"...for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone- he stretched 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. Involuntarily I glanced seaward- and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock." pg. 15
Gatsby's first appearance made me see why the book was going to be about him. He seemed to be an enigmatic man even from the first description of him. He is almost untouchable because of this enigma that he presents to people. Nick Carroway notices, yet again, the minor details in the way Gatsby holds himself that makes him look untouchable. He gives off the vibe of being utter alone. It is more easily seen because he is standing alone by the pond in the dead of night. Also Gatsby's descriptions allows the reader to begin thinking about the effect that Gatsby will have to the story. I think that he was looking out to Daisy's house having found out that he moved there just to be close to her.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Paradoxes presented by Jordan Baker!!
" 'Anyhow, he gives large parties,' said Jordan, changing the subject with an urban distaste for the concrete. 'And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy.'" pg 33
This paradox was quite funny to me. Jordan seems to be full of them. Her philosophy about things seem, at times, so backwards. But in reality I see what she is saying. She speaks that at Large parties one is able to hide themselves, almost, within the enormous crowd and carry on conversations without the risk of being heard. They won't likely be heard because of the noise from all the other party-goers chatting amongst themselves as well. Also in smaller parties one is surrounded by people that one cannot escape from if one wanted alone time. It is not as easy as in a larger party because of the same people who are all there and can easily hear everyone. Jordan seems to see this when she makes his statement to Nick.
This paradox was quite funny to me. Jordan seems to be full of them. Her philosophy about things seem, at times, so backwards. But in reality I see what she is saying. She speaks that at Large parties one is able to hide themselves, almost, within the enormous crowd and carry on conversations without the risk of being heard. They won't likely be heard because of the noise from all the other party-goers chatting amongst themselves as well. Also in smaller parties one is surrounded by people that one cannot escape from if one wanted alone time. It is not as easy as in a larger party because of the same people who are all there and can easily hear everyone. Jordan seems to see this when she makes his statement to Nick.
Why is Gatsby so"great"
"He Smiled understandingly- much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced- or seemed to face- the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey." pg.32
During the course of the book I've been searching for the meaning behind "Great" which is before Gatsby's name. I never understood what could make a man so great or so enigmatic that one simply had to write a journal about their meetins like Carroway did. This description of him simply illustrated the quality in Gatsby that is so irresistible. It is the quality that is seen through nothing more insignificant than a smile. A smile that encompasses all the qualities one wishes to have and to convey. It is acceptance, understanding, and complete confidence in the person you are smiling at. Somehow Nick Carroway is able to see this in Gatsby. I think this instant is what captures Nick to Gatsby. He finds something foreign in Gatsby that has not presently been shown to him by others that have surrounded him in his society.
During the course of the book I've been searching for the meaning behind "Great" which is before Gatsby's name. I never understood what could make a man so great or so enigmatic that one simply had to write a journal about their meetins like Carroway did. This description of him simply illustrated the quality in Gatsby that is so irresistible. It is the quality that is seen through nothing more insignificant than a smile. A smile that encompasses all the qualities one wishes to have and to convey. It is acceptance, understanding, and complete confidence in the person you are smiling at. Somehow Nick Carroway is able to see this in Gatsby. I think this instant is what captures Nick to Gatsby. He finds something foreign in Gatsby that has not presently been shown to him by others that have surrounded him in his society.
Internal Conflict a brewing
" As for Tom, the fact that he "had some woman in New York" was really less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book. Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart." pg. 14
Tom always puts off a vibe of absolute confidence in all that he says and does. His gruff manner is not always supposed to be taken threateningly but rather that is just how he is. He is a man who is full of testosterone and wants more from life. Nick even sees the conflict of unrest brewing in him. One could also tell from the the beginning when Nick gave the background of the Buchanans. He said that they travelled around the world only settling down briefly before picking up and leaving yet again. I think this quote exemplifies this unrest that fills him. It is why he seeks pleasure else where and unfaithful to Daisey, who obviously knows of the affair. It makes me less and less sympathetic because he is just another dumb rich man who has so much money he does not know what to do with it and is therefore restless with thoughts and ideas of what he should be doing.
Tom always puts off a vibe of absolute confidence in all that he says and does. His gruff manner is not always supposed to be taken threateningly but rather that is just how he is. He is a man who is full of testosterone and wants more from life. Nick even sees the conflict of unrest brewing in him. One could also tell from the the beginning when Nick gave the background of the Buchanans. He said that they travelled around the world only settling down briefly before picking up and leaving yet again. I think this quote exemplifies this unrest that fills him. It is why he seeks pleasure else where and unfaithful to Daisey, who obviously knows of the affair. It makes me less and less sympathetic because he is just another dumb rich man who has so much money he does not know what to do with it and is therefore restless with thoughts and ideas of what he should be doing.
Tom B what a G---direct characterization
"Now he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward. Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body-he seemed to fill those glistening botts until he strained the top lacing, and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat. It was a body capable of enormous leverage-a cruel body." pg 5
In this excerpt the reader is presented with a direct characterization of Tom Buchanan, described from the perspective of Nick Callaway. When I first read this I was struck by the way in which Tom was so directly described. I think it was to create a perfect picture of what Gatsby's "competitor" for Daisy's affections looks like. He is obviously a gruff and intimidating man so one would automatically assume no one would challenge him. I think the direct characterization provides not only the picture but the foreshadow of how this person will affect the outcome of the story. For when such a dynamic person in appearance is described it opens the doors to possibilities that this character may add to the plot. Also Tom's features not only describe him physically but when Nick talks about him "always leaning aggressively forward" that also seems to describe his personality of being confrontational. So not only can one gather the physical aspects of Tom but one can see the personality traits visible on his person.
In this excerpt the reader is presented with a direct characterization of Tom Buchanan, described from the perspective of Nick Callaway. When I first read this I was struck by the way in which Tom was so directly described. I think it was to create a perfect picture of what Gatsby's "competitor" for Daisy's affections looks like. He is obviously a gruff and intimidating man so one would automatically assume no one would challenge him. I think the direct characterization provides not only the picture but the foreshadow of how this person will affect the outcome of the story. For when such a dynamic person in appearance is described it opens the doors to possibilities that this character may add to the plot. Also Tom's features not only describe him physically but when Nick talks about him "always leaning aggressively forward" that also seems to describe his personality of being confrontational. So not only can one gather the physical aspects of Tom but one can see the personality traits visible on his person.
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