#5 personal review

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s the Great Gatsby was a not very typical because how it ends and the way nothing works out.  The best part I believe was hat Gatsby had a schedule for success. This schedule allowed him to have success but did not let him achieve what he wanted the most, Daisy’s love.  The schedule was supposed to be the key and shows that if one sets their mind to something they can achieve it. Gatsby’s dad having the schedule shows how success can have a jaw dropping effect and allows others to want the same thing. Another thing that was good was the American Dream in a way that is not stereotypical now days. This idea of new money is not that old and shows the uniqueness of America as a Whole. America’s image in this book illustrates the reasons why so many people have desired to come to this country but is also portrayed as a fake because things are not always as they seem. Gatsby’s whole live is built on this idea and realizes that his “American Dream” was not a dream but a wish that would never become true.

#4 text connections

•          “’ Well, suppose we take a plunge in the swimming-pool? I haven’t made use of it all summer”’ (82).
•          “”Don’t do it to-day,” Gatsby answered. He turned to me apologetically. “You know, old sport, I’ve never used that pool all summer?”” (153).

The image of the pool seems to play an important role as to why Gatsby dies. The first time Fitzgerald mentions the pool Gatsby is trying to delay his meeting with Daisy and seems to be really eager. He can’t bear to think that he will meet Daisy again the true love of his life and tries to focus on the little things like cutting Nick’s grass. Although he seems to be very in love and filled with life in the second time we are introduced to the image of the pool it is the complete opposite of the first. Not only has Daisy’s image been crumbled but he has given up his life to lies that were worth nothing. With Gatsby mentioning “all summer” it leads to a closure that the parties and Gatsby’s dream have come to a halt.

#3 Syntax

•          “This is a valley of ashes- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (24).

Fitzgerald’s use of a dash adds emphasis to the bleak, desolate area that the city is. The constant addition of clauses and phrases speeds up the rhythm creating an antithesis with the “smoke” and “grotesque” images the author creates. The contradiction in the sentence can seem to be surreal due to how natural the depressing ashes naturally grow in the city.

•          “Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-grey men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight” (24).

With the use of independent and dependent clauses, Fitzgerald allows them to imitate Nick’s thought process as he goes through the city. The multiple commas used in this sentence allow the thought process to move from place to place. This thought process may also acknowledge Fitzgerald’s thought process due to his complicated life with his wife.

•          “The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic- their retinas are one yard high” (24).

This short sentence is used by Fitzgerald to demonstrate the stunning, awe-dropping image by the Doctor. The dash in this sentence allows the interruption of thoughts by Nick to demonstrate the tension in the air. Fitzgerald’s very formal and serious tone in this sentence only accumulates to the magnificent attention of detail that seems to detract from the purpose.

#2 Diction

    Fitzgerald’s use of diction exemplifies how the idea of love and wealth cannot exist together for very long. Jay Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy lasts a little shorter than the summer and encounters the problem of his status not qualifying into her society. Although they did have some “fun” Daisy believes it was just temporary and is shown by the happy, “money” voice of hers. When Daisy realizes that she is not completely in love with Gatsby she has indifference towards everything including Myrtle’s death. Nick and Jordan’s relationship also goes on for very short time, yet he was never completely convinced that he loved her either may be just attracted to her. Nick’s tone went from being in the clouds to realizing that she never really liked him either since she got married latter on.

Blog topic #1 Rhetorical strategies

• .     “With fenders spread like wings we scattered light through half Astoria” (68).

      The comparison between the fenders and wings can conclude that Gatsby’s car is a symbol for new money and the rejection of the old in the city of ashes. It also can be compared to immigration as a new sign of improving since Gatsby seems to attract happiness at his party. This image of scattering light can be like the addition of new money into society and how someone like Gatsby is able to be successful with little traditional beliefs.

•           “driven by a white chauffer, in which sat three modish negroes” (69).

Fitzgerald’s use of irony in the phrase, draws emphasis to the success people are accomplishing and how unreal it really is. The addition of this phrase attempts to make Gatsby’s life a bit more credible than he sounds. The antithesis between “white” “negroes” suggests that this time period had things turned upside down like the corruption of the policy when Gatsby takes out a white card and how everything is so materialistic. 

•           “’ Anything can happen now that we’ve slid over this bridge…anything at all’” (69).

What is omitted by Fitzgerald is the comparison between the “[passing] over this bridge” and the passing into the country. After all the American dream can only happen if you are in America and is supposed to be the self –improvement of an individual that has great success later in life. Gatsby’s American Dream is the same except he also wants Daisy to be part of his life. The detailed life that Gatsby has been mentioning becomes credible with this phrase because of the three black people were able to have success in the 1920’s why couldn’t someone like Gatsby be successful.