Thursday, March 18, 2010

Gatsby Fishbowl #2: Chapter 2

As you discuss Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby, slow down a little...pull in quotations from the chapter that you think are significant, lovely, or confusing.

If you're responding to someone, remember to use his or her name in your response. As always, maintain your professionalism.

Enjoy, and I look forward to reading this over spring break!

And have a fantastic, safe spring break, by the way!

42 comments:

  1. Is Tom's "girl" the woman he is having an affair with? Or who is she?

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  2. The Valley of Ashes is much different than the other settings in the novel so far, showing great poverty, but yet it seems to portray the idea that morally, East Egg and West Egg are just as torn apart as the Valley of Ashes is.

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  3. Tom's "girl" is Mrs. Wilson the woman he is having an affair with

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  4. Who is doctor T.J. Eckleburg? The book talked about how his eyes could be seen in the sky. What do you think the significance of this is?

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  5. Do you think Tom will leave Daisy for Myrtle?

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  6. I wasn't sure if doctor T.J. Eckleburg was a real person or not but he may symbolize something much more and he is foreshadowing something big that is going to happen later in the book.

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  7. I think the mood changed significantly throughout the chapter because as Fitzgerald develops the characters, the underlying tensions implied in chapter one are rising and he is showing us that the 'perfect' image portrayed the rich is not impenetrable.

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  8. I don't think Tom will leave Daisy for Myrtle because Tom is married, Daisy is pregnant, and they are Catholic and see divorce as a bad thing

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  9. Nick seems to have a man vs. self conflict in how he appears to love and hate New York at the same time. he likes the fun nature of it, but going along with how he thinks he is "morally privileged," he looks down on New York's sense of right and wrong. This exact idea also applies with the party. He tries to leave at first but he can't bring himself to actually leave because of his fascination for the group

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  10. I agree witth angelica I think something big is going to happen later on with someone hurting another person and this doctor will help the person that got hurt. I think the reason he described the doctor so much is just because of how Fitzgerald writes

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  11. I think Myrtle was just trying to spend a lot of Tom's money in order to test what he will do for her. He can support all her wants even if she doesn't NEED them. She reminds me of Zelda because she ended up marrying Fitzgerald once he got more money and used it.

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  12. Natalie-I think that Tom is going to stay with Daisy because of her pregnancy not because of love.

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  13. When Mrs. Wilson is talking about how she is in love with Tom, do you think she is just in love with his money?

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  14. Why do you think Tom would bring Nick with him to meet his mistress, especially since Nick is close to Daisy?

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  15. I think Tom and Myrtle stay with their spouses because they enjoy the thrill of sneaking around, and I think Tom cares about Daisy he just doesn't know how to channel his restless energy. I also think Tom feels like he has to impress Daisy, so Myrtle is his escape from the pressure of his home life.

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  16. I think Fitzgerald used TJ Eckleburg's eyes as a symbol of god looking down at the poor and broken state of the 1920's.

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  17. I agree with Mallory i think Tom is at a point in his life that he wants children and he is going to stay with Daisy because she is pregnant.

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  18. I agree with Mallory I don't think that Tom loves Daisy I think he just wants to stay around for the child.

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  19. I think Tom brought Nick to see his mistress for bragging rights that he is married and having an affair, and to show off Myrtle to Nick.

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  20. i don't think that Tom will leave daisy for myrtle, i think his affair with her is just how he has absolutely no class. He makes fun of Wilson while he is having an affair with his wife, yet he himself is also married, to Daisy. He even feels no guilt when he breaks Myrtle's nose when she was chanting "Daisy" when he told her not to while she was drunk.

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  21. Corbin, i deffinetly think so because her husband is definetly not rich and by the way she went out and spent tom's money, she expects more and likes tom for what he can get for her.

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  22. I think Tom is living 2 different lives. I think it is possible that Tom will leave Daisy because he seems to be happier with Myrtle. Their relationship reminded me of F. Scott and Zelda's relationship. The partying and drinking and rich life. It seems like Tom really loves Myrtle and enjoys showing her off- he was really excited for Nick to meet "his girl". Where with Daisy, he is almost being forced to stay with her because of the pregnancy.

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  23. Samantha, I think Myrtle wants a divorce but I think Tom is still in love with Daisy that's why he makes the lie about Daisy being Catholic

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  24. I think that Mrs. Wilson is in love with his money and the idea of him. Not the because she loves him for him. If she really loved him I don't think she would be using his money. I think she likes the idea of getting everything she wants.

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  25. Why exactly did Tom go for someone who isn't exactly in the same class as him?

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  26. I agree with Xavia because Myrtle and Zelda are very similar because they are both in it for the money, they both party alot, and are unfaithful.

    But a question I had is why does Tom get so angry and Myrtle and breaks her nose when she keeps saying Daisys name? Why does it bother him so much when she mentions him?

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  27. I think Tom will leave Daisy because he talks about how he is happy with Myrtle and I think all the pressures of society will get to him about having an affair which is looked down on.

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  28. I think Tom wont leave Daisy because it would be hard on her emotionally and the divorce could make them look weak socially wise.

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  29. Emma,
    Exactly but what about Tom's point of view, what would make him want her instead of Daisy who is said to be beautiful and incredible? What is going on between them?

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  30. Beau, then why would he lie about Daisy being Catholic and divorce is frowned upon?

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  31. Do you think Wilson and Tom are exact opposites. One is given opportunities and is a jerk while the other is given no opportunities and is nice. Do you think Fitzgerald is trying to prove a point that money corrupts?

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  32. I think that the valley of ashes portrays the true feelings and actions of the people belonging to the East and the West Egg. The valley is covered in ashes from the factories which, I believe, symbolizes the dirtiness of the two parts of town... Tom is having an affair, that I feel like both sides spouses know about.
    I also do not like Tom at all. First of all he is having an affair and he makes fun of her husband! He also broke Mertyl's nose which is outrageous

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  33. Angelica, I think Tom is starting to get tired of cheating and it just reached his explosion point. I think it was all because of guilt.

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  34. Tom brought Nick to meet Myrtle because he was drunk and wanted to show off. I think he was trying to show Nick that he was 'above the rules' and he could have a mistress if he wanted to.

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  35. Angelica- I think Tom feels guilt for having an affair and just hearing Daisy's name was almost a reminder of his infidelity. I think he still cares about Daisy because of how defensive he got.

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  36. Tom got mad at Myrtle because I think he feels a little guilty over cheating on Daisy but also doesn't want to hear about Daisy when he is with Myrtle because it probably makes him feel conflicted and upset. Plus he was drunk so he had no control of his actions.

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  37. Corbin,
    I think he does that because he doesnt want anyone to expect that he is going to leave her.

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  38. I don't think Tom will leave Daisy because of their relation together and current status of what is going on in the book. But, even though he doesn't show it he still cares for Daisy (in my opinion).

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  39. Trace,
    But it seems like the people they are around in the apartment don't care about Daisy, so why would he try to make them think he isnt leaving Daisy?

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  40. Why does everyone keep trying to set Nick up with someone?

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  41. I think that Tom brought Nick to meet his mistress because since he is so close to Daisy, Tom wanted to show Nick that there was no comparison between her and Daisy. Also I think that he wanted to show Nick his other life and maybe even show him how different he is with each of the two women.

    Angelica,

    I think that he gets so mad at Myrtle because he does love Daisy and he doesn't want his to worlds colliding. He wants to have his trophy wife (Daisy) and then someone he can have fun with and just relax. And I think that he also didn't want Daisy's name said in such a dumpy place. He feels as if she is a possession and so if she keeps saying her name in dirty place its like one of his prize possessions is filthy.

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  42. I think that Daisy did love Tom. I find it hard to be with someone if you don't love them at all. I know I couldn't fake something like that. I think that the only reason Tom could be having an affair is because he feels in control like he can still do whatever he wants and Daisy doesn't control everything in his life. Plus it seems that Tom and Daisy don't have a very good relationship that this point in the book. I wonder how much it bothered Daisy that Tom had an affair, it never really explained in the book.

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