This chapter is very tragic but symbolic; Gatsby is killed which represents how the American Dream can take a turn for the worse. While floating in his pool, Gatsby was brutally shot by Mr. Wilson because he believed Gatsby killed Myrtle. Although Nick disapproves of Gatsby's life style, he does respect his motives of fulfilling his dream. Throughout the previous chapter and going into this one, Nick has become aware that not everyone is how they appear to be and he decides to cut his ties with Tom and Daisy.
In chapter 7, everything is revealed. Gatsby makes the decision to end his annual parties because he no longer needs them to attract is dream girl, Daisy. He also decides to fire all of his servants because Daisy was paranoid that they might gossip about their secret relationship. Following this, Gatsby made the decision to hire new servants; "some people Wolfsheim wanted to do something for." This creates suspension because we still don't know what type of business Gatsby does with this man. By bringing Wolfsheim back into the story line, it foreshadows future events that may unravel Gatsby's true identity. One day during the summer, Daisy has a luncheon with Nick, Gatsby, her husband Tom, and Jordan. Although Daisy seemed uninterested in her daughter, Gatsby becomes uncomfortable when she walks into the room because she symbolizes a part of Daisy's past with Tom and not him. Later, after Daisy declares that she wishes for them to go into town, Tom witnesses a romantic exchange between Daisy and Gatsby, which he justifies as the two of them having an affair. Tom has now learned that he might not only lose his wife, he might lose his mistress as well (Wilson found out about his wife's affair and is planning on moving west with her). However, Tom knows that he cannot say much because he too is having an affair. This actually brings up a strategy Fitzgerald has been using throughout the book. We are presented with two different affairs; one between Tom and Myrtle and the other between Gatsby and Daisy. Ironically, Tom and Daisy are married to one another. Fitzgerald creates these affairs to show how personal desires and environmental factors create major similarities and differences between the two. We can conclude that Tom's affair is more spontaneous yet cynical. It appears that Tom uses her for his physical needs while being attracted to Daisy, which is why I believe he abuses Myrtle. With Gatsby's affair, he feels like he has accomplished his dream and therefore he has won. He will go through extravagant measures to hold onto it and ensure that his dream stays true because without it, Gatsby is unable to define himself (he corrupted himself to win her heart). When Tom threatens this, Gatsby attempts to save his dream by trying to get Daisy to admit she never loved Tom. At this point, Daisy's true character is shown. I think she used Gatsby has leverage to get back at Tom and to prove something to him (probably because of his affair with Myrtle) because she gave no intentions of leaving Tom. Following a fight between Gatsby and Tom, Myrtle is killed by a hit and run, which was foreshadowed when Nick said "so we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight."
Chapter 5 is centered on the reunion of Daisy and Gatsby. After dreaming of this moment for 5 years, they finally meet face-to-face in Nick’s home. Throughout the evening, Gatsby becomes less nervous and both Gatsby and Daisy grow more comfortable around each other. At one time Gatsby knocks over a clock, maybe to symbolize his desire to stop and go back into time when him and Daisy were first together? Realizing that the reunited love birds needed to be alone together, Nick decides to remove himself and go into the kitchen. After some time has passed, Nick returns to the living room to find Gatsby glowing; "without a word or gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room." Gatsby then suggests that they should go back to his house so he can show Daisy around. After this scene, I believe that Gatsby was at first nervous because the last time he saw Daisy, he was poor and therefore could not be with her (Daisy’s chose the security of money over love). Now, he is very wealthy and he can impress her with the items he has in his mansion. As the chapter ends, Nick describes a look Gatsby makes which shows how dissatisfied Nick is with the whole affair. Throughout the book, Nick has become closer to Gatsby, perhaps too close. There is textual evidence to support the idea that Nick may be gay, especially in chapter 2 when he is standing over Mckee’s bed. When Gatsby fulfilled his dream by reconnecting with Daisy, it is obvious that Nick feels out of place and forgotten, and he therefore leaves them alone by the end of the chapter. In the following chapter (6), it is finally revealed who Gatsby really is and where he comes from. By waiting this long to explain the true identity of Gatsby, the author (Fitzgerald) creates suspense and curiosity. He also built up Gatsby’s reputation by going back and forth with conforming or denying rumors and then showing his romantic side. The chapter begins with reporters asking Gatsby to comment on the allegations made by other people. Nick describes Gatsby’s past and how he seriously “started from the bottom” (being a janitor in college). Gatsby has created numerous lies to cover up his past life and altered his own identity so he could become the man he is now; wealthy and successful. Therefore, he is a self-made man.
During chapter 2 at Tom’s party, Fitzgerald builds up the anticipation of meeting the main character, Jay Gatsby. The conversation at his party shifted to Gatsby when Caroline stated that she was afraid of him after she heard that he is either a relative to the German emperor or that he killed someone. Rumors keep swirling around Gatsby, making him a mysterious rich guy. Finally, in chapter 3, Gatsby is introduced and everything unravels from there. Gatsby is known for his luxurious parties and Nick Carraway so happens to be invited to one. It becomes clear that although he is honored to receive an invitation from Gatsby himself, Nick feels out of place at this party. Most everyone there just shows up, uninvited, or as Nick states, they are the “new money” guests. Throughout the night, Nick listens to other peoples’ conversations about the existing rumors of Gatsby. Being a non-judgmental person, Nick isn’t too quick to judge Gatsby. Later, Nick encounters Jordan Baker and they both observe the scenery, acknowledging that this party and those that attend seem to live up to the American Dream. At the end of the party, there was a crash. This symbolizes the reckless behavior and the disregard of such drunkenness during this time period. This type of behavior is also shown in the beginning of chapter 4 when a drunken woman confronts Gatsby about the rumors previously talked about. After witnessing this, Nick decides that he will create a list of every guest that has attended one of Gatsby's parties, proving that most people do not know him on a personal level and only come for his hospitality or for social purposes. In chapter 4, Gatsby takes Nick to a luncheon to meet with Meyer Wolfshiem, Gatsby’s business partner. When Gatsby explains that Wolfshiem was responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series, Nick begins to believe that Gatsby's wealth came from being a part of an organized crime. This gives the impression that Gatsby is not an honest man. On the way out of the restaurant, Nick sees Tom and feels obligated to go over and introduce him to Gatsby. Nick describes the encounter as awkward, foreshadowing Gatsby’s past with Tom’s wife, Daisy. After Jordan explains the story between Gatsby and Daisy, it now changes Nick's impression of Gatsby from being dishonest to a lovesick, innocent soldier who wants to win back the love of his life.
In the opening of chapter 2, Nick describes a “waste land” between West and East Egg where the ashes from both cities are both dumped. As discussed in class, this “Valley of Ashes” is a symbol of those that were left behind in the 1920’s. Above this wasteland is a billboard that advertises Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s eye practice, which gives the illusion that his eyes are watching over the ashes and everything that happened in the past. As the chapter continues, Tom is eager to show Nick his mysterious mistress. It becomes evident throughout this chapter that Nick pays more attention to the physical appearance of men and more of the emotional state of the women. When Nick first meets Mr. Wilson, he describes him as a “blonde, shirtless man, anemic, and faintly handsome.” However, when he comes across Tom’s mistress, Mrs. Wilson, he claims that she has an unattractive face but that she had a certain aura about her. This becomes even more apparent at the end of the chapter when Nick took McKee home. In Mckee’s bedroom, Nick was standing beside his bed and describes Mckee as “sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear, with a great portfolio in his hands.” This scene alone questions the homosexuality of Nick and makes certain scenes throughout this chapter seem very sexual. For example, when Mckee’s wife talks about how Myrtle Wilson would be a good addition to his artwork, Mckee is more focused on Tom. This questions his homosexuality because most men would turn their heads and get excited to look at a beautiful woman who was showing her breasts but instead he is more interested in Tom. Therefore, most men who are more interested in the physical appearance of a man rather than a woman must have homosexual tendencies. With this in mind, we can only wonder if there was a sexual connection between Mckee and Nick towards the end of chapter 2.
The Great Gatsby is told through the perspective of the narrator, Nick Carraway. He begins his story by recounting why—from advice his father once gave him— he became a nonjudgmental person: “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.” This means that you should reserve judgment about other people because if you hold them up to your own moral standards, you will misinterpret their intentions and get a wrong impression of them. Fitzgerald used ethos to encourage the reader to trust Nick because a biased narrator will make the narrative narrow-minded; therefore, stressing his good judgment is crucial. Fitzgerald builds up Nick's character by acknowledging the fact that Nick was in the Great War and went to a prestigious college. This establishes even more ethos for Nick by manifesting that he does fit in with the crowd at West Egg. As the chapter continues, he introduces Jay Gatsby, a man who stands for everything Nick hates. Although Nick should despise Gatsby, he actually withholds his judgment of Gatsby—admiring him and even calling his personality “gorgeous.”
#1-#6 are on socrative
#7: Hawthorne was not a small critic of Transcendentalism, with its constant proddings for people to tap into the inner-light, and avoid conformity as individuals tap into Nature and the over-soul. How does Hawthorne seem to criticize the basic tenants of Transcendentalism with "The Minister's Black Veil"? What argument does Hawthorne seem to be most critical? Be sure to use specific pieces from the text to support your claims. As opposed to the very optimistic view transcendentalists had about human nature, the Dark Romantics had a gloomy philosophical view about human failure and proneness to sin and self-destruction, as well as the difficulties inherent in attempts at social reform. The fundamental ideas of dark romanticism can be seen in this story through the assertion on human sin and guilt that impacts all characters. The story paints quite an abstemious picture about humans and the way that, even the best of humans, are tainted by sin. Note what Mr. Hooper says before dying when they try to remove his veil at the end of the story: "Why do you tremble at me alone…Tremble also at each other!” This last speech he makes before dying clearly points towards the symbolic meaning of the black veil. It is shown to represent the secret sin that acts as a barrier between us all. Symbolically, therefore, Mr. Hooper is able to look at everyone around him and see a black veil on their faces too. All he has done is gone one step further and placed a literal veil over his face to represent the sin that all humans suffer from. Hawthorne's use of Hooper's veil teaches that whether we face it or not, we all sin and must accept what we have done, because judgment will come for everyone. Such a pessimistic view of humanity fits perfectly with anti-transcendentalist beliefs about humans. #8: Finally: Hawthorne carefully avoids ever mentioning what Hooper has hidden. That said, from what you can tell, what is the most likely sin that the Reverend Hooper has committed? Explain the basis for your claim with solid argumentation. (Syllogism, enthymeme, logical reasoning). The Minister's Black Veil is often cited as an "ambiguous" literature. The author intentionally made it open to interpretation. I believe that Hawthorne used the black veil as a symbol of secret sin and darkness of human nature. This could represent Mr. Hooper's specific sin, adultery. Edgar Allan Poe speculated that Minister Hooper may have had an affair with the young lady who died at the beginning of the story, as this is the first day he wears the veil; "…and that a crime of dark dye, (having reference to the young lady) has been committed, is a point which only minds congenial with that of the author will perceive." As the plot continues, Hooper is unable to tell his fiancée why he wears the veil (due to a vow he has made) and is unwilling to show his face to the young lady even in death. Perhaps he hides the truth from Elizabeth due to his infidelity and feels guilty for what has happened to the girl. Another example is when the two funeral attendees see a vision of him walking hand in hand with the girl's spirit. Stephen Webb, a professor of religion and philosophy, wrote a rather satirical essay that might have sparked a firestorm amongst soccer players and liberals. Webb decided to take on social critique and has clearly made statements against one of America’s most prestige and played sport: soccer. In this essay, Stephen Webb’s intellect, or lack of, is placed on full display as he articulates four weak explanations of the ruin that soccer is inflicting upon America.
Beginning with a dull assessment, he writes of the world’s most beloved sport: “Soccer is clearly an important means by which American energy, drive, and competitiveness are being undermined to the point of no return.” Following many opinionated comments about soccer, Webb puts fourth four points to support his claim. First, he states that any sport that requires use of the feet is bad, because while “hands are divine, feet are in need of redemption.” Second, he argues that sports should be about breaking kids down, not making every kid a winner: “When I was a kid,” he explains, “Baseball was the most popular sport precisely because it was so demanding.” To add to the outrageous remarks, isn’t baseball considered a slow pace sport due to many fouls and strike outs? Webb’s third argument states that “Soccer is a foreign invasion.” He later contradicts himself by declaring that rather it being a foreign plot to overthrow America, the promotion and execution of this “boring” sport is domestically self-inflicted and encouraged by overworked families who have turned to soccer for its promise to exhaust their children. His fourth and last unrealistic point claims that “Soccer is a sport for girls, because they are too smart to waste an entire day playing baseball and do not have the bloodlust for football.” Ignoring his sexism, he argues that since girls have the common sense not to play a bloodlust game of football and are more devoted to the “paradigmatic feminine experience of childbirth”, soccer is just the sport for them. Apparently softball doesn’t make the cut as a “demanding and intimidating” sport. Ultimately, Webb’s arguments are so contradictory that readers have taken to arguing online whether or not this article was actually a lame attempt at satire. Take Amy Maestri for example. She counter-argues every point Webb has made and proceeds to call him an “ignorant insane ass” for what she initially believes to be a serious and non-satirical essay. After two police officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, were fatally shot, New York City's mayor Bill De Blasio delivered a eulogy at Liu's funeral. As he began his speech, numerous police officers (those that stood outside of the funeral) turned their backs to show their disapproval for the mayor and the way he has been handling anti-police protests. De Blasio increased the tensions between citizens and police officers by showing support for the protesters of Eric Garner's death.
De Blasio began talking to the general public about this tragic logic and how Liu contributed to the workforce and his life as a police officer; "Detective Wenjian Liu was a good man, he walked a path of courage, a path of sacrifice, and a path of kindness". He then directs his attention to Liu’s wife and offers his condolences to both her and the police officers that served with Liu. De Blasio uses Liu’s lifestyle as an example of someone who was living the “American Dream”. He continues by mentioning Buddha and how that impacted the lifestyle of Liu and that others should follow his example (not necessarily with Buddha). De Blasio contradicts himself because in his eulogy he describes how hard a police officer’s job his and that it’s devastating when one is lost but he told his son to pretty much be careful around police officers. Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech had an enticing effect on the public and influenced their opinions drastically. It recognized the hardening lines between northern and southern opinion and the unwillingness to compromise.
In the beginning of Lincoln’s speech, he alludes to the Bible, a source that most colonists devoted their lives to: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." This allusion provides Lincoln with credibility (ethos). Lincoln says that the nation will not last if it is divided into two. He argues that for the nation to last, it must be united for or against slavery: “Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the states, old as well as new, North as well as South.” In providing only two options of how to handle the slavery debate, Lincoln has created a false dilemma. Lincoln differentiated himself from the Nebraska-Kansas Act and its' creator, Senator Douglas, who had long advocated popular sovereignty under which the settlers in each new territory decided their own status as a slave or free state. He had repeatedly asserted that the proper application of popular sovereignty would end the slavery-induced conflict, and would allow northern and southern states to resume their peaceful coexistence. Lincoln, however, responded that the Dred Scott decision had showed that Douglas's preferred suggestion was a failure and that it left the Union with only two options: the United States would inevitably become either all slave, or all free. Lincoln's premise is that if Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act and popular sovereignty had not opened the door, the winds of slavery would not have become the raging storm that threatens the Union. |
AuthorMorgann Granger |