The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Review Write down three events, facts and/or observations from chapters 1 and 2 that you think are important and should be studied.

Chapter 1 Summary Nick establishes his reason for recording events. He establishes setting – East Coast; Spring; 1922. He asserts the qualities he has for recording the story yet contradicts himself. Establishes his own family background. We meet some of the main protagonists: Tom, Daisy and Jordan. He alludes to Gatsby but we do not meet him directly, thereby maintaining a sense of an enigma. Importantly, he reveals that he has returned to the West in order to process the events of this summer.

Nick Carraway Fitzgerald invents this character to write the novel. It is written as an autobiographical account of events taking place over a 3 month period in the summer of 1922. “I wanted the world to be in uniform” “I am inclined to reserve all judgements” “Reserving judgement is a matter of infinite hope” Contradicts himself throughout. Is a stockbroker yet admires romantic sensibilities.

Setting West Egg, by comparison is no less splendid: white palatial mansions are dotted along tree-lined avenues and Wealth is everywhere. The reason that West Egg is ‘less fashionable’ than its neighbour is because the inhabitants have not been born into well- established ‘money’ families. Gatsby – among others on West Egg – is part of the ‘nouveau riche’ that is, he has made his fortune from scratch, emerging from a natural state of poverty to become a ‘self- made man’. Chapter one introduces the reader to both West Egg and East Egg and establishes the symbolic significance of both. West Egg represents ‘new money’, ostentatious and mock, whereas East Egg represents ‘old money’, established and genuine. One represents the aspiring class, the other the established, upper middle-class. The eggs are fundamentally different – Nick refers to the ‘sinister contrast’ between them. East Egg (where Tom and Daisy live) is the fashionable suburb which houses families with long-established generations of wealth – the ‘royalty’ of New York.

Setting West Egg East Egg Aligns itself with American ideals. Embodies the notion of the dream New money lines in West Egg Contains original spirit of The Land of Opportunity Embodies old world ideals of patronage, class and heredity values. They are the antithesis of ‘The Dream’ Full of emotionally stunted, aimless, shallow ideals. Snobbery exists because it is a class system within a class system – a reminder that, no matter how well you do in life, there will always be someone above sneering at your efforts. The American Dream: One of the founding principles of the country is a firm belief in reward for hard work, and the idea of the Self Made Man. So the ideas that such ‘winners’ would be seen as second class citizens in East Egg is a reminder – if any were needed - that the American Dream is fundamentally flawed

Green Light In chapter 1 Gatsby is seen at the edge of the dock, holding out his arms and trembling. He is gesturing towards a “Single green light, minute and far away” coming from the edge of Daisy’s dock on East Egg. Unattainable dream /The American Dream Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future, and yearning for the past (Daisy) Green = envy, wealth, money, jealousy

The Valley of Ashes Halfway between West Egg and NYC stretches a depressing plain, a gray valley where New York’s ashes are dumped. The men who live here work at shovelling up the ashes. The Valley of Ashes is a picture of absolute desolation and poverty. Symbolizes the moral decay hidden by the beautiful facades of the Eggs, and suggests that beneath the ornamentation of West Egg and the mannered charm of East Egg lies the same ugliness as in the valley. The valley is created by industrial dumping and is therefore a by-product of capitalism. It is the home to the only poor characters in the novel (Myrtle and Wilson).

The Eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleberg “…above the grey land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleberg…[his] eyes…are blue and gigantic – their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose…his eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days, under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping group.” Overlooking the Valley of Ashes Media’s progression: consumerism and materialism Lack of vision Eyes of God and humanities lost connection to God Modern man’s inability to see the corruption of out society and environment Fail to see the basic uselessness of their hopes and dreams

Myrtle Catherine Wilson

Myrtle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgZ-MV0YbMU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUupvzSOA9I (8:35 – 10:55) Tom says: “it does her good to get away” and explains to Nick that Myrtle tells her husband that “she goes to see her sister in New York.” Tom then denounces Wilson as “so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive.” Tom, Nick and Myrtle head to New York City and on the way Myrtle tells Tom she wants “to get one of those dogs… for the apartment” because she thinks they are “nice to have.” While Tom is forced to keep his affair with Myrtle relatively discreet in the valley of the ashes, in New York he can appear with her in public, even among his acquaintances, without causing a scandal. Even Nick, despite being Daisy’s cousin, seems not to mind that Tom parades his infidelity in public. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to New York City, to the Morningside Heights apartment he keeps for his affair. Here they have an impromptu party with Myrtle’s sister, Catherine, and a couple named McKee.

The Party Catherine tells Nick that she has heard that Jay Gatsby is the nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm, the ruler of Germany during World War I. “Well, they say he’s a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm’s. That’s where all his money comes from… I’m scared of him. I’d hate to have him get anything on me.” Catherine goes on to talk about Myrtle and Tom: “Neither of them can stand the person they’re married to.” “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s a Catholic, and they don’t believe in divorce.” Daisy was not a Catholic. Myrtle grows louder and more obnoxious the more she drinks, and shortly after Tom gives her a new puppy as a gift, she begins to talk about Daisy. Tom sternly warns her never to mention his wife. Myrtle angrily says that she will talk about whatever she chooses and begins chanting Daisy’s name. Tom responds by breaking her nose, bringing the party to an abrupt halt.

Tom Buchanan The party also underscores Tom’s hypocrisy and lack of restraint: he feels no guilt for betraying Daisy with Myrtle, but he feels compelled to keep Myrtle in her place. Tom emerges in this section as a boorish bully who uses his social status and physical strength to dominate those around him. He subtly taunts Wilson while having an affair with his wife Experiences no guilt for his immoral behaviour Does not hesitate to lash out violently in order to preserve his authority over Myrtle Wilson stands in stark contrast, a handsome and morally upright man who lacks money, privilege, and vitality.

We still have not met Gatsby… Fitzgerald uses the party scene to continue building an aura of mystery and excitement around Gatsby Gatsby emerges as a mysterious subject of gossip. He is extremely well known, but no one seems to have any verifiable information about him. The ridiculous rumour Catherine spreads shows the extent of the public’s curiosity about him.