Tenzin Zomkyi

Schumacher - 3
Ap Lang
26 November 2016
Novel Notes : Chapter 5 - 6 , The Great Gatsby
Passages from text - 6 quotes per section of
reading

Response (Analysis)

Possibly it had occurred to him that the

colossal significance of that light had now
vanished forever. Compared to the great
distance that had separated him from Daisy it
had seemed very near to her, almost
touching her. It had seemed as close as a
star to the moon. Now it was again a green
light on a dock. His count of enchanted
objects had diminished by one (Fitzgerald
100).

This passage is particularly intriguing because it shows the contrast

between Gatsbys dream vs reality. Originally, to Gatsby, Daisy was a
symbol of his American Dream, and it was something that had always
motivated him, and that he had strived for. The green light, from the first
few chapters, is the representation of his dreams and hopes, and
Gatsby could always see it clearly on the other side. It was significant to
him, for everyday, he would gaze into the night for a grasp of his
dreams. However, now that Daisy and him are finally reunited, it seems
as if his original dreams are vanishing, although he has not fully
attained it. The green light was clear from the start, and now that it is
starting to vanish, it seems like Gatsby is lost, because he wasn't fully
prepared for the reality. The dream is not so clear to Gatsby anymore,
and he struggles with reality vs dream.

But there was a change in Gatsby that was

simply confounding. He literally glowed;
without a word or a gesture of exultation a
new well-being radiated from him and filled
the little room (Fitzgerald 95).

This is a metaphoric reference to Gatsbys happiness and excitement

over the fact that Daisys visit is going well. This passage helps to
emphasize how important Daisy is to Gatsby, because her mere
presence makes him glow. It also develops the mood, from Gatsbys
gloomy days, to a new hopeful one. All his life, he struggled to attain his
dream of being with Daisy, and now that she is finally here, after all his
hard work, he is confident that she will love him again. Nick is
highlighting the electric chemistry between Gatsby and Daisy that is
literally making radiating the room, which hints to the future, and raises
the question of whether Daisy will leave Tom for Gatsby or not, now that
she will see all the wealth he has.

She turned her head as there was a light,

dignified knocking at the front door. I went out
and opened it. Gatsby, pale as death, with his
hands plunged like weights in his coat
pockets, was standing in a puddle of water
glaring tragically into my eyes (Fitzgerald
92).

This is when Daisy arrives at Nicks house after Gatsby hinted at Nick
that he wanted him to invite Daisy. Gatsby, behind Daisy is extremely
pale as death nervous, because his dream is in front of him. She is
what he was not able to attain, and his lost love. He is purely obsessed
and in love with her, and this use of imagery in the passage
exaggerates the significance of this situation. Gatsby is unsure and
nervous of what could happen while Daisy is here, because it had been
so long since they were reunited.

She was appalled by West Egg, this

unprecedented place that Broadway had
begotten upon a Long Island fishing
villageappalled by its raw vigor that chafed
under the old euphemisms and by the too
obtrusive fate that herded its inhabitants
along a short cut from nothing to nothing. She
saw something awful in the very simplicity
she failed to understand (Fitzgerald 115).

This quote is significant, in that it reveals a vast distinction in the true

characteristic of Daisy, and how others see her as. While she may be
beauty and pureness on the outside, she is judgemental and poisoned
by the predisposed prejudices of her rich society. It shows the bigotry of
Daisy, and people of her social class that are unwilling to experience
what it is like for the different social class citizens, or be associated with
them. She is obsessed with selfish, materialistic ideals, and while it is
human nature to be selfish, Daisy is on that extreme end, like many
others. On a wider scale, this passage shows the sharp contrast
between West Egg (new money) and East Egg (old money), although
both sides are equally corrupt.

Cant repeat the past? he cried

incredulously. Why of course you can!
(Fitzgerald 118).

Gatsby has a clear obsession with the past, and simply cannot let go of
the past, or the idea of changing it. This introduces a new important
theme, which is the past. He thinks that Daisy will easily leave Tom, and
be in love with him again, once she realizes the amount of wealth and
status that Gatsby has gained over the years. However, it is not as easy
as it seems. This also shows the dissatisfaction that Gatsby shows
despite having wealth and social status. His American Dream is
essentially Daisy because of what she originally represented for him,
and he is overly confident in his determination that he can change the
pass to his liking. This shows that the American Dream ideals are
severely flawed, in that it is not always possible to achieve anything
through hard work. The pass can never be changed, and Gatsby
doesn't know how to deal with those consequences.

 The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg,

Long Island, sprang from his Platonic
conception of himself. He was a son of
Goda phrase which, if it means anything,
means just thatand he must be about His
Fathers Business, the service of a vast,
vulgar and meretricious beauty. So he
invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a
seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to
invent, and to this conception he was faithful
to the end. (Fitzgerald 105).

This quote helps the reader to further explore the characteristic of

Gatsby, and the range of his past. Through Nicks perspective, we learn
that Jay Gatsby is not real. It was a persona created by Gatsby
himself. By not being real, I mean that Gatsby originally did not have all
the same dreams, and hopes, and didnt start off the right end. Gatsby
turned himself into a better version of himself, which was the persona
that everyone saw him as. The Gatsby with flaws was unknown. He
made himself into the ideal that he dreamt of at the age of 17. He is the
American Dream. Gatsby wanted to become a new person, and
became a self-made wealthy aristocrat.