"The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself." -pg.104
**Doesn't really relate to the rest of the post but I wanted to add it in***
So in this chapter we learn about Gatsby's true background. His name was James Gatz and he was born on a farm in North Dakota. He never really had a close relationship with his parents. He did go to college at St.Olaf's in Minnesota but he left the school because of how humiliated he was to have to be a janitor to pay for his education. He did odd jobs around Lake Superior for a while until he made the acquaintance of the millionaire Dan Cody when his yacht dropped anchor there. He wandered with Cody across the continent three times and became infatuated with the life of luxury he was shown. Cody left Gatsby twenty-five thousand dollars but Gatsby never received that money because Cody's mistress, Ella Kaye, kept it for herself. From then on, he worked to get money fast however he could.
*The American Dream & The Immorality of the 1920's:
--Well, as many have discussed so far on their blogs, we continue to see the decline of the American Dream in this chapter. Gatsby grew up on a farm and had a very rural life and one might think that because of that background, a strong work ethic was ingrained in him along with a humble attitude. One would be wrong. Gatsby's humiliation at having to pay for his schooling by being a janitor shows that.
>> "He stayed there two weeks, dismayed at its ferocious indifference to the drums of his destiny, to destiny itself, and despising the janitor's work with which he was to pay his way through." (pg.105)
--Gatsby's humble beginnings are most likely the cause for his now lavish way of living. He didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth and once he had a taste of the life Cody showed him, he never wanted to go back to being a "no-name loser."
--We also see more of the deplorable side of his character:
>> "He was a son of God--a phrase which, if it meant anything,means just that--and he must be about His Father's Business, the service of a vast,vulgar and meretricious (definition: Apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity) beauty." (pg.104)
>> "...of the others because they were hysterical about things which in his overwhelming self-absorption he took for granted." (pg.104-105 top)
>> "The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night." (pg 105) And pretty much that whole paragraph gives us a beautiful portrait of the degree of Gatsby's desire for wealth and luxuries.
--Gatsby really epitomizes the mindset of the "new money" coming to the West Egg. He is the corrupt American Dream. His life has become all about impressing other people and trying to "woo" daisy with wealth and his notoriety. With all the speculation having read thus far, I believe it's safe to say Gatsby did not earn his money in all legal practices. Having said that, it shows how an honest day's work that was upheld in the traditional American Dream is now thought of as only a way to delve deeper into poverty. No one thinks that an honest day's work will get them any wealth anymore, at least not the wealth they want. The avarice of the people of the 1920's is beyond exuberant and blinded people to more noble pursuits of the American Dream.
--We also see more of the division of the people of the West Egg and the East Egg. Nick comes over to Gatsby's house and discovers, much to his surprise, that Tom is there with his friends, the Sloanes. Gatsby invites them over to his next party and Mrs.Sloane invites Gatsby, insincerely, to a dinner party with them. Gatsby doesn't realize their insincerity or chooses to ignore it, and goes to fetch his car to follow them on their horses but while he's doing that, Tom and the Sloanes leave without him.
>> " 'My God, I believe the man's coming,' said Tom. 'Doesn't he know she doesn't want him?' " (pg.109)
--Another of Gatsby's parties is also shown in this chapter but at this one Tom, Daisy and Nick all go together, which of course makes the night more memorable in it's awkwardness. These parties are also, of course, the epitomes of immorality in the 1920's. There's illegal drinking, dancing men and women with little decorum, and more folly then good "whole-some fun."
>> "Or perhaps I had merely grown used to it, grown to accept West Egg as a world complete in itself, with its own standards and its own great figures, second to nothing because it had no consciousness of being so..." (pg.110)
--Tom and Daisy know absolutely no one at this party showing how little status and real repertoire those of the West Egg have to those of the East Egg.
>> "It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment." (pg.110-111 top)
--More of the immorality of the 1920's is shown through the party guests that accompany the same table as Nick, Daisy, and Tom.
>> " 'Oh she's all right now. When she's had five or six cocktails she always starts screaming like that. I tell her she ought to leave it alone.' " (pg.113)
>> " 'Anything I hate is to get my head stuck in a pool,' mumbled Miss Baedeker. 'They almost drowned me once over in New Jersey' " (pg.113)
--Hello lady! If you were almost drowned at some other party because you were to wasted to help yourself, then why are you still drowning yourself in cocktails!! If I was almost drowned I certainly would hope I had learned better than to drink such copious amounts of alcohol. It just shows the lack regard for one's self at this time. Every one's "on top of the world" and nothing can harm them.
--There's also a certain amount of disillusionment that goes along with Gatsby at least, but I think could apply to many people of the 1920's. Gatsby, at the end of the chapter, seems intent on picking up with Daisy right where they left off and is upset that she didn't like and/or "understand" the party.
>> " 'Can't repeat the past?' he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can?' " (pg.116)
>> " 'I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before,' he said, nodding determinedly." (pg.117)
>> "He talked a lot about the past and I gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was..." (pg.117)
--Gatsby wants Daisy to leave Tom for him as though it were an easy thing to do. It's not just leaving Tom though, it would be leaving a whole life she built in the East Egg, which I don't think Gatsby completely gets. Which many people of this time period have ideas and goals that they want to set out and accomplish, not realizing that there are all these other factors and "walls" that one must first overcome. And sometimes, these "walls" are people and lives which are "foundations" and not "walls." I think Disillusionment is a major thing that adds to the immorality of the 1920's. Everyone predominantly thinks of themselves as better than they are (i.e: Myrtle going for Tom, Gatsby thinking he could go to dinner with Tom and the Sloanes, etc.).
Ok that's all I've got for now. I sort of did this piece by piece if you can tell, not all at the same time, but I hope it still connects and makes sense and doesn't confuse anyone. Having said that, please let me know if I missed something cause I did do it in pieces ^.^
-Kelli
5 comments:
Yea, why Gatsby does what he does makes sense after this chapter and your analysis. I also think its interesting that for the first time in the novel corrupting the american dream has not worked. (Even with all Gatsby's money he still can't convince others that he has a chance with Daisy. This is shown when the Sloans ride away without him.)
We learned a lot more about Gatsby's past from this chapter and I liked your interpretations of him. We learn about the reasons Gatsby has been corrupt and tries to hide his true appearance. Also I agree with you about the awkwardness between Gatsby and Tom. They basically knew about each other but were hanging out anyway, even if they didn't like each other.
That was a lot. Haha. As I'm reading I'm agreeing with you and when I get to the bottom I forgot what else I wanted to comment on.
1: You cleared up Gatsby's passed for me because during that section I got it but didn't fully understand, so thank you!
2: Also I agree that Gatsby doesn't see that daisy can't just leave everything behind and at this moment he reminds me of a teenager that is only thinking of what he want and taking into account other people's needs. I also think that during this time period everyone had this mindset of just ones self and not all the other factors that are affected. For example Daisy and Tom have a child! I don't think Daisy is the type of mother to take her child away from her father like that. Plus, Daisy enjoys the life she has now partially. There is so mug uncertainty in starting something with Gatsby. Which kind of makes them different. Gatsby is more about risks to me, hence the fact that he lives in West Egg. Daisy doesnt seem like such a risk taker, hence she lives in East Egg. They are the same but not like just how the two different towns are.
Heehehe, you guys seem to really dislike Gatsby at this point. I like Gatsby throughout the entire novel. I don’t agree with all of your analyses. I think it’s important to remember that Gatsby is a dreamer, and Daisy is his dream – not money or possessions. Before he met her, he wanted to create an identity of himself, this amazing, successful portrait of a man, named Jay Gatsby, and I do believe the “lavish lifestyle” you mentioned was included in this image. But I don’t think Daisy is just a trophy to him; I think his love for her (or, perhaps better put, the idea of her that he kept though the years) is genuine. The materialistic wealth he acquired, although he gained it dishonorably, was ALL for Daisy. She was from a rich family, and he wanted to be wealthy like her so he could have her and provide her with security. Gatsby’s sketchy past and rise to wealth, although corrupt, were not for the sole purpose of gaining material wealth. It was all for Daisy, and I think this makes him more commendable. I do think he’s so entrenched in his dream and in how close he is to reaching it that he is removed from reality. I think he’s so wrapped up in his idea of Daisy that he doesn’t see her for what she is and can’t fathom that she may be using him. But I don’t think this takes away from his character – he is good, and he is a dreamer at heart. Daisy, on the other hand, does not have nearly as much moral character. (Nick tells Gatsby later in the book that Jay is worth 10 of them, them being the Buchanons.) I think Daisy is selfish, careless and materialistic and looks for the convenient avenues of life as a socialite. I don’t even see any motherly qualities in her – we see Pammy only once or twice in the whole book for less than 5 minutes. I don’t think leaving her life behind or uncertainty about starting something with Gatsby had anything to with Daisy’s and his relationship. I think she was using him for a little uncommitted, careless fun and to draw Tom’s attention, and the events in the following chapters concerning her affair support this.
Relating this all back to the American Dream, I’d say that if Daisy is Gatsby’s dream, then, by extension, Gatsby’s quest for her is the American Dream. The corruption of the American Dream takes place in that material wealth is the avenue for attaining Daisy – not in material wealth being the ultimate goal.
In the chapter we do see behind the scences on Gatsby. But, what did he do exactly to "get" all of his money? The book doesn't really explain that part much.
1. The Analysis on Gatsby
I have to agree with you and Amy both. He is very materialistic and flashy, but his love for Daisy can be questioned.
2. The immorality
The main question I have for this is, "How far can money put you in soceity,and how can having money change the way other view you."
Gatsby struggles with this clearly. His money does not bring Daisy to him.
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