Homework for Lesson #15, The Great Gatsby

James' Homework:

There are many differences between The Great Gatsby and many other novels, and I found that, maybe one of the most distinctive differences is the huge amount of pages that the author paid to give out the information and description of the background.

When we firstly got to know this book and started reading it, we could easily find that the story happened in the 1920s, which is a time that full of money, enjoyment and parties. It was a crazy time, and in which most people’s mind were inane, and they just had shining outer covering. And the story would be looked real only it had a background like this, so could Gatsby and Tom were so rich, so could Daisy and Myrtle love money so much, and so could everyone’s life is a mess.

After we met almost all the main characters who will appear in the story, the author changed the description of time background to the location and environment they lived in. The changing was made for putting each person into his or her own position and also, to let each of their personality and characteristic be outstanding. For instance, East Egg represented fashion, gold, and the top of the society, but the West Egg represented the “new” rich guys. The Tome Buchanans are old noblemen, and people with them was put in East Egg. In contrast, Gatsby, who was a guy reached the top level from the poorest family, and also Nick Carraway, who came from the West and wanted to get a job in the bond business. What is more, the Valley of Ash that lied between East and West Egg marked the very back of the beauty in the New York City at that time, and also it revealed the life in the lowest part of the society. And according to the History, it was true that the happiness and flourishing looking at the 1920s is not the real one since it finally led to the huge break of the business.

The last one, and the most important description is probably the New York City. Tom and his mistress went to NYC, and all men he knew didn’t point out that he had a wife, too. Tom asked Nick to play with them in NYC was just an excuse, and what Tom really did was showing off his mistress. And even Nick was Daisy’s cousin, he didn’t even tell Daisy about this, and just played with them. NYC at that time was a place lack of morality and honesty, people just following their minds when doing things. 

After all, I could briefly make a prediction like what we did while reading The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time, that all of these characters will finally lose their honesty, morality and the consciousness of being friends, just like many other New Yorkers and maybe there will be a fight among them.

Chris' Homework:

Finally, the main character of this book, Gatsby has appeared. Combine the title of this book, and the author’s description in Chapter 3, I think Gatsby deserve the word ‘great’—which is defined in the dictionary as Grand; aristocratic. From the book the author delineates the extravagant and lavish ‘little party’ scene, which completely impressed me a lot, whatever the crowded elite people or the orchestra have revealed the high-level of the party. However, even if Gatsby was not so conspicuous and noticeable among all the guest, I still found Gatsby has somehow caught my eye. 

My first impression of Gatsby definitely determined by the very beginning of this chapter: “music could be heard through the summer night, the pyramid of pulpless halves, the enormous garden, the orchestra…” Everything seems to reveal the luxurious life of Gatsby—he is a rich person, at least.

As the story goes, I found that Gatsby was not just a wealthy person, but also a gentleman with politeness. The invitation Gatsby gave ‘me’ was sent by a chauffeur in a uniform, with a very sincere voice: the honor would be entirely Gatsby's, it said, if I would attend his "little party." Besides, I found no trace of the rudeness of an ordinary person with wealth, from the conversation happened between ‘me’ and Gatsby. 

After Gatsby left the conversation, the author mentioned his name once, when playing the Vladimir Tostoff’s jazz. At that time, his tanned skin and approving eye really intrigues me: does he have any history, like killing people? He joined the army, so maybe yes? Hope the author could talk more and provide a more interesting story It has been a little bit more interesting, but I want to see more.