Hi guys! So I was wondering, on pg. 109 of the non-gold band addition, Gatsby mentions the fact that Gatsby feels far away from her, despite they're finally being near each other. Do you think that Daisy still loves him? Will they be able to get together?
Did anyone notice that whenever Nick is with Daisy, he can’t enjoy the things that he usually does? Pg106 (non-gold) “But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now.” Why is this? What does this say about his character? I got the feeling that Nick always needs others to approve of his actions. He’s constantly seeking for both Daisy’s and Gatsby’s approval!
Maddie- I think that Daisy does love him but her marrige gets in the way. I dont believe they will ever Marry but an affair is questionable- just the amount of time they spend with each other is unacceptable in a marrige.
So this chapter was extremely revealing to Gatsby's character. On page 100 of the non-gold band: "It was indirectly due to Cody that Gatsby did not drink." Do you think that even though Gatsby looked up to Cody, do you guys think that he feared that he would become like Cody?
Rachel, I feel like maybe Gatsby was trying to escape his past. He was ready to forget the pain in his life and take on a new exciting identity. I hope it doesn't have to do with him trying to escape crimes or anything. ^_^
Maddie~ I think they expect it to be the same as it used to be and maybe part of their love was being so in the moment and now the moment has passed. But in Gatsby and Daisy’s case I believe it takes more strength to let go than it does to hold on.
Rachels - I think Gatsby's fake name was metaphoric for him starting a new life and becoming a completly different person. He didn't want to be the poor James Gatz that he was before. He wanted a brand new start.
On page 104 in the non-gold band version, there is a quote that says "It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment". What do you think this quote means in relationship to The Great Gatsby? What about in relation to the characters such as Gatsby or Daisy or Nick?
@Maddie: I think it was the fact that Tom was at the party. Gatsby and Tom both wanted to be with Daisy, but neither of them could without making the other mad.
Rachels~ I am not sure why he changed Gatsby's name to Gatsby, but it might be that the man wasn't earning all his money honestly, and he needed a fake name. If not that his family name might have had some bad tie to it.
shannanp - exactly. I think Gatsby saw what drinking did to Cody and he never wanted to be affected like that. He was really focused on his goals and didn't want somethink like alchoholism to stop him.
RachelS~ I think that James Gatz gave his fake name because he hated his life. His parents were poor farmers and he was struggling to make ends meet, so as a teen he created this new figure: “Gatsby” who was successful and popular. Then, to “make this dream come true” he began calling himself this as if when people knew him by this name, he would be rich and powerful – which is actually what happened!
Shannan, that's an interesting comment. I think that Gatsby realizes the harm that comes from drinking, so he avoids it. And yeah, I bet he was scared of becoming a person who loses himself. That's surprising though as he seems to have lost himself completely to Daisy.
maddief - I do not think that Gatsby and Daisy will get back together because Gatsby's vision of Daisy, at this point, is not what she really is. He could never accept her for what she is because he spent so much of his time and energy making her something that she's not.
I was wandering why at the party Daisy was not enjoying herself. Also, Nick said that he viewed the party differently when Daisy was present. Why do you think Daisy had this effect?
Shannan- I definitally think so. He did respect Cody and looked up to him, but he also so this man destroy himself. He saw what could happen and feared that this would happen to him if he started to act like Cody.
rachels - I think Gatsby gave a fake name because he was tired of what he was and wanted to make a new person for himself. As strange as it seems, I can understand that idea. I think Gatsby was after the ability to start completely new and become someone entirely different than who he is.
ShannanP- I think that Gatsby may say that his sobriety was unrelated to Cody, but I think Gatsby just wants to look like he made the decision himself. Gatsby wants to look like a strong person and he wants to illude that he is able to make the decision himself.
MaddieF~I think Daisy still loves him but when they were far away and didn't see each other. Now that they are close, maybe what Gatsby thought would happen didn't. Maybe he thought they would reunite and immediately fall back in love or that she would tell him that she has always loved him or something like that. But Daisy hasn't done anything, to him his imagination and ideas of what would happen when they reunited isn't occurring which could cause him to feel farther away from her because his expectations were too high.
Karly~ I think that Daisy wasn't enjoying herself because she was in such a difficult position. She was with her husband and the man who used to and still may have her heart.
Cate, Parker Lauren, Maddie, Alex - Thanks! I was a little confused about why Gatsby wanted to give a fake name but it makes sense that he wanted to completel start over to give himself a chance at wealth.
Karly - I think Daisy has this radiance about her that draws people in. She somehow manages to liven up the lives of many people and I think this is why both Nick and Gatsby enjoy her company so much.
Rachel- I think that by giving himself a fake name, Gatsby was trying to distance himself from his family and make a new start for himself. Giving himself a new name is symbolic for him starting over.
Morganw- Well, in general, it is common to look for faults in things that you have done. You always want that perfect thing, and when your dreams don't come true, and you see the flaws, it saddens you. For example, Gatsby had this amazing view of Daisy, but she is falling short simply because he expected SO much from her. She can't do it all. This saddens him, because his "perfect" person is not completely "perfect".
Do you guys think that Tom's going to get jealous of Gatsby? Or is he really going to care since he himself is in an affair? To me, Tom seems like the kind of person who has to be in control. If he loses his wife, I think he's going to fly off the handle.
@Karly: I don't think it is as much Daisy as it is Tom. Gatsby could not be that romantic with Daisy unless Tom was out of the picture and, with him there, there was a sense of awkwardness between the men and Daisy.
Maddief: on page 110 of the non-gold version Nick looks at Gatsby's love for Daisy and he "gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself that had gone into loving Daisy." So I wondered if Gatsby just wanted that part back or actually wanted Daisy. And I think that Daisy definitely loves him because the only time she enjoyed herself at the party was when she was with Gatsby. However, I think that Gatsby and Daisy almost don't trust their love enough to break up a marriage and corrupt their lives. Its almost as if they already belonged to each other before Daisy was married and so they still belong to one another.
Karly~I think that Nick feels really comfortable around his cousin, and he now knows that Gatsby likes Daisy so he feels almost, protective and worried when she is not around!
Shannan - I think Gatsby doesn't drink just because of what happened to Cody. If he became an alcohol, he would probably lose all of his wealth and social status, which are both very important to him. Both of those things are what's on his side to win Daisy over.
Maddie - I think Tom is an extremly possesive man. I think it's already apparant that he doesn't want Gatsby near his wife and that he wants to control Daisy. It seems like he has no problem with his own affair but if Daisy ever tried anything I believe he would be furious.
MorganW- I love this quote and it totally stood out to me while I was reading. I think, in comparison to Gatsby, this means that it is hard to look at a situation from a different perspective, or feel anothe person's pain because when you do, you can realize the pain and sadness you were blind to before. With Gatsby, he is starting to learn more and more about him, and through this gaining a different understanding. Because of this, he sees and greater understands the heart ache that he experiances. This also applies to Daisy, as Nick gets to see her and the hardships she experiances in her marriage.
Lauren C- If daisy has such a livly and sociable atmosphere, then why at the party did she not enjoy herself? It seemed that while she was at the party everything seemed dull and fake.
Gatsby seems to keep dwelling on the past. On the last few pages of the chapter Nick mentions that you can change the past and Gatsby then reminisces his first, uncommunicable kiss with Daisy. Do you think Gatsby wouldn't have left for the army if it meant losing Daisy? Why does he want to go back so badly?
Shannan~ I think that Cody was very helpful in Gatsby's life because he was able to get a glimpse at success and see the good parts of wealth, and the bad parts of wealth, and decide which thingshe wanted to apply to his own life.
@Maddie: I agree. I think Tom is going to go mad should Daisy leave him. But, as you mentioned, he has Myrtle to fall back on. Also keep in mind the little preview Mrs. Leclaire gave us of the next chapter...
Maddie - I agree. I don't think Tom would take it too well if he lost Daisy. Even though he himself is partaking in an affair, the woman he is joined to is simply not allowed to have that same freedom. I think he would lose control and his anger and violence would take over.
Karly- I don't know. I can see why Gatsby would do something like that maybe, but Nick? That doesn't make total sense. Maybe he wants confirmation that his efforts to help those two were worthwhile, or that he helped them get together? He could've been nervous about it all.
maddief - I agree I can't see Tom's actions after he finds out about the affair as anything good. He seems like the type of person who would he his affair and Daisy's as two very unrelated things, and I can see him feeling betrayed and angry. Maybe he's involved in the murder Mrs. Leclair told us about?
RoseR~ I though over that same quote which is why i asked a question below your comment referring to it. I feel that your first kiss with the someone you love is indescribable and inexplainable. I think theirs was so powerful that it just can't be explained.
Parkerh - you mention that his dreams don't come true. That reminds me of an annotation I did for this chapter. It seemed to me that this book is a tragedy of sorts and that one of the key features of it is that everybody in this book (minus the narrator) is a dreamer. They spend all of their time and energy on creating their dreams that they never actually do something to attain the dream. then something snaps them back to reality and they fall because they built up their dreams but put nothing underneath them. Does that make sense? What do you think?
MaddieF~ I think that Tom will be very upset if Daisy has an affair. Even though he is himself having an affair, I think that Tom feels like he deserves to have an affair while his wife just sits at home by herself. By deserving I mean that Tom thinks that he can do whatever he wants, but women are supposed to be proper, so Daisy shouldn’t.
AlexF- I also noticed that Nick notices the best characteristics of Daisy and Gatsby, especially when on page 108 (non-gold), Nick notices Daisy's singing and says that she brings out new meanings in each words that have never been sung and will never be sung again. Nick almost strives to be as great as he percieves Gatsby and Daisy to be.
Karly - I think Daisy's radiance is shattered by Tom. She probably feels like he is too controlling or hindering her happiness and so she can't be happy whenever he's around.
Kenna- I think he wants to go back because he is like everyone; once things get hard, I just want to return to the way it was when I didn't have the responsibilities I do now. I think his heart hurts because he missed his chance and wishes that he could just go back to the way it was, before there were these complications.
Lauren, yeah that's what I feel about Tom. He's always going on about how women shouldn't "go out" and such because it's not proper. He is such a hyprocrite! He's in an affair for crying out loud!
To everyone talking about Tom and his affair- I think another reason losing Daisy would irk Tom so much is because in his own affair, he isn't getting anything better than Daisy. For Daisy, though, her affair is because she loves Gatsby and he is "perfect" unlike her husband. Gatsby is actually someone to be jealous of; Myrtle is not.
alexf - I wasn't sure what exactly that quote meant, but I think it was basically talking about the difference between the East and West Egg. I though this chapter really emphasized the huge class divisions in every faction of society, even in the very rich. Daisy doesn't understand the West egg, and probably never will be able to.
Morgan- I think I see what you're saying. That makes sense to me. I would venture to say that we all do that, and that everyone's expectations are stepped on every now and then, but yeah. I agree.
KennaW~ I don’t think that Gatsby would have left for the war if it meant losing Daisy. But then again, I’m not sure that he exactly knew that he would lose her. Also, I think that he keeps dwelling on the past because that’s all he has to hold on to. His life right now is filled with people that he doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know, so the only thing he has to live for is the past…
melissaz - ooh! I really like your interpretation. I can totally see what you mean. I also think, that on top of that, it has to do with how people can become so involved in themselves that they fail to notice or care about the other people around them. It's like Gatsby's so absorbed in his own dreams of Daisy that he can't have any other meaningful relationships with anybody.
Maddie - I agree. A lot of men seem to have this power complex over 'their women' and they completly ignore the fact that they are being hypocritic. You see this in a lot of literature and even a lot in real life.
Rose- I'd imagine it was something to do with him there. I don't think he was dreaming about someone else's kiss. That's... more than a little creepy. Catch my drift?
Rachel, *gasp* I didn't even think about that! I really, really hope Tom doesn't get so angry at Daisy that he kills her. I've finally started to actually like her, it'd be so terrible if she kicked the bucket! But if she doesn't, who will...?
Morgan and Parker: Going back to the dreamer thing. I also agree with you both. Gatsby has been obsessed with finding and getting back with Daisy for so long- now that he has her (but not all the way) it does not fulfill the dream. On page 109 of the non gold book Nick comments "He wanted nothing less of Daisy than she should go to Tom and say: I never loved you." Do you guys think that she will ever do such a thing? Do you think that she has the guts to stand up or does she not want to say something and instead be found out.
delaney: i totally agree with you! Tom left so he could prove he could get better then Daisy, but he can't because the more i read about her, Daisy seems better and better! She is trying to make Tom jealous on purpose but Tom is still not taking action!! He is starting to realize that there are so many other guys that want her and he messed it up by running off with the fat, ugly, needy chick!
maddief - I'm going to go ahead an predict that Tom might kill Gatsby. I'm not sure though; I think he would be more angry at Daisy than Gatsby, but I can't see him killing her.
ShannanP~ So you’re saying that Gatsby and Daisy are “idols/mentors” to Nick? Is this because of their money or achievements? And do you think that this will get him in trouble eventually because he is willing to do anything that they ask of him? Ohh, maybe he will be “convinced” to kill someone…?
alexf - I think that quote was put in there to show that Daisy has become so obsessed with her materialistic lifestyle that she can no longer understand the simplicity in life. She seems to me to lack happiness or contentment, almost because she doesn't understand how simple it is to be happy or content. She can't accept that if she and Tom really loved each other they would be happy or at least content with oneanother no matter what happend.
@Rachel: Call it a feeling, but it isn't going to be Daisy that gets murdered. I see where you are coming from and I think it is posible, but both men have tons of anger towards each other over Daisy. I'm thinking it's gonna be Tom personaly. The selfish personality, the rumors that Gatsby killed a man, things allong those lines.
I'm beginning to think maybe Tom will kill Daisy... We've already seen how violent he can get towards women when he broke Myrtle's nose. If Daisy were to decide to go back to Gatsby, I wouldn't really be surprised if Tom killed her.
delaneyn - Yes! That actually makes a lot more sense. Gatsby is really passionate about his feelings for Daisy so maybe his emotions will go out of control!
Does anyone think that Tom might actually love Daisy? I feel like he is really protective of her, and regrets the affair. I think that the only reason he had the affair was to impress his friends. Does anyone kind of agree?
On page 115 of the gold banded book, Tom is taliing to Daisy and he is saying she wasn't having a good time, yet she said she was, and there was just some tension in the air. Then, in the middle of the tension, it states,
"Daisy began to sing with the music in a husky, rhythmic whisper, bringing out a meaning in each word that it never had before and would never have again. When the melody rose her voice broke up sweetly, following it, in a way contralto voices have, and each change tipped out a little of her warm human magic upon the air" (Fitzgerald 114-115).
I love how Fitzgerald describes this scene, but it seems so odd. As soon as Daisy finds herself in an uncomfortable situation, she uses this entrancing "instrument" to distract and end the converstation. I don't know what to think about this quality.
Morgan- I agree with what you said about the characters being dreamers. I feel like some of them have set dreams they can never attain, or are to afraid to try a get, and when they fail the rest of them will fall apart because so much of themselves are focused on the unattainable.
Parker-yeah the reminiscing is deinitely a little fishy...it makes me wonder if there was ever a fling with the Daisy and Nick, and thats just what popped in my head...even though they are cousins
Do you think that the quote about Daisy, on page 107 (non-gold), “She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand” is saying something about Daisy’s “love affairs”?
Catem: I think he absolutely does love Daisy, but he just doesn't realize how amazing she is and what he is missing until she runs off with someone else! And that's why Tom is going to get so mad when she is always with Gatsby!
Good grief, this whole murder prediction has got me really nervous! I actually want to read the book now! Oh, and also,how much of Gatsby's past is true? We are only as aware of Gatsby's past as Nick is, and it seems like the stories keep changing. Is Gatsby being purposefully deceitful in order to hide something?
Austin- News Flash: he was in a war. People kill each other in wars. So yeah, he did potentially kill a guy. That doesn't NECESSARILY mean he'll kill someone else, but I suppose it is possible.
Sabrinad - I strongly believe Daisy will not tell that to Tom because I do not think that she truly loves Gatsby anymore. I think both her and Gatsby want to love one another, and I think they did at one time, but I think that through the passage of time they have created false realities of what each other really are and so they can't love one another again because they can't reconcile their dreams with the reality.
SabrinaD- There are definitely those people in my life as well. Good point.
RachelS-So do you think that Cody had goals and the alcoholism washed out his dreams and Gatsby watched this happen?
MaddieF-WOW!! That was really insightful and a whole new perspective that I hadn't even looked at. So do you think that those two forms of obsession are as bad as each other or is one more than the other?
Cate~ I think that Tom has always loved Daisy deep down, but doesn't express it because he has become bored with their relationship. I think if Daisy were to ever go away or run away with Gatsby, that he would then realize how much he truly loved her.
Cate, I agree, I think that Tom really does love Daisy, but he takes advantage of her love for him. He knows that she will never leave and uses that knowledge to go and have flings. She is his fall-back, his constant. If she was suddenly removed from the picture for some reason *cough*Gatsby*cough*, I think he'd be panicking a little.
Rose- Sketchy... but I can't really see them having a relationship there. Sometimes people just remember random things from the past and enjoy them until those memories disappear.
maddief - I was wondering about that. When I was reading Nick's account of Gatsby's past, it was presented as the TRUTH, not speculation or rumor or lies. I'm pretty sure Nick believes that history is the truth, but there still could be some fiction in it. I think it depends how much you trust the narrator and how much you trust Gatsby.
MelissaZ~ I actually think that it is a good quality for Daisy to use her “instrument” because I don’t necessarily think that it’s bad to distract. Have you ever been in a fight where both people were so stubborn that you just wanted to walk away? I think that Daisy began singing as a way to say, “whatever, we disagree and I’m not going to let what you say get to me.” I think she also began singing so as to sort of calm Tom down (after all, he is very violent).
I feel like Gatsby stands for incorruptability. He wont be evil, he wont kill, we dont even know if he is trulying having an affair. Even through all the pain he seems so pure.
@Parker: I was actually took that as a foreshadowing as something else. I know he was in war, but I was wondering if it ment something more.
Honestly the only person I don't see dying is Gatsby. To be honest, I'm not going to analyze 20 pages just to find a reason (If I did, I'd just read ahead). Then again, that would be a good plot twist and an alternative to Tom killing Daisy.
I'm kind of having another thought... What if Gatsby pulls a whole Romeo and Juliet thing and kills Daisy out of his love for her? And then possibly he would kill himself afterwards just to be with her? Just a thought...
I love what Ms. Leclaire said on the inner circle. As a reader, I want to think that Gatsby and Daisy will have this perfect love that took place right where they left off, but as I read farther, I don't see that as being the reality. I don't know if they have the same love, but they wish they still had that love. I think in the end, they will both continue unhappy, Daisy with Tom and Gatsby still lonely.
On the last two pages of the book the past is brought up a lot. I noticed that Nick understands that reality is real and you are stuck in time. But Gatby is still in the past he believes you can repeat the past. I believe that this is Gatby's downfall- he will never be able to see that things have changed.
In some ways I want Daisy and Gatsby to get together but in others I want them to do the hard thing and make Daisy stay faithful even though they may be miserable. I think Tom will kill Gatsby.
shannanp - I don't necessarily think that Cody had goals destroyed or anything, but I think Gatsby saw alchohol's affect on him, and Gatsby never wanted to be in his shoes and to go through that. Mrs. Leclaire was saying in the inner circle that Gatsby is working to create this kind of dream universe for himself, and he didn't want anything to hold him back.
RachelS~ I agree in your opinion that Gatsby is “pure” but when you think about it, I still am unable to get over the fact that he was practically stalking Daisy. I think that he is pure in the sense that he would never do anything wrong, but has a poor sense of how far to take things.
Maddie- I think that Tom is starting to see that this security has with his relationship with Daisy is in jepordy and I think that this, more than jealousy, would be his reason for wanting Daisy.
Alex- I see your point and I think in some instances, it works, but with this she never learns to truly face the facts. She gets around the problem. The problem with her husband, she uses her beauty and alluring voice to get the attention she wants, instead of dealing with the issue. Here in her conversation, she just avoids the facts. Sometimes it totally works, but she shouldn't always escape.
I just can't bring myself to believe that Tom loves Daisy. I think he sees her as a posession more than a lover and wife. It seems like he doesn't want to lose one of his posessions to another man because this would show his weakness.
Rachel, I have mixed feelings on Gatsby being the role model of honor. I think that his character was designed as the "good" side of Fitzgerald, but at the same time, I think he has every intention of robbing Tom of his wife, as seen in the quote 'He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: "I never loved you."' So I definitely feel that he's the hero of the story, but maybe not an incorruptible one.
Sabrina- True, but there are certain things that are repeatable. Memories cannot be perfectly relived, or anything like that, which is more or less what you said. On the other hand, you can mess up your life over and over again doing the same thing. Make any sense at all?
Austin - Well yes, I can understand that. I just thought it might be a possibility just because of his obsession of her. If he killed her then killed himself, they'd be 'together forever'.
MelissaZ~ I agree, I don’t see Daisy and Gatsby getting together because they can’t repeat the past at all. All the “love” that they have for each other is just memories, and not actions. Can you love off of ONLY memories?
So I'm really glad that everyone is trying to predict who will be killed and who will be the killer...
DelaneyN- I think that even though Gatsby is so "good" through Nick's eyes I think that because Gatsby is so obsessed with Daisy its possible that his love will come out as anger towards Tom because for once someone has something that he doesn't and something that she wants.
@Megan: When you put it that way, then yeah I can see that. He could even do a "Rose for Emily" type thing, but then again that is wild and unneeded speculation.
KarlyH - I agree. I think Tom is more concerned with having a solid relationship with someone more than with Daisy herself. That also connects to Gatsby's feelings for Daisy. It depends on your interpretation of it, but he maybe sees Daisy as representing the kind of woman his new life requires, but not as a person.
Okay, my computer ran out of battery halfway through, so here are some of the questions that I still have:
Do you think that Gatsby wanting to turn back the past reflects anything about Fitzgerald's life?
Why do you think that Gatsby wanted to make so much money? Do you think it was to impress Daisy, to follow in Cody's footsteps, or just the American way?
catem---I think Gatsby wanting to turn back the past reflects a lot about FSF's life. He and Zelda were "King and Queen" of the Jazz Age, and once the Roaring 20s ended and the Great Depression began, he probably wanted to go back to happier times. Also, once his wife developed mental illness, he probably wanted to go back to a time when she wasn't in a hospital and they were traveling the world. I definitely agree that Nick needs others' approval in order to feel good about himself. He doesn't seem to express many opinions and he seems overall to be very submissive. I also think Gatsby not drinking reflected the way FSF wished he was---he had alcohol problems, and more likely than not he probably wished he was a teetotaler, like Gatsby. Also, I think Gatsby’s love for Daisy grew as he was separated from her. I’m sure he cared for her a lot at first, but until they were separated and he realized he may have lost her forever, his love developed even more. You never know what you have until it’s gone; absence makes the heart grow fonder… I agree that Tom has had affairs to impress his friends and that deep down, he genuinely cares for Daisy. When he sees her possibly slipping away into Gatsby’s arms, this makes him realize how much he truly cares for her and how badly he has treated her. I think Daisy uses her voice to entrance people when she’s uncomfortable because she is an avoider. She avoids uncomfortable situations instead of confronting them. Distracting people with her lovely voice is her way of choosing not to think about the things she doesn’t want to.
117 comments:
Hi guys! So I was wondering, on pg. 109 of the non-gold band addition, Gatsby mentions the fact that Gatsby feels far away from her, despite they're finally being near each other. Do you think that Daisy still loves him? Will they be able to get together?
Why do you think James Gatz (Gatsby) gave the man on the boat his fake name?
Did anyone notice that whenever Nick is with Daisy, he can’t enjoy the things that he usually does? Pg106 (non-gold) “But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now.” Why is this? What does this say about his character? I got the feeling that Nick always needs others to approve of his actions. He’s constantly seeking for both Daisy’s and Gatsby’s approval!
Maddie-
I think that Daisy does love him but her marrige gets in the way. I dont believe they will ever Marry but an affair is questionable- just the amount of time they spend with each other is unacceptable in a marrige.
So this chapter was extremely revealing to Gatsby's character. On page 100 of the non-gold band: "It was indirectly due to Cody that Gatsby did not drink." Do you think that even though Gatsby looked up to Cody, do you guys think that he feared that he would become like Cody?
Rachel, I feel like maybe Gatsby was trying to escape his past. He was ready to forget the pain in his life and take on a new exciting identity. I hope it doesn't have to do with him trying to escape crimes or anything. ^_^
Maddie~ I think they expect it to be the same as it used to be and maybe part of their love was being so in the moment and now the moment has passed. But in Gatsby and Daisy’s case I believe it takes more strength to let go than it does to hold on.
Rachels - I think Gatsby's fake name was metaphoric for him starting a new life and becoming a completly different person. He didn't want to be the poor James Gatz that he was before. He wanted a brand new start.
On page 104 in the non-gold band version, there is a quote that says "It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment". What do you think this quote means in relationship to The Great Gatsby? What about in relation to the characters such as Gatsby or Daisy or Nick?
I wasn't so sure about the first few pages, but I think that during thoes five years that Gatsby was on a boat Gatsby may have been "at war".
@Maddie: I think it was the fact that Tom was at the party. Gatsby and Tom both wanted to be with Daisy, but neither of them could without making the other mad.
Shannon-
I believe it was a mixture of adoration and fear. I know I have felt that way about people.
Rachel-
Giving your true name can be dangerous. There is safety in secrecy, in this instance. That is, if I remember that part correctly.
Rachels~ I am not sure why he changed Gatsby's name to Gatsby, but it might be that the man wasn't earning all his money honestly, and he needed a fake name. If not that his family name might have had some bad tie to it.
shannanp - exactly. I think Gatsby saw what drinking did to Cody and he never wanted to be affected like that. He was really focused on his goals and didn't want somethink like alchoholism to stop him.
Maybe Gatsby is his fake name and his "fake name" is his real name?
RachelS~
I think that James Gatz gave his fake name because he hated his life. His parents were poor farmers and he was struggling to make ends meet, so as a teen he created this new figure: “Gatsby” who was successful and popular. Then, to “make this dream come true” he began calling himself this as if when people knew him by this name, he would be rich and powerful – which is actually what happened!
Shannan, that's an interesting comment. I think that Gatsby realizes the harm that comes from drinking, so he avoids it. And yeah, I bet he was scared of becoming a person who loses himself. That's surprising though as he seems to have lost himself completely to Daisy.
maddief - I do not think that Gatsby and Daisy will get back together because Gatsby's vision of Daisy, at this point, is not what she really is. He could never accept her for what she is because he spent so much of his time and energy making her something that she's not.
I was wandering why at the party Daisy was not enjoying herself. Also, Nick said that he viewed the party differently when Daisy was present. Why do you think Daisy had this effect?
Shannan- I definitally think so. He did respect Cody and looked up to him, but he also so this man destroy himself. He saw what could happen and feared that this would happen to him if he started to act like Cody.
rachels - I think Gatsby gave a fake name because he was tired of what he was and wanted to make a new person for himself. As strange as it seems, I can understand that idea. I think Gatsby was after the ability to start completely new and become someone entirely different than who he is.
ShannanP- I think that Gatsby may say that his sobriety was unrelated to Cody, but I think Gatsby just wants to look like he made the decision himself. Gatsby wants to look like a strong person and he wants to illude that he is able to make the decision himself.
MaddieF~I think Daisy still loves him but when they were far away and didn't see each other. Now that they are close, maybe what Gatsby thought would happen didn't. Maybe he thought they would reunite and immediately fall back in love or that she would tell him that she has always loved him or something like that. But Daisy hasn't done anything, to him his imagination and ideas of what would happen when they reunited isn't occurring which could cause him to feel farther away from her because his expectations were too high.
Karly~ I think that Daisy wasn't enjoying herself because she was in such a difficult position. She was with her husband and the man who used to and still may have her heart.
Cate, Parker Lauren, Maddie, Alex - Thanks! I was a little confused about why Gatsby wanted to give a fake name but it makes sense that he wanted to completel start over to give himself a chance at wealth.
Karly - I think Daisy has this radiance about her that draws people in. She somehow manages to liven up the lives of many people and I think this is why both Nick and Gatsby enjoy her company so much.
Rachel-
I think that by giving himself a fake name, Gatsby was trying to distance himself from his family and make a new start for himself. Giving himself a new name is symbolic for him starting over.
Morganw-
Well, in general, it is common to look for faults in things that you have done. You always want that perfect thing, and when your dreams don't come true, and you see the flaws, it saddens you. For example, Gatsby had this amazing view of Daisy, but she is falling short simply because he expected SO much from her. She can't do it all. This saddens him, because his "perfect" person is not completely "perfect".
Do you guys think that Tom's going to get jealous of Gatsby? Or is he really going to care since he himself is in an affair? To me, Tom seems like the kind of person who has to be in control. If he loses his wife, I think he's going to fly off the handle.
@Karly: I don't think it is as much Daisy as it is Tom. Gatsby could not be that romantic with Daisy unless Tom was out of the picture and, with him there, there was a sense of awkwardness between the men and Daisy.
Maddief:
on page 110 of the non-gold version Nick looks at Gatsby's love for Daisy and he "gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself that had gone into loving Daisy." So I wondered if Gatsby just wanted that part back or actually wanted Daisy. And I think that Daisy definitely loves him because the only time she enjoyed herself at the party was when she was with Gatsby. However, I think that Gatsby and Daisy almost don't trust their love enough to break up a marriage and corrupt their lives. Its almost as if they already belonged to each other before Daisy was married and so they still belong to one another.
Karly~I think that Nick feels really comfortable around his cousin, and he now knows that Gatsby likes Daisy so he feels almost, protective and worried when she is not around!
Shannan - I think Gatsby doesn't drink just because of what happened to Cody. If he became an alcohol, he would probably lose all of his wealth and social status, which are both very important to him. Both of those things are what's on his side to win Daisy over.
Maddie - I think Tom is an extremly possesive man. I think it's already apparant that he doesn't want Gatsby near his wife and that he wants to control Daisy. It seems like he has no problem with his own affair but if Daisy ever tried anything I believe he would be furious.
On page 118 Nick talks about his moment of nostalgia, that he explains as was "uncommunicable forever"...what do you think was this thought was??
MorganW- I love this quote and it totally stood out to me while I was reading. I think, in comparison to Gatsby, this means that it is hard to look at a situation from a different perspective, or feel anothe person's pain because when you do, you can realize the pain and sadness you were blind to before. With Gatsby, he is starting to learn more and more about him, and through this gaining a different understanding. Because of this, he sees and greater understands the heart ache that he experiances. This also applies to Daisy, as Nick gets to see her and the hardships she experiances in her marriage.
Lauren C-
If daisy has such a livly and sociable atmosphere, then why at the party did she not enjoy herself? It seemed that while she was at the party everything seemed dull and fake.
What do you think about the quote (about Daisy), on page 107 (non-gold), “She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand.”
Gatsby seems to keep dwelling on the past. On the last few pages of the chapter Nick mentions that you can change the past and Gatsby then reminisces his first, uncommunicable kiss with Daisy. Do you think Gatsby wouldn't have left for the army if it meant losing Daisy? Why does he want to go back so badly?
Shannan~ I think that Cody was very helpful in Gatsby's life because he was able to get a glimpse at success and see the good parts of wealth, and the bad parts of wealth, and decide which thingshe wanted to apply to his own life.
@Maddie: I agree. I think Tom is going to go mad should Daisy leave him. But, as you mentioned, he has Myrtle to fall back on. Also keep in mind the little preview Mrs. Leclaire gave us of the next chapter...
Maddie - I agree. I don't think Tom would take it too well if he lost Daisy. Even though he himself is partaking in an affair, the woman he is joined to is simply not allowed to have that same freedom. I think he would lose control and his anger and violence would take over.
Karly-
I don't know. I can see why Gatsby would do something like that maybe, but Nick? That doesn't make total sense. Maybe he wants confirmation that his efforts to help those two were worthwhile, or that he helped them get together? He could've been nervous about it all.
maddief - I agree I can't see Tom's actions after he finds out about the affair as anything good. He seems like the type of person who would he his affair and Daisy's as two very unrelated things, and I can see him feeling betrayed and angry. Maybe he's involved in the murder Mrs. Leclair told us about?
RoseR~
I though over that same quote which is why i asked a question below your comment referring to it. I feel that your first kiss with the someone you love is indescribable and inexplainable. I think theirs was so powerful that it just can't be explained.
Parkerh - you mention that his dreams don't come true. That reminds me of an annotation I did for this chapter. It seemed to me that this book is a tragedy of sorts and that one of the key features of it is that everybody in this book (minus the narrator) is a dreamer. They spend all of their time and energy on creating their dreams that they never actually do something to attain the dream. then something snaps them back to reality and they fall because they built up their dreams but put nothing underneath them. Does that make sense? What do you think?
MaddieF~
I think that Tom will be very upset if Daisy has an affair. Even though he is himself having an affair, I think that Tom feels like he deserves to have an affair while his wife just sits at home by herself. By deserving I mean that Tom thinks that he can do whatever he wants, but women are supposed to be proper, so Daisy shouldn’t.
AlexF-
I also noticed that Nick notices the best characteristics of Daisy and Gatsby, especially when on page 108 (non-gold), Nick notices Daisy's singing and says that she brings out new meanings in each words that have never been sung and will never be sung again. Nick almost strives to be as great as he percieves Gatsby and Daisy to be.
Karly - I think Daisy's radiance is shattered by Tom. She probably feels like he is too controlling or hindering her happiness and so she can't be happy whenever he's around.
Kenna- I think he wants to go back because he is like everyone; once things get hard, I just want to return to the way it was when I didn't have the responsibilities I do now. I think his heart hurts because he missed his chance and wishes that he could just go back to the way it was, before there were these complications.
Lauren, yeah that's what I feel about Tom. He's always going on about how women shouldn't "go out" and such because it's not proper. He is such a hyprocrite! He's in an affair for crying out loud!
To everyone talking about Tom and his affair- I think another reason losing Daisy would irk Tom so much is because in his own affair, he isn't getting anything better than Daisy. For Daisy, though, her affair is because she loves Gatsby and he is "perfect" unlike her husband. Gatsby is actually someone to be jealous of; Myrtle is not.
alexf - I wasn't sure what exactly that quote meant, but I think it was basically talking about the difference between the East and West Egg. I though this chapter really emphasized the huge class divisions in every faction of society, even in the very rich. Daisy doesn't understand the West egg, and probably never will be able to.
Ken-That's a good interpretation! But, I'm still wondering is Nick remembering one of his kisses, or the Gatsby/Daisy kiss??
Morgan-
I think I see what you're saying. That makes sense to me. I would venture to say that we all do that, and that everyone's expectations are stepped on every now and then, but yeah. I agree.
KennaW~
I don’t think that Gatsby would have left for the war if it meant losing Daisy. But then again, I’m not sure that he exactly knew that he would lose her. Also, I think that he keeps dwelling on the past because that’s all he has to hold on to. His life right now is filled with people that he doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know, so the only thing he has to live for is the past…
melissaz - ooh! I really like your interpretation. I can totally see what you mean. I also think, that on top of that, it has to do with how people can become so involved in themselves that they fail to notice or care about the other people around them. It's like Gatsby's so absorbed in his own dreams of Daisy that he can't have any other meaningful relationships with anybody.
Maddie - I agree. A lot of men seem to have this power complex over 'their women' and they completly ignore the fact that they are being hypocritic. You see this in a lot of literature and even a lot in real life.
Rose-
I'd imagine it was something to do with him there. I don't think he was dreaming about someone else's kiss. That's... more than a little creepy. Catch my drift?
Rachel, *gasp* I didn't even think about that! I really, really hope Tom doesn't get so angry at Daisy that he kills her. I've finally started to actually like her, it'd be so terrible if she kicked the bucket! But if she doesn't, who will...?
RachelS~
Do you think that this quote is trying to say anything about Daisy and her “love affairs?”
They aren't having an affair nessecarily are they?
Morgan and Parker:
Going back to the dreamer thing. I also agree with you both. Gatsby has been obsessed with finding and getting back with Daisy for so long- now that he has her (but not all the way) it does not fulfill the dream. On page 109 of the non gold book Nick comments "He wanted nothing less of Daisy than she should go to Tom and say: I never loved you." Do you guys think that she will ever do such a thing? Do you think that she has the guts to stand up or does she not want to say something and instead be found out.
delaney: i totally agree with you! Tom left so he could prove he could get better then Daisy, but he can't because the more i read about her, Daisy seems better and better! She is trying to make Tom jealous on purpose but Tom is still not taking action!! He is starting to realize that there are so many other guys that want her and he messed it up by running off with the fat, ugly, needy chick!
Maddie-
It's a "classic". All the good characters, minus the narrators, die. I'm guessing Gatsby, but I'm just as likely to be wrong there.
maddief - I'm going to go ahead an predict that Tom might kill Gatsby. I'm not sure though; I think he would be more angry at Daisy than Gatsby, but I can't see him killing her.
Maybe Gatsby will kill Tom! oooooooooo...
ShannanP~
So you’re saying that Gatsby and Daisy are “idols/mentors” to Nick? Is this because of their money or achievements? And do you think that this will get him in trouble eventually because he is willing to do anything that they ask of him? Ohh, maybe he will be “convinced” to kill someone…?
alexf - I think that quote was put in there to show that Daisy has become so obsessed with her materialistic lifestyle that she can no longer understand the simplicity in life. She seems to me to lack happiness or contentment, almost because she doesn't understand how simple it is to be happy or content. She can't accept that if she and Tom really loved each other they would be happy or at least content with oneanother no matter what happend.
Sabrina-
I don't have a good answer. I can see it going either way, so...
@Rachel: Call it a feeling, but it isn't going to be Daisy that gets murdered. I see where you are coming from and I think it is posible, but both men have tons of anger towards each other over Daisy. I'm thinking it's gonna be Tom personaly. The selfish personality, the rumors that Gatsby killed a man, things allong those lines.
I'm beginning to think maybe Tom will kill Daisy... We've already seen how violent he can get towards women when he broke Myrtle's nose. If Daisy were to decide to go back to Gatsby, I wouldn't really be surprised if Tom killed her.
delaneyn - Yes! That actually makes a lot more sense. Gatsby is really passionate about his feelings for Daisy so maybe his emotions will go out of control!
Does anyone think that Tom might actually love Daisy? I feel like he is really protective of her, and regrets the affair. I think that the only reason he had the affair was to impress his friends. Does anyone kind of agree?
On page 115 of the gold banded book, Tom is taliing to Daisy and he is saying she wasn't having a good time, yet she said she was, and there was just some tension in the air. Then, in the middle of the tension, it states,
"Daisy began to sing with the music in a husky, rhythmic whisper, bringing out a meaning in each word that it never had before and would never have again. When the melody rose her voice broke up sweetly, following it, in a way contralto voices have, and each change tipped out a little of her warm human magic upon the air" (Fitzgerald 114-115).
I love how Fitzgerald describes this scene, but it seems so odd. As soon as Daisy finds herself in an uncomfortable situation, she uses this entrancing "instrument" to distract and end the converstation. I don't know what to think about this quality.
Morgan-
I agree with what you said about the characters being dreamers. I feel like some of them have set dreams they can never attain, or are to afraid to try a get, and when they fail the rest of them will fall apart because so much of themselves are focused on the unattainable.
Parker-yeah the reminiscing is deinitely a little fishy...it makes me wonder if there was ever a fling with the Daisy and Nick, and thats just what popped in my head...even though they are cousins
Do you think that the quote about Daisy, on page 107 (non-gold), “She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand” is saying something about Daisy’s “love affairs”?
Delaney: I think that that is actually a totally plausible idea! He is so in love with Daisy that his emotions will end up taking control!!
MorganW- I really like your extension too. That makes total sence and gives a great meaning to that quote!
Catem: I think he absolutely does love Daisy, but he just doesn't realize how amazing she is and what he is missing until she runs off with someone else! And that's why Tom is going to get so mad when she is always with Gatsby!
Good grief, this whole murder prediction has got me really nervous! I actually want to read the book now! Oh, and also,how much of Gatsby's past is true? We are only as aware of Gatsby's past as Nick is, and it seems like the stories keep changing. Is Gatsby being purposefully deceitful in order to hide something?
Sorry, but I'm going to contradict myself really quickly... I can't actually see Gatsby killing Tom. He's too good.
Austin-
News Flash: he was in a war. People kill each other in wars. So yeah, he did potentially kill a guy. That doesn't NECESSARILY mean he'll kill someone else, but I suppose it is possible.
Sabrinad - I strongly believe Daisy will not tell that to Tom because I do not think that she truly loves Gatsby anymore. I think both her and Gatsby want to love one another, and I think they did at one time, but I think that through the passage of time they have created false realities of what each other really are and so they can't love one another again because they can't reconcile their dreams with the reality.
SabrinaD- There are definitely those people in my life as well. Good point.
RachelS-So do you think that Cody had goals and the alcoholism washed out his dreams and Gatsby watched this happen?
MaddieF-WOW!! That was really insightful and a whole new perspective that I hadn't even looked at. So do you think that those two forms of obsession are as bad as each other or is one more than the other?
Karlyh - Exactly!
Melissaz - Thank you. Same to your interpretation!
Cate~
I think that Tom has always loved Daisy deep down, but doesn't express it because he has become bored with their relationship. I think if Daisy were to ever go away or run away with Gatsby, that he would then realize how much he truly loved her.
Cate, I agree, I think that Tom really does love Daisy, but he takes advantage of her love for him. He knows that she will never leave and uses that knowledge to go and have flings. She is his fall-back, his constant. If she was suddenly removed from the picture for some reason *cough*Gatsby*cough*, I think he'd be panicking a little.
Rose-
Sketchy... but I can't really see them having a relationship there. Sometimes people just remember random things from the past and enjoy them until those memories disappear.
maddief - I was wondering about that. When I was reading Nick's account of Gatsby's past, it was presented as the TRUTH, not speculation or rumor or lies. I'm pretty sure Nick believes that history is the truth, but there still could be some fiction in it. I think it depends how much you trust the narrator and how much you trust Gatsby.
MelissaZ~
I actually think that it is a good quality for Daisy to use her “instrument” because I don’t necessarily think that it’s bad to distract. Have you ever been in a fight where both people were so stubborn that you just wanted to walk away? I think that Daisy began singing as a way to say, “whatever, we disagree and I’m not going to let what you say get to me.” I think she also began singing so as to sort of calm Tom down (after all, he is very violent).
I feel like Gatsby stands for incorruptability. He wont be evil, he wont kill, we dont even know if he is trulying having an affair. Even through all the pain he seems so pure.
@Parker: I was actually took that as a foreshadowing as something else. I know he was in war, but I was wondering if it ment something more.
Honestly the only person I don't see dying is Gatsby. To be honest, I'm not going to analyze 20 pages just to find a reason (If I did, I'd just read ahead). Then again, that would be a good plot twist and an alternative to Tom killing Daisy.
I'm kind of having another thought... What if Gatsby pulls a whole Romeo and Juliet thing and kills Daisy out of his love for her? And then possibly he would kill himself afterwards just to be with her? Just a thought...
Austin-
I'll give you that. That does make sense. I still think Gatsby dies personally.
I love what Ms. Leclaire said on the inner circle. As a reader, I want to think that Gatsby and Daisy will have this perfect love that took place right where they left off, but as I read farther, I don't see that as being the reality. I don't know if they have the same love, but they wish they still had that love. I think in the end, they will both continue unhappy, Daisy with Tom and Gatsby still lonely.
On the last two pages of the book the past is brought up a lot. I noticed that Nick understands that reality is real and you are stuck in time. But Gatby is still in the past he believes you can repeat the past. I believe that this is Gatby's downfall- he will never be able to see that things have changed.
In some ways I want Daisy and Gatsby to get together but in others I want them to do the hard thing and make Daisy stay faithful even though they may be miserable. I think Tom will kill Gatsby.
shannanp - I don't necessarily think that Cody had goals destroyed or anything, but I think Gatsby saw alchohol's affect on him, and Gatsby never wanted to be in his shoes and to go through that. Mrs. Leclaire was saying in the inner circle that Gatsby is working to create this kind of dream universe for himself, and he didn't want anything to hold him back.
@Megan: I don't se that as much. He's more likely to protect Daisy then hurt her.
RachelS~
I agree in your opinion that Gatsby is “pure” but when you think about it, I still am unable to get over the fact that he was practically stalking Daisy. I think that he is pure in the sense that he would never do anything wrong, but has a poor sense of how far to take things.
Maddie-
I think that Tom is starting to see that this security has with his relationship with Daisy is in jepordy and I think that this, more than jealousy, would be his reason for wanting Daisy.
Alex- I see your point and I think in some instances, it works, but with this she never learns to truly face the facts. She gets around the problem. The problem with her husband, she uses her beauty and alluring voice to get the attention she wants, instead of dealing with the issue. Here in her conversation, she just avoids the facts. Sometimes it totally works, but she shouldn't always escape.
I just can't bring myself to believe that Tom loves Daisy. I think he sees her as a posession more than a lover and wife. It seems like he doesn't want to lose one of his posessions to another man because this would show his weakness.
Rachel, I have mixed feelings on Gatsby being the role model of honor. I think that his character was designed as the "good" side of Fitzgerald, but at the same time, I think he has every intention of robbing Tom of his wife, as seen in the quote 'He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: "I never loved you."' So I definitely feel that he's the hero of the story, but maybe not an incorruptible one.
Sabrina-
True, but there are certain things that are repeatable. Memories cannot be perfectly relived, or anything like that, which is more or less what you said. On the other hand, you can mess up your life over and over again doing the same thing. Make any sense at all?
Austin - Well yes, I can understand that. I just thought it might be a possibility just because of his obsession of her. If he killed her then killed himself, they'd be 'together forever'.
MelissaZ~
I agree, I don’t see Daisy and Gatsby getting together because they can’t repeat the past at all. All the “love” that they have for each other is just memories, and not actions. Can you love off of ONLY memories?
So I'm really glad that everyone is trying to predict who will be killed and who will be the killer...
DelaneyN-
I think that even though Gatsby is so "good" through Nick's eyes I think that because Gatsby is so obsessed with Daisy its possible that his love will come out as anger towards Tom because for once someone has something that he doesn't and something that she wants.
@Megan: When you put it that way, then yeah I can see that. He could even do a "Rose for Emily" type thing, but then again that is wild and unneeded speculation.
Alex-
What do we have to go off of, besides memories and hope for the future?
KarlyH - I agree. I think Tom is more concerned with having a solid relationship with someone more than with Daisy herself. That also connects to Gatsby's feelings for Daisy. It depends on your interpretation of it, but he maybe sees Daisy as representing the kind of woman his new life requires, but not as a person.
Okay, my computer ran out of battery halfway through, so here are some of the questions that I still have:
Do you think that Gatsby wanting to turn back the past reflects anything about Fitzgerald's life?
Why do you think that Gatsby wanted to make so much money? Do you think it was to impress Daisy, to follow in Cody's footsteps, or just the American way?
catem---I think Gatsby wanting to turn back the past reflects a lot about FSF's life. He and Zelda were "King and Queen" of the Jazz Age, and once the Roaring 20s ended and the Great Depression began, he probably wanted to go back to happier times. Also, once his wife developed mental illness, he probably wanted to go back to a time when she wasn't in a hospital and they were traveling the world.
I definitely agree that Nick needs others' approval in order to feel good about himself. He doesn't seem to express many opinions and he seems overall to be very submissive.
I also think Gatsby not drinking reflected the way FSF wished he was---he had alcohol problems, and more likely than not he probably wished he was a teetotaler, like Gatsby.
Also, I think Gatsby’s love for Daisy grew as he was separated from her. I’m sure he cared for her a lot at first, but until they were separated and he realized he may have lost her forever, his love developed even more. You never know what you have until it’s gone; absence makes the heart grow fonder…
I agree that Tom has had affairs to impress his friends and that deep down, he genuinely cares for Daisy. When he sees her possibly slipping away into Gatsby’s arms, this makes him realize how much he truly cares for her and how badly he has treated her.
I think Daisy uses her voice to entrance people when she’s uncomfortable because she is an avoider. She avoids uncomfortable situations instead of confronting them. Distracting people with her lovely voice is her way of choosing not to think about the things she doesn’t want to.
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