Focus: What is Modernism, and how does this help you put The Great Gatsby in perspective?
1. Warming up with Modernist art from 1925
2. Investigating Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, Fishbowl-style
3. Wrapping up with big takeaways
HW:
1. Finish Chapter 4 and complete your journal entry by Thursday. Stay up with your reading and journals.
2. Interested in a free audiobook with follow-along pages and your choice of reading speed? Click HERE (also on website).
3. The end of 12 weeks is Friday, April 6 (the Friday after spring break). All make-up work / revised work from the last 6 weeks is due by then.
How does the idea of isolation connect to Gatsby's character symbolically?
ReplyDeleteGatsby represents modernism as he is always surrounded by other things and people but he is still somewhat isolated/individualistic.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gastby embraces the of isolation in Moderism through Gatsby and how he is isolated and that no one truly knows anything about him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. Gatsby represents modernism because of how isolated he is, yet he could have anything he wanted in the world.
DeleteAre Gatsby's parties a way to make him feel less isolated from the outer world?
ReplyDeleteI feel almost as if Gatsby's parties allow him to peer into the world with keeping his isolated/mysterious character in check. It seems as if, since most people don't know his exact identification, Gatsby allows himself to breeze through his parties peering into other people's lifestyles. Maybe, he is looking for someone specifically from his past and that is why he puts on these crazy parties. Either way, the parties may be a distraction from the world or it may also be a way for him to see how others react to such a large event.
DeleteI would say the mansion is similar to the modernism paintings. The mansion is big and glorious, but doesn't have any people who really like each in it or any real meaning to it.
ReplyDeleteI think that Fitzgerald is rejecting the modern stereotype and exposing the ugly parts of society. The valley of ashes and the "not so glamorous" parts of people like racism and affairs.
ReplyDeleteThe photographer at the small apartment party was fairly modernist. Some of the painting as the apartment could be modernist as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat Gatsby brings out the problems with our society, like the valley of ashes, something that people would not talk about before that time.
ReplyDeleteThe valley of ashes shows a sense of modernism with its lack of color and isolation form the rest of New York. Its a dusty and gross place to live.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby embraces a change in lifestyle. Before it's time, the world was a much different style, but is now flourishing with life, color, and extravagance.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby embraces modernism by showing Nick's isolation in his house
ReplyDeleteIsolated Nick is being welcomed into a new exciting world of partying and riches.
ReplyDeleteGatsby's character exemplifies modernism as not only is he isolated and individualistic, but he also has a sort of ambiguous character and identity.
ReplyDeleteThe extravagance of the parties and the way they live is very modernistic and very up to date to the time period
ReplyDeleteis the valley of ashes a symbol of isolation since it separates the eggs and the city?
ReplyDeleteThat is what I was thinking too. I thought it was weird to have thing random coal dump in-between these two eggs.
DeleteI think that it is a symbol of isolation because there are railroad tracks and the river that separates them. "The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul river, and, when the drawbridge is up to let barges through" (Fitzgerald 24). There are not that many people there. It almost is an escape to get away from the parting and gossip. The valley of ashes is the looked as the "real world" to me.
Delete"Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once." pg 44
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Gatsby killed somebody? Why or why not?
Well it is said in the book that he may have been in the war, I assume so. But I feel as if though that might explain part of his isolation, maybe he could be ashamed or filled with regret, that it's hard for him to look someone lively in the eye with the knowledge that they might know he killed a man. But every once in a while he'll throw these gigantic parties just to keep himself up to date on the latest gossip or any information he may need... But for what?
DeleteHow does The Great Gatsby reject normality? Is it just one character?
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby rejects normality by enhances certain settings (parties) and giving contrast to multiple different characters. Typical areas of everyday life would not usually consist of going to a large party that the host is not really 'in attendance' at. It seems as if it is multiple characters that reject normality. In a way, Gatsby is completely unexpected as nobody really 'really' knows him. Once Nick arrived at the big party scene the first time, he started hearing odd rumors. This caused him and many others to become extremely curious. "We all turned and looked around for Gatsby. It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who had found little that it was necessary to whisper about in the world" (44). It seems as if since nobody knew his complete backstory, many fabricated and/or heard rumors about who he should be. One said he killed a man, another said that it may have been because he was a German spy in the war. Are all these rumors fabricated in order to make him seem so above normality? Is this a way for some to look up to him? Or could this be a way for them to cope with their lives of not being characterized under normality?
DeleteI think it rejects normality by Gatsby throwing these huge parties. Like that isn't normal. Hardly anyone goes to these flashy parties every weekend. Their lifestyle in general rejects normality.
DeleteWas there another reason that Gatsby invited Nick besides the fact that they are neighbors and that he wanted to get to know him?
ReplyDeleteI think it is because that Gatsby sees something in Nick. Nick says throughout chapter one and two that he feels Gatsby's eyes on him. Maybe Gatsby has seen Nick wandering around outside and decided to invite him in for a party. Maybe he feels sorry for him. The fact is that Gatsby has taken a keen interest in Nick, the question we should be asking is why.
Delete“...he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who had found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world” (Fitzgerald 44).
ReplyDeleteWhy are people whispering about Gatsby? Does he have something more to hide than himself?
I think that people are whispering about Gatsby because no one really knows him. I think that since he's mysterious, it makes it easy for rumors to be started about Gatsby. "somebody told me they thought he killed a man once. A thrill passed over all of us. The three Mr. Mumbles bent forward and listened eagerly" (pg 44).
DeleteI feel as if people are whispering about Gatsby because he keeps his identity away from most of the public eye. Since he is very wealthy, he could be keeping his exact identification out of the public eye for safety reasons. Lucille had said, "When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address- inside of a week I got a package from Croirier's with a new evening gown in it" (43). Therefore, in a sense, maybe Mr. Gatsby is keeping his identification mostly hidden so he doesn't get most of society asking him for favors regarding their money problems. Also, it could be something dealing with his family's past. Maybe their safety was greatly in danger and his identity was supposed to stay more hidden after that.
Delete"Your face is familiar" pg 37. Gatsby's reason for inviting Nick to his house couldn't have been because he "knew" him since he just came to realization at this moment that he's seen him in war. He didn't even recall when he first met or saw him.
ReplyDeletei thought about this too. he seemed to know jordan from the movie, so i wondered if he invited nick to the house because of something to do with jordan
DeleteDue to the way the characters treat each other, was that considered "modernistic" or a trend in that time period in high class society?
ReplyDeleteIn their high class society, people seemed to treat each other very well, but relationships must have been pretty rare because the guys didn't seem to treat the women very well. It seemed like there was a lot of cheating and different affairs back then too.
DeleteI disagree with this, I think in high and low classes people do not treat each other well and we see this through out the book. The people in higher classes, like Tom, are never good enough with what they already have and they are constantly wanting more, which leads them to do horrible things like have affairs. In lower classes, like Myrtle, they are not appreciative of what they have because they are surrounded by people who have so much more than them. I think that Myrtle cheats on her husband because she likes the idea of being with a wealthy man like Tom.
DeleteWhat can rumors do to one's personality? How does this affect Mr. Gatsby both positively and negatively? Do you think Mr. Gatsby is keeping most of his identity purposely away from the public eye, why?
ReplyDelete"Anyhow, he gives large parties," pg 49. I think that Gatsby's reputation revolves around his large elaborate parties. Most of the people that show up at the party are not their for Gatsby, they are there for the drinks. When one curious person makes a statement about their host.
DeleteThen all of rumors start to spread, one wilder than the last.
"Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once." (44). This is just one of the many rumors about Gatsby, proving that no one truly knows what type of person Gatsby is. I am not sure if this is because Gatsby doesn't let anyone get close to him, or if it's because no one really cares to get the truth. It's very easy to assume that no one knows anything about Gatsby because he may be "shy" or not very social; however, if people really wanted the truth they would try much harder to get it. Sometimes rumors are much more appealing to the truth because you can use your imagination and I think this is why rumors get spread so quickly. These people who start the rumors don't really care what type of person Gatsby is, they care about going to his parties and this shows how self centered these people were.
Delete"The first supper-there would be another one after midnight-was now being severed," (Fitzgerald 44). Is the two DIFFERENT dinners another way for Gatsby to show off his wealth?
ReplyDeleteI would assume it was a way to guarantee that the party lasted for more time because giving people plenty of food will lead to them not running out of energy and continuing to have fun.
Delete“It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” (48) Does this quote represent the kind of mysterious person Gatsby is based on the way Nick talks about him?
ReplyDeletefrom how nick describes gatsby, he seems like he's very nice to him but also very mysterious at the same time. he seems like he's only showing part of his personality, so gatsby could be a very mean person since he's only showing nick some of himself
Delete"I liked to walk up Fifth Avenue and pick out romantic women from the crowd and imagine that in a few minutes I was going to enter their lives, and no one would ever know or disapprove. Sometimes, in my mid, I followed them to their apartments on the corners of hidden streets, and they turned and smiled back at me before they faded through a door into a warm darkness," (Fitzgerald 56).
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Nick daydreams a lot; how does this get in the way of things that he needs to do in his day to day life?
It seems as if sometimes it's hard for Nick to be able to determine when reality actually occurs. When he talks about how he only drank two times in his entire life, it seems to have confused his ideas of reality. He takes more happiness in his 'alternative realities' similar to many others of the world. However it seems as if he daydreams due to seeing how others realities are. Almost as if he wants to make theirs similar to his own.
DeleteHow does the idea of an 'alternative reality' differ between Nick and Mr. Gatsby?
ReplyDeleteEven though Nick and Gatsby are next door neighbors, they live in completely separate worlds. The biggest difference between the two truly comes down to money. If Nick had the amount of money that Gatsby had, I truly believe that their worlds would be much more similar.
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