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Post by Mr. Thomas on Mar 8, 2014 17:02:54 GMT -5
A further study of the "American Dream" gone awry.
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Post by johnmarano on Mar 9, 2014 19:33:14 GMT -5
John Marano
Mr. Thomas
English 11
5/9/14
C. I kind of believed the Gatsby and his claims to Nick but is he lying? Before Nick meets with him, he still considers possible "occupations" for the Gatsby. Why is Nick having a hard time believing that he attended Oxford before he proved himself? It isn't a good thing that he needs proof. This shows how he doesn't trust the Gatsby at all. Also, does Gatsby have more power than the police? Does he control the police? This incident really showed how he is literally untouchable. How does he have this power? Is it because of his wealth? Why does the Gatsby disappear as soon as Nick is about to introduce him to Tom? The whole chapter was just strange. Also since when does Daisy and the Gatsby know each other? Not only do they know each other but they have something going on!
D. A specific quote that I would like to point out was said by Nick when he learned that the Gatsby has great feelings for his cousin Daisy. "The modesty of the demand shook me. He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he had dispensed starlight to casual moths so that he could come over some afternoon to a strangers garden." At first I was completely confused on this quote and then I realized what it means. At this point Nick knows how hard Gatsby tried to win over Daisy from Tom and how much he loves her and desires to see her. This quote kind of reveals how Nick notices that the Gatsby doesn't know what to do by himself. He doesn't know how to approach Daisy and talk to her. The Gatsby, for the first time, shows a sense of weakness because he fears rejection. Nick finally found a "flaw" in the Gatsby. He realizes that for once Gatsby can't control something.
F. I was kind of confused on the relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Is it genuine or not? I mean what did they become best friends over night and was invited to his house for no reason? I believe the Gatsby is just using Nick now as a way to get closer to Daisy since they are cousins. I thought Jay Gatsby proved my point when he asked for a favor from Nick and that was to talk with Jordan about Daisy. I don't think the relationship or friendship is real as of now because Nick is being used but I feel like this will change because Gatsby will actually take a great liking to Nick.
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Post by georgebaroudos on Mar 9, 2014 21:02:05 GMT -5
George Baroudos
Mr. Thomas
English 11
9 March 2014
A – Gatsby uses a PBA card essentially to get him out of trouble with the law. I find that comical that the NYPD has been upholding these policies. I have seen many people use their PBA cards to get out of trouble. I remember one time that my uncle used his when he was speeding and the cop wrote on the back of his card in sharpie. This got my uncle so mad and I remember it being hysterical. He lucked out that he didn’t get a ticket but I was sure he couldn’t use that PBA card any longer.
D – “It was a great relief, and I tried very hard to die, but I seemed to bear an enchanted life.” This validates a previous post I posted. Said often times people are under the impression that the wealthy live perfect lives. THEY DO NOT LIVE PERFECT LIVES. The wealthy experience the same struggles as everyone else. They may have more resources, but money does not buy happiness. I’m not sure why Gatsby contemplated suicide, but I am sure he wasn’t happy. Everybody experiences different struggles and that’s why we all have different stories. Never judge a book by its cover.
I – Throughout the novel we have seen Nick judging everybody. I have not seen Nick actually look in the mirror and judge himself before he has judged others. But the whole fiasco with Daisy, Nick did not judge her. I respect that because Nick identified that she was struggling. For the first time I have seen a genuine side of Nick that we have not seen before. This enhances his character for me. I think this will be a constant battle for Nick throughout the novel, but I really hope he prevails.
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Post by emmanuelluna on Mar 10, 2014 16:38:45 GMT -5
Emmanuel Luna
Mr. Thomas
English 11
3/11/14
D. Near the beginning of the chapter Nick is desperately trying to find out what Gatsby’s profession is. He seems to know what everyone else at the party does for a living, which is weird and once again contradicts with his perception of himself as “normal.” This also relates to his obsession with people’s superficiality wherein he only cares about what a person’s status is and does not care if he has nothing in common with that person. This might link back to his obsession with Gatsby who he sees as a very important and well-known person, the kind that someone like Nick would desperately try to become acquainted with.
E. When Gatsby and Nick are driving through in Gatsby’s car and Gatsby is telling him his life story I can’t help but think that Gatsby is not telling the truth and that he in fact is hiding the truth from Nick. My suspicion of Gatsby only increases when he is pulled over by the policeman and just by simply stating who he is, is left off the hook. This makes it seems like Gatsby is a part of something shady and the story he tells Nick is just a trick to try to convince him otherwise. This is further deepened when we meet his business partner, Mr. Wolfsheim. He also seems like a very suspicious person and makes Gatsby less trust-worthy.
C. I still don’t understand why Gatsby appears to be hiding something from everyone including us, the readers. We found out that he had a thing for Daisy, but it still very much feels like he is hiding something important. This could possibly related to Daisy or maybe not. However, it is obvious that even though we met Gatsby and know more about him he is still a great mystery.
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Post by seandelossantos on Mar 10, 2014 17:34:17 GMT -5
Sean de los Santos
Mr. Thomas
English 11
10 March 2014
The Great Gatsby Discussion
C. One question I have for this chapter is, why mention all the people why went to the parties? I am reading this part of the chapter and he describes everyone who goes to the party. He also gives very detailed decriptions. An example is Chester Beckers who, “he knew at yale, and Doctor Webster Civet, who has drowned last summer up in Maine.(pg61)” Then he goes on to explain in detail the rest of the partygoers. My question for Nick is, why bother? They were just rich partygoers so Nick really didn’t have to worry about that.
A. One particular scene I that caught my attention was when they were speeding. When the policeman looks at Gatsby’s white card, he excuses them. This reminds me of how in modern days, someone can have what is called a PBA card. A PBA card us a card that a family member or friend of a policeman carries in which he gives them the card and it is sort of a courtesy assurance. What this card does is that it protects the family member from a ticket.
E. One thing I looked at in this chapter is doubt in the beginning. In the beginning of the book, Nick doubts the integrity of Gatsby. When Gatsby notices that, “he reached into his pocket, and a piece of metal, slung on a ribbon, fell into my palm.(pg66)” This goes to show that Gatsby might not be joking about who he is. It also tells Nick to probably give someone a chance before he criticizes someone.
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Post by epoccia on Mar 10, 2014 18:35:26 GMT -5
Eddie Poccia
English 11
Mr. Thomas
3/10/14
The Great Gatsby Ch. 4
I was just as surprised as Nick when Gatsby pulled out the picture of himself at Oxford and the medal from Montenegro. All of the things that he was claiming he had done seemed almost impossible for any normal person to do in a lifetime. He reminds me of "The most interesting man in the world" from the Dos Equis commercials.
When Gatsby is pulled over for speeding and shows the policeman the card just adds to the mystery behind this man. Everyone seems to know who Gatsby is except for Nick and the reader. It really makes me want to find out his secret.
I have a feeling that Nick's plan to force Gatsby and Daisy to meet will backfire in some way. If neither of them will agree to see each other then they probably don't want to see each other. I think Nick should just leave the situation alone.
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Post by scanley73 on Mar 10, 2014 19:35:57 GMT -5
A. When Gatsby gets out of trouble with the cops it reminds me of the time I was in a friend’s car driving with his dad whose brother is a police officer so he has a PBA card. Gatsby got out of trouble just like my friend’s dad did. He was pulled over by a cop for speeding and used the card to get out of trouble. It is not a significant connection but it reminded me of when this happened.
I. In response to John’s uncertainty about why Gatsby left before Nick could introduce him to Tom, it is because Gatsby has a thing for Daisy, Tom’s wife. We saw what Tom does when people “mess” with Daisy like when Myrtle kept saying her name. Gatsby probably knows about his reputation for being a very violent person and I don’t think that his PBA card will work against Tom if he comes to try and hurt him. Granted he could lie about how he feels about daisy to Tom but then if he becomes friends with him the rage that Tom will have will only be that much greater.
C. Why does Nick list all the people who go to Gatsby’s house during the summer? It seems really unimportant and like a waste of our time. Also, why does he even remember this kind of stuff? It seems really creepy and odd. Does he spend the entire time that he is home looking over to Gatsby’s house and watching what goes on? Nick seems kind of odd in this sense.
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Post by danokeefe15 on Mar 10, 2014 20:34:11 GMT -5
Danny O’Keefe
Mr. Thomas
English 11
10 March 2014
C. What confused me about Chapter 4 was that Gatsby tried so hard to tell Nick all the great things that he is and explain to him where he came from and where he got most of his money from and then decides to bring him to a sketchy restaurant type thing in the back of a barber shop and introduced him to the man that rigged the 1919 world series. When Nick speaks to Meyer Wolfshiem he gives Nick the impression that Gatsby doesn’t make his money from only the things he told him and that he affiliates himself with the wrong people
D. Something that caught my eye when I was reading was, "When I said you were a friend of Tom's, he started to abandon the whole idea. He doesn't know very much about Tom, though he says he's read a Chicago paper for years just on the chance of catching a glimpse of Daisy's name." I found this to be a little creepy I actually find a lot of what Gatsby does to be creepy because if him and Daisy really had something so important I don’t understand why he couldn’t just confront her or go see her after the war. What took him so long and why is it that every time someone says the name Gatsby Daisy acts like she’s never heard the name.
E. What I liked about this chapter is that we got to see who Gatsby is, where he comes from, and what he likes to do. We also get a better understanding of New York during that time period and what people were allowed to get away with and how different these people lived.
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Post by fotia15 on Mar 10, 2014 21:19:38 GMT -5
A. I think its weird how nick talks about Gatsby.. He is a little to fond of him. He says thing like "Elegant sentences", "gatsby's gorgeous car lurked up the rocky drive to my door", "looking at admiration to the car". It just comes off really weird... Hes throwing same vibes to Gastspy then than how he described the scene about him following girls home.. He just in love with the the person gatsby represents i think.
E. The description of Gatsby's past life is the most in detail describe we have been presented in the book so far, when it comes to characters. This life That he describes "After that i lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of europe-Paris, Venice, Rome- collecting jewels, chiefly, rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only, and trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me along ago" seems pretty strange. Almost unbelievable in fact. He says he has money already from his family, then why would he have to move alot, why would he go in search of gems. I dont see the point
I. Emmanuel - To remind you its still early in the book and it is the first time they have started to grow close. Gatsby is fostering a relationship with nick, in time the truth will slip out.. I guarantee it.
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Post by 1adams12 on Mar 10, 2014 21:21:40 GMT -5
C. The one thing that I was confused about was why did Nick mention all the names that of the people that went to Gatsby's party? Are these names going to be important later on in the book? The lines that I am referring to are "From East Egg, then, came...we called Duke, and whose name, if I ever knew it, I have forgotten" (Pages 66-68). Are these names important for some reason? When are we going to find out? Or is Nick trying to figure out who this Gatsby guy is?
D. The one thing that I was surprised with Nick is that he actually went with Gatsby to have lunch, when Gatsby told Nick that he was having lunch with him. This seemed really odd but Nick went anyways. The lines that I am referring to are "Good morning old sport. Your having lunch with me today and I thought we'd ride up together... and then came that disconcerting ride" (Pages 69-70). I was really shocked that Nick went just to be in this gorgeous car of Gatsby. If I were him I would have said that I already have plans and that I would not be able to go.
A. The line "a dead man passed us in a hearse heaped with blooms, followed by two carriages with drawn blinds and by more cheerful carriages for friends" (page 74) reminds me of the dirty dozen when the guy with the shotgun takes the carriage strapped to the coffin to the cemetery and the friends were all behind the hearse following the coffin.
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djmat
New Member
Posts: 39 
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Post by djmat on Mar 10, 2014 22:12:46 GMT -5
Osman Mat
Mr Thomas
English 11
3/10/14
I. I would have to agree with Danny. it is really weird how Gatsby was trying to convince Nick that he had done all those things. Especially since Nick shows such a great appreciation for him. Nick is pretty much obsessed with him and he just could not believe him until he got proof. You know something is wrong when someone needs a picture or hard proof to know that you were telling the truth.It kind of makes you wonder can you really believe anything Gatsby says or is just like that to everyone.
E. At first I did not really think Daisy would be to big of a character in this novel but I guess I was wrong. We kind of learn that Gatsby and Daisy had some sort of a past with each other. Now we are kind of seeing what kind of direction this book is taking. Before we were wondering who is Gatsby and what is his background now we know a bit and Nick schemes are being made to get Daisy close to Gatsby.
C. I may have missed this but how exactly did Jordan fail to give Daisy's letter to Gatsby? It seems like a pretty big thing to just forget. This could have potentially change the life of Daisy because she was madly in love with Gatsby and probably would have left Tom for him. it just does not seem like something that is that easily forgotten.
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Post by bourdonm15 on Mar 10, 2014 22:20:11 GMT -5
Matthew Bourdon
Mr. Thomas
English 11
3/10/14
B. I am getting the sense that Gatsby, even after explaining himself and clearing the other rumors people think he has done, is lying about who he really is and what he has done. “It was a photograph of half a dozen men in blazers loafing in an archway through which were visible a host of spires. There was Gatsby, looking a little, not much younger – with a cricket bat in his hand.” (Page 67) I really feel like this is too good to be true. The fact that this was around the time that he was still in school and according to Nick he looks the same – something is up. I have a feeling that this is not the truth but I am eager to find out if I am right.
F. We finally find out what Gatsby spoke to Jordan about in the party. “He wants to know”, continued Jordan, “if you’ll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over.” (Page 78) The story just got really interesting! Apparently Daisy and Gatsby were together and that they met while Gatsby was a Lieutenant, but when he left for the war she married Tom instead. This answers many questions: it answers why Daisy was somewhat surprised and nostalgic when Gatsby’s name was brought up in the dinner, and it explains why Gatsby was looking out to the water with his arms out because he bought his house just to be close to Daisy. This was a very informative chapter!
I. I agree with Emmanuel’s comment on Nick’s constant obsession with Gatsby. He is obsessed with finding out who Gatsby is but as the reader I also want to know who Gatsby is in reality? The way that Nick has been going at this investigation has me, the reader, interested in what he finds out.
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Post by joeroperti on Mar 11, 2014 18:53:24 GMT -5
Joseph Roperti
Mr. Thomas
English 11
3/10/14
B. I have finally felt as if they are putting meaning to gatsby's character. He is becoming a actual character instead of a mystery in which we can not unravel. The rumors, the eyewitness, the parties, and the PBA card enable us to perceive Gatsby as someone instead of a mist. I still and baffled by his parties and how he hides himself from everyone else, how he moves without any detection and is still unknown to so many
C. There were two parts i questioned during tmy reading was that of how jordan giving daisy the letter, and also Nick mentioning all the people at the party. i wasn't sure if all these names had a major importance or not but i feel as ifs they will in the future.
I. i agree with scanley in the PBA point because it shows how he and the law enforcers have some connection. this connection can show a great significance later in the book. but it also shows you how much money can dictate power in this time pie rod. he was almost above the law because eof his social status.
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