Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Gatsby Fishbowl, Chapter 1

Enjoy a stimulating discussion of The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1! Remember to go into depth, bringing in quotations when applicable. Maintain your professionalism, including proper grammar and spelling.

68 comments:

  1. Do you think that the only reason Tom and Daisy are together is because Daisy is pregnant? Or do you think that they truly love each other?

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  2. I think Daisy and Nick both have a family relationship and I think Daisy is just that type of girl who says and does what ever come to the top of her mind.

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  3. I think Daisy's show of affection was just the role she plays in her life. She seems to be acting carefree and innocent while there is a clear underlying gloom beneath her surface.

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  4. It comes across that Daisy is a very attractive person and it may be that he does feel an attraction, but they can't really express this. And Daisy would be afraid that Tom would throw her out if she confronted him on this issue.

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  5. I thought she was flirting with him as well but I think that was because she is so sad and lonely because she knows her husband isn't really there for her.

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  6. I think that Daisy is still with Tom because she might still love him. Also, she is really interested in his money and the status of being married.

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  7. In think that daisy and nick do kind of like each other secretly. They seem a little flirty with each other.

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  8. I don't think that Daisy and Nick have romantic affections for her, because after the dinner when Jordan Baker leaves, Tom and Daisy (who are married) talk to him about how they want him to take an interest in Jordan.

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  9. Does Daisy know that her husband is cheating on her? Is she trying to get back at him by flirting with Nick? I dont think Tom and Daisy's relationship is a real "love story"
    I agree with Mallory that he is only staying with her because he has to.

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  10. what does the green light mean, or what exactly is it?

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  11. Mallory,
    I think that Tom and Daisy are together only because shes pregnant. I don't see a whole lot of love in the relationship.

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  12. Mallory, I feel that they are not together because of love. Daisy does not seam to be in love. She acts as if bored by her surroundings and seems to be only in love with money and fame.

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  13. My impression of Daisy is she is a ditzy girl. She doesn't really know what she wants and thinks she has to act a certain way in order to get attention. And Mallory, I personally think that when a couple is not married and the girl gets pregnant, they stay together because they need support for the baby. I'm sure that would be a trial. But that trial could bring them together and cause them to truly love each other.

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  14. Mallory- I think that Tom and Daisy used to truly love each other but it has warn away and now they are just together for the soon coming baby.

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  15. Mallory, I think Tom and Daisy are still together because Daisy is pregnant and because Daisy seems to enjoy the rich and luxurious lifestyle that Tom lives. I think think that they love each other enough to be able to be happy together, but nothing much further then that.

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  16. I agree with Dana that Daisy is staying with him because people stay together all the time cause they want something to work that isn't working.

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  17. Mal- I think that since Daisy is pregnant it has a large affect on their love situation. I also think that she is afraid to leave him because she is worried about the consequences of having and dealing with this child on her own. She is very dependent on his wealth and his status.

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  18. Natalie, Daisy does know that Tom is cheating on her. He is awkwardly public about his racism and his love affairs, even though he is still married to Daisy

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  19. Natalie, she does know that he is cheating on her. She was the one who brought it up to tom because she was concerned. but i don't think she is trying to get back at him with tom because i don't think she is ready to share that she know this with her husband.

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  20. He doubts that because Tom is just the kind of person who is always looking for more and that is why Nick doubts that they will stay in one place because Tom cant even stay happy with one women.

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  21. I agree with Brian. I do believe that Daisy and Nick have affection toward each other but there are boundaries between them because they are second cousins. But they seem very comfortable with each other and flirt a lot.

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  22. "Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance if always leaning aggressively forward..." (Fitzgerald 11) This is part of how nick describes Tom, From the description do you think Nick likes Tom very much?

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  23. Is the green light that flash you see when your by the ocean? thats kinda what I thought it was. You hear people talk about it when they go fishing. Or am I the only person who's herd of this?

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  24. Ryan- you are the only person who has heard of that hahaha <3

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  25. Does Tom want to stay because he wants to make a stable family life? Or do you think its so he can continue his affair with the woman in NY and continue to lavish Daisy with a lifestyle she will enjoy and not want to leave him because of it even though he is cheating on her?

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  26. I think Daisy is, economic status wise, in love with Tom, but not emotionally because they don't seem to connect very well.

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  27. I think that Tom is bored. He has a rich lifestyle and gets anything he wants. He isn't really limited to anything. He seems bored of Daisy and doesn't care for her. He could've just married her because she was pretty and was the only one who wanted to marry him. The only way to escape boredom is to make things exciting by mixing things up a bit.

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  28. Angelica- I agree, I think Tom wants to stay in one place but he also gets bored easily and that is what would make him move. Also I think he holds the same regard with Daisy which is why he is having an affair.

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  29. This chapter kinda reminded me of our gothic unit because of the use of the unknown with the Gatsby, and Nick is curious about him even though Gatsby follows the trend of everything he said he dislikes about New York, it's kinda like a new challenge for nick. The Gatsby's house is also very gothic looking as it is described.

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  30. I think that Daisy is only staying with Tom because she is pregnant. She appears to be unhappy deep down and says a lot of negative things. Some even being about her daughter after she was born. There is something bothering her that has effected her attitude and I think that part of it is that she really doesn't love Tom.

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  31. Emma, well he first calls his eyes arrogant, I am guessing this means that he thinks the Tom doesn't notice what he sees or is a little too light with what goes on around him, when his arrogant eyes establish dominance all over his face, then he thinks that Tom is nothing but arrogant. Because your people can read your face. If you're sad, you look sad, if you're happy, you will look happy by smiling. If you are arrogant, it will show.

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  32. Emma I believe that statement shows that Nick does not like Tom. He describes how Arrogance overwhelms his face and that he is overly aggressive defending his arrogant beliefs.

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  33. Natalie, I think that she does know because she is flirting with her cousin once removed. She wants Tom to feel jealous, and nervous about her finding out who the affair was with.

    I agree with Beau it is really important to have a child that can think on their own and feel dependent on our society.

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  34. Emma- I think Nick might be intimidated by Tom based on his description. He describes him as a big, powerful man. But i dont think he has a problem with him or anything.

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  35. I think Tom and Daisy's relationship is like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda's relationship. They love the idea of the marriage and the relationship, but they don't actually love each other.

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  36. Mallory, I don't think he is too interested in maintaining a stable life with Daisy when he had an affair. An affair goes to show that he doesn't even care. He would probably want to stay in order to keep having that affair.

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  37. Why did Daisy leave her old town in the first place?

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  38. I don't think Daisy is purely a stereotypical rich lady who cares for nothing other than money and having a good time. I think she's gotten wrapped up in her husbands lifestyle and so she has to appear the charming host (graceful, polite etc.). I think she realizes the emptiness of her life and wants her daughters life to be easier and that is why she wishes her child to be a pretty little fool.

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  39. I kind of get the impression that Daisy is little care free and acts like she is not controlled in any way. Also it feels like she acts a bit on instinct.

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  40. elizabeth,
    i agree, this love seems fake because it is all about the image on the outside and not about how they truly feel on the inside. They want what looks good and will benefit them, but it is not a true feeling for each others heart.

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  41. I agree with Andrew about the house have Gothic attributes because it is a very large house with few inhabitants and the people that live there, Daisy and Tom, seem very empty on the inside, like the house, when we meet them.

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  42. Natalie, I think that Daisy does know that Tom is cheating on her. There is a passage in the book when Tom is called inside for a phone call and Daisy follows quickly behind him. Jordan then tells Nick that she follows him around because Tom has a mistress in New York.

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  43. I think the author is trying to portray maybe how the sunshine of romance is draining out of Daisy. It can relate to the author's life too because his love life's light his dimmed. The sunshine could relate to happiness too. It's draining away from them.

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  44. Andrew- I agree with you. the first chapter reminded me of a gothic story as well. I am still very curious about Gatsby. He sounds like a very mysterious man, and I get the impression he likes being alone. He is also very well-known. Why is Gatsby so well-known when it seems that he usually keeps to himself?

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  45. Elizabeth- I agree I think that with Daisy the idea of love and wealth appears to her. I think that she would rather be unhappy and rich then happy and poor. So in doing this she chooses to stay with a man who doesn't treat her like he loves her.

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  46. When Daisy describes her daughter as "a beautiful fool" (page 21) what do you think she means by that? Is she making a reflection off of herself with that statement? Does statement describe the feelings she has towards Tom?

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  47. why do you think Nick was disgusted after he left because they asked him if he was engaged when he lived in New York? Do you think it was because he left New York to get away from the gossip?

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  48. I dunno about that Morgan,
    If the affair was really what he cared about I think he would have left... I mean what would the point be to stay and risk everything?

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  49. There is a paradox which shows with what Nick says and how he acts. He says that he doesn't judge people based on first impressions but yet his reason for doing so is because he thinks he is "morally privileged" as if he has a better sense of right and wrong than most people, which is in itself a false judgement

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  50. I agree with Elizabeth. When Ms. Leclaire asked us what type of story we thought F. Scott Fitzgerald would write about, we guessed he would write a love story that was similar to his own. I think that by the time we are done with this book, we will not have just read a book, but we will have known more of F. Scott Fitzgerald's life and his love story with Zelda.

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  51. Elizabeth- I agree, I think Daisy like Zelda was only really in it for the fame and money. I think Daisy and Tom are in love with the idea of love but not actually in love with each other. I think this also, to a certain degree, this is what happened with Zelda and Fitzgerald. They loved each other for a time but they both had affairs and I think they just got caught with each other and the idea of love.

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  52. christian,
    i don't agree, because i think she was just very excited, but with how tom described her husband, he seems very stern and would keep her in line and not so care free.

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  53. Jake- I think Daisy left her own town because maybe she wanted a better life or lifestyle. Maybe she wants to make it big or just be rich. Someone could have also drawn her out of her old town too.

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  54. Elizabeth- I agree Tom and Daisy's relationship is very similar to Zelda's and F. Scott Fitzgerald's. They are together not for love but for the idea of each other and maybe for status and money. There is also an affair going on. Maybe F. Scott Fitzgerald is using Daisy and Tom to describe his own marriage.

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  55. Do you think that Nick trying to become a bond man is foreshadowing what is to come in the story compared to what happened at the end of this time period with the Great Depression?

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  56. Ryan, because Daisy is not strong enough to support herself. Does Daisy know that he had the affair??

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  57. West Egg and East Egg are pretty much exact opposites of each other in regards to their values. East Egg seems much more laid back and lazy and enjoying life is valued, where in West Egg they seem to value wealth and social status

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  58. April, I think that is a very interesting symbolic statement: I think the author is trying to portray maybe how the sunshine of romance is draining out of Daisy. Do you believe that the Fitzgerald chose the name Daisy for her for a symbolic reason? If so what does the symbolism mean?

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  59. Nowlan- I think Daisy is talking about herself and how she wishes that she was a fool because then she wouldn't know about/ ignore Tom's affair. I think she wants her daughter to not be hurt and it is hard to be hurt if your a fool.

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  60. Emma, if this is so, who would daisy and tom represent in his life? do you really think daisy is zelda and tom is fitzgerald or are they other people in his life?

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  61. Nowlan, when Daisy describes her daughter as "a beautiful fool" I think think she means that if shes not too smart then she can get by with looks by seduction and having somewhat control over other people that way.

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  62. I think that there is some importance of the wealth situation in the story. Nick works hard for his money and like Brian says he feels insecure when he sees the amount of wealth portrayed from his neighbors and his family. He wants more money but I think he knows that money isn't the main importance of our society.

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  63. Why do you think that the aspect of money is so important in the town and that judgment is mostly based on wealth? Is Gatsby so interesting because he is a richer man than most and seems to keep to himself?

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  64. Nowlan- I think that he did use Daisy's name as a symbol to show that she is sweet and pretty like a daisy. The way nick describes her is as if she shines and is full of warmth and thats kind of what you think of when you hear the name daisy.

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  65. Nowlan- I do think that he chose the name Daisy for her because she lights up the room and has a certain thing in her that sparks romance and happiness. She is a light the brightens up other peoples lives but maybe she isn't happy with hers.

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  66. Angelica,
    I definitely think that that comment was Daisy's reflection of her self. I think she thinks thats what she is since she is "foolish" enough to stay with a rich man even though he is cheating on her. She wants her child to be able to enjoy a lavish life style and still be able to ignore the bad things that could take that life style away from her.

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  67. I think Daisy and Nick have a little crushe eachother.
    I don't think Daisy and Tom really like eachother and are only together because the baby.
    Could there be tension between Tom and Nick later?
    On the first page when it says "He didn't say anymore but we've always been unusually communicative in a reserved way and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that" what else did he mean?

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  68. Looking back at these posts I find it interesting that the class thought that Daisy and NIck had a crush on each other because I did not think this at all when I read chapter one. Nick seems very lost in this chapter because he just moved to the east coast and is trying to sort his life out. I see NIck and Daisy's relationship as very friendly and almost brother-sister like.

    The characters at this point in the story are extremely hard to read. Tom is a questionable character and I am wondering why he is cheating on Daisy and whether or not Daisy knows about the affair. Daisy seems very obsessed with her wealth and status and may be the only reason that she is with Tom.

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