 'I know very little about driving-next to nothing. It happened, and that's all I know.' " (pg.59)
>>He shows complete disregard over that fact! It's as though it happens everyday and it quite possibly might in the 1920's America he's currently living in.
>>Apparently only the wheel of the car came off. Ans, according to Owl Eyes that's barely something to scoff at. When he sees the other man come out of the wreck one of the first things he asks him is, " 'Wha's matter?' " as thought the man didn' just walk out of a car wreck! Owl Eyes wants to go to a a "gas'line station" as though that would fix the car up new, despite numerous people telling him that the steering wheel is no longer connected to the car. He just says, " 'No harm in trying.' " (pg.60)
>>Owl Eyes is definitely representative of the typical 1920's resident of the Eggs. He's materialistic and just like his idea of a book: pretty decent on the outside but completely empty on the inside. Every thing's just for show, the books, the car. He is very reckless with the car and unconcerned for himself or the safety of others.
Neither Owl Eyes or Michaelis the Greek show up in this chapter of Gatsby. But be on the look-out for them since they're sort of important since they made our posting lists you know...^.^
-Kelli <3
6 comments:
Your break down of the minor characters was really good.I realized there were some things I had missed about Wolfsheim in the chapter that your post really cleared up for me. I like how you went in depth and it really helped me understand them better.
Way to go with the detail. I think you got it all and more on Wolfsheim. It was really good. Again as I think I have said before I didn't pick all that up on my own.
I agree with Misha you picked up a lot that I couldn't pick up lb my own. Now I understand Owl Eyes character a little better and not only that but now I'm seeing Gatsby as a different kind of person. Do you think the only reason he got rich is from working with Wolfshiem, or maybe that's how he got a lot of his money?
It was interesting because after we read about Wolfsheim, it seems like Gatsby may not have as much monetary integrity as we thought. But later in the chapter, Jordan's story paints Gatsby to be this lovesick dreamer whose quest for Daisy's love is as pure as can be.
I am going to extend the due date for the final poetry portfolio until Friday, January 6th 2012. If you have any questions, please email me through HomeworkNow.
Once again, I am going to post that many of you are NOT actually responding to these posts. Your brief reactions should be more than just a compliment to someone else that they did their job. This is the format for you to make connections, ask questions, examine details etc.
For example, if Gatsby did indeed make his money through his connections with Wolfsheim, what does that say about Gatsby living on West Egg instead of East Egg? Will he ever be truly accepted by a West Egger like Daisy?
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