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In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald conveys that the American Dream is not what many people see it is. He shows that the American Dream claims to present all people with opportunity, yet even with success, happiness is still constantly out of reach. Fitzgerald also communicates through his writing that many people misunderstand the American Dream as a culmination of wealth. But in actuality, the American Dream means to create a better life (than you had) for future generations. In the novel, Daisy represents the American Dream because she is wealthy, sought after, but is unattainable. Gatsby wants to be with Daisy, but he can’t because she is too far out of reach. She has a family and would never leave her life with Tom.

Many people might say that the ideas that are portrayed about the American Dream can be compared to how many people feel about it in recent times. Nowadays, many people are losing hope in the American Dream. Especially now that we are living through a pandemic. Some people who were working towards their American Dream, lost all progress because of the pandemic. Many people lost their jobs and businesses. The pandemic caused many people to lose hope in themselves and the world.

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The feelings that Gatsby has for Daisy can be compared to the song No Me Queda Más by Selena Quintanilla-Perez. I see the song as what Gatsby might have felt all those years away from Daisy. In the song Selena sings, “Yo tenía una esperanza en el fondo de mi alma que un día te quedaras tú conmigo.” This translates to “I had a hope In the bottom of my heart That one day you would stay with me.” I believe that this matches well with Gatsby’s feelings because Nick does describe Gatsby having hopes to be with Daisy. Selena also sings, “Y aún guardaba una ilusión Que alimentaba al corazón, Mi corazón que tiene que verte como sólo amigo.” This translates to, “And I still held onto the dream That fed my heart, My heart that now has to see you as just a friend.” Gatsby did hold onto the dream of being with Daisy but he still saw Daisy as more than a friend. Another part of the song that Selena sings that could represent Gatsby 's feelings is, “Porque esto sí fue amor Por mi parte, lo más lindo, El más grande amor”. This translates to “Because this was love For my part, the most wonderful, the greatest love.” Gatsby loved Daisy so much that he created a life he believed she would enjoy.
Word Count= 227

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The American Dream in the Great Gatsby always ends in tragedy. Fitzgerald wanted to show the reader that the American Dream cannot be fully attained because those who believe in it are always reaching for something greater than themselves.

Although, my family‘s story contradicts what Fitzgerald is saying about the American Dream. I grew up in Los Angeles in a neighborhood where all there was was poverty. All the odds were against us. The school systems were the worst, there was constant violence, and the loss of hope everywhere. My parents decided to move out of Los Angeles because they believed that we would have better opportunities elsewhere. It was hard finding somewhere to live, but we eventually did. In Los Angeles, I would barely see my Dad because he would go to work from early in the morning to late at night trying to make ends meet. When we moved out of that area, my Dad was still working but he decided that he wanted to be his own boss because he wasn’t getting paid the money he was supposed to. He got his business license and started his business. Now he’s his own boss. And I thank my Dad and my Mom for giving me a life where I have the opportunity to accomplish my own dreams.

Word Count= 219

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(June 6, 2021) Chapter 9 Blog, Part 2: The End

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(June 6, 2021) Chapter 9 Blog, Part 2: The End

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Reading this chapter, I couldn’t help but feel bad for Gatsby. From all those people who came to his parties, not one took the time to go to his funeral.
Klipspringer, who lived at Gatsby’s house for a good while, was more interested in his shoes that he left at Gatsby’s house than the news of Gatsby’s death. Gatsby showed them all his hospitality, but not one of them could share their condolences. Daisy didn’t even call and talk to Nick about what happened to Gatsby. She didn’t even say that she felt bad about what happened. Her and Tom just got up and left.

What made me feel even more bad about what had happened was the visit from Gatsby’s father. Mr. Gatz was proud of what his son had become. Nick describes the picture that Mr. Gatz carries with him, as being “dirty with many hands.” From this I believe that Mr. Gatz was so proud of his son that any chance he had, he would show the picture. Mr. Gatz also stated that Gatsby bought him a house where he now lives. This to me shows that Gatsby was different from the stuck-up wealthy people in this novel.

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Teacher Topic:
What the novel, The Great Gatsby, is saying about the American Dream is that people are always reaching towards something that is greater than themselves, but that the majority of time it’s just too far out of reach. For example, it was Wilson’s dream to have a successful business, but his business wasn’t going anywhere. He not only lost his wife to a tragic accident, but he took another life as well as his own. Fitzgerald also shows how even achieving the American Dream does not lead to happiness as shown in the life of Dan Cody. Nick states, “The transactions in Montana copper that made him many times a millionaire found him physically robust but on the verge of soft-mindedness, and, suspecting this, an infinite number of women tried to separate him from his money” (Fitzgerald, p.g. 85). Even though Dan Cody achieved his American Dream and became wealthy, he suffered from it. He was an alcoholic and many people tried to take his money. A lot of the characters were close to achieving their American Dream but their lives ended in tragedy. For example, Myrtle wanted to escape her life by having an affair with Tom, but at the end of it all, she died. Another example is Gatsby. He created this whole life style just so he could be with Daisy, but once again at the end of it all, he also died.
Word Count: 237

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(May 31, 2021) Chapter 8 Blog, Part 2: The Unexpected 

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(May 31, 2021) Chapter 8 Blog, Part 2: The Unexpected 

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In the beginning of chapter 8, we learn the truth about Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship. Nick says that Daisy was growing anxious waiting for Gatsby to return. He says that she started to feel the “pressures of the outside world.” Nick says that when Gatsby met Daisy, he was a penniless young man under the uniform to which cloaked his true identity. Nick states “He might have despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses. I don’t mean that he had traded on his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much the same strata as herself-...(Fitzgerald, p.g. 129). Nick also says, “Through this twilight universe Daisy began to move again with the season; suddenly she was again keeping half a dozen dates a day with half a dozen men,...(Fitzgerald, p.g. 131). This leads me to believe that the feelings Daisy had for Gatsby were not that serious if she goes on to have “half a dozen dates” a day.

Gatsby’s death was unexpected and shocking. It was a major plot twist. Because he was tangled up with Daisy and Tom, his life was unexpectedly cut short. I feel like everywhere that Tom and Daisy go, bad things happen.
Word Count: 221

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Teacher Topic:
Everything that is on the cover of The Great Gatsby has meaning and connects greatly to the story. The green tear represents the green light that Gatsby sees. The green light is Gatsby’s dream for Daisy to be with him, but on the cover it is in the form of a tear because it never happens. His dream causes sadness within himself and also gets him into a situation that leads to his death. He wanted to please Daisy so much that he was willing to do anything for her, even take the blame. The face on the cover reminds me of that of a woman’s face, therefore I believe it to be the face of Daisy. There is also a landscape image of the city with bright buildings on one side that gets smaller. The colors, I feel, represent each main character. The lights are all mixed together representing how all the characters are connected but don’t know it. These lights also represent the chaos of life. Also on the cover, in each of the irises of the eyes, there is a nude woman. These women represent how the wealthy in the book were stripped away to show their true nature.
Word Count: 202

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(May 23, 2021) Chapter 7 Blog, Part 2: What Just Happened 

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(May 23, 2021) Chapter 7 Blog, Part 2: What Just Happened 

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‘“ You two start on home, Daisy,” said Tom. “In Mr. Gatsby’s car.” She looked at Tom, alarmed now, but he insisted with magnanimous scorn. “Go on. He won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.” They were gone, without a word, snapped out, made accidental, isolated, like ghosts, even from our pity”(Fitzgerald, p.g. 117).

Everything that Gatsby worked toward and his dream were all shattered in this one scene. Everything just slipped away from him, his reputation and Daisy. After Tom had revealed how Gatsby actually got his money, he knew that he had won. He was so confident that Daisy was not going to leave him that he sent her to go with Gatsby. I felt bad for Gatsby but at the same time he was dealing with something that was illegal.

I also can’t believe that Myrtle died and Daisy was the one driving. They had no idea that one was the other. Gatsby still thinks he could win Daisy back but it won’t happen. After what Nick saw through the window, Gatsby is no longer running through Daisy’s mind. It seems that after what happened in the hotel room, Tom and Daisy have rekindled their relationship.
Word Count: 207

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Teacher Topic:
I believe Gatsby does love Daisy, but for her image. He wants to be with her to kind of prove to himself that he’s not who he was before and that he did fulfill his promise to her. Gatsby treates Daisy like one of his achievements. I believe at one time Daisy did love Gatsby, but I feel like now that they are reunited, she’s been using him to get back at Tom. The fact that Daisy and Tom have a child proves that she at least loved him. At the end of this chapter, Daisy and Tom have an intimate moment that proves she still loves him. Even Nick knows that Gatsby’s chance of being with Daisy is no longer possible. I think Nick knew all along that Daisy would never leave Tom. Nick expressed interest in Jordan but I don’t think that’s going anywhere because in a previous chapter when Nick was expressing his feelings, Jordan kind of brushed him off. What Fitzgerald is saying about love is that it’s complicated. He shows the complications of love between all these different people and social classes. He also shows that there is not just one type of love, but that there is many.
Word Count= 204

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(May 16, 2021) Chapter 6 Blog, Part 2: Just Plain Rude

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(May 16, 2021) Chapter 6 Blog, Part 2: Just Plain Rude

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To start off, what was Tom doing around Gatsby’s house? If Tom and his friends despise West Egg and new money so much, why were they there?

I found it so rude that the couple that Tom was with invited Gatsby to go with them for dinner but left him. They didn’t even wait a minute for him. Nick says that the woman who invited Gatsby for supper did so unenthusiastically but why didn’t Gatsby catch that. Gatsby really wanted to go but it was obvious that they didn’t want him to. Also why didn’t Nick say anything to Gatsby.

This chapter really showed us more about Tom based on who his friends are. You could tell what kind of person someone is by the company they keep. We already knew from previous chapters that Tom was not a nice guy, but now we see more of the snobby side of him. He also said something that shows us a little more of his beliefs. He said, ‘...I may be old fashioned in my ideas, but women run around too much these days to suit me’ (Fitzgerald p.g. 89). This line that he stated didn’t sit well with me.

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(May 16, 2021) Chapter 6 Blog: Characterization 

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(May 16, 2021) Chapter 6 Blog: Characterization 

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Teacher Topic:
“I suppose he’d had the name ready for a long time, even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people—his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all”(Fitzgerald p.g. 84).

At first Gatsby told Nick that his family died and left him with a large inheritance that left him with a lot of money. He also told Nick that his family were Oxford graduates and that’s why he went to Oxford for a couple of years. But what we really find out is that Gatsby’s family were North Dakota farmers and that he went to community college. He refused the life he had so he ran away to create the life he believed he deserved. After, he ended up working for Dan Cody where he gained knowledge but no money. Gatsby spent five years with Dan Cody, sailing and taking care of him. Gatsby also served in the war where he earned some war medals. Gatsby also said that he works in the oil and drug store industry but it’s likely possible that Gatsby works as a bootlegger with Mr. Wolfsheim. As a young man, Gatsby shows determination when working for a better life but kind of shows his selfish/self absorbed side when stated that he thought it was his destiny.

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(May 9, 2021) Chapter 5 Blog, Part 2: The Third Wheel 

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(May 9, 2021) Chapter 5 Blog, Part 2: The Third Wheel 

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I feel like Gatsby wants to reunite with Daisy for all the wrong reasons. He wants to relive the past as exactly as it was. But in reality you can’t repeat the past.

Gatsby remembers Daisy a certain way but it’s been five years, so she wouldn’t be the same as he remembers. People change a lot in five years. She moved on from Gatsby, but now that they’ve met, her feelings for him are coming back. I also feel like he’s kind of obsessed. He knew exactly how much time they’ve been apart. He said something like “five years next November.” I understand if he said about five years but the way he said that, makes me think he’s been constantly counting the exact time that they have been apart.

I also think it’s kind of funny that they drag Nick along when they go to show Daisy Gatsby’s house. Nick keeps asking if he should leave but both Daisy and Gatsby keep insisting he stay, even though they’re too busy with each other. I mean he could have left but I think he kind of wanted to see how things would play out so he agreed to stay.

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(May 9, 2021) Chapter 5 Blog: Symbolism 

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(May 9, 2021) Chapter 5 Blog: Symbolism 

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Teacher Topic:
Towards the end of chapter 5, Gatsby states, ‘If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,...You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock’ (Fitzgerald, p.g. 79).

We now have a greater understanding about the green light. The green light represents Gatsby’s ceaseless pursuit of his dream. It also stands for his hope and desire to finally be with Daisy. But now that he’s finally reunited with Daisy, he feels that there is no significance to that green light anymore.

I believe that the green light still has significance even though Gatsby doesn’t believe so. I have a feeling that the green light didn’t just represent Daisy and his longing to be with her. I think the green light also symbolizes Gatsby’s envy of Tom’s life. Tom didn’t have to work for his wealth and he has the one person that Gatsby wants most. Tom has a life with Daisy that Gatsby will never be able to have.

In our culture, green symbolizes money, jealousy, and even health.

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(May 2, 2021) Chapter 4 Blog, Part 2: The Past is the Past

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(May 2, 2021) Chapter 4 Blog, Part 2: The Past is the Past

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At the end of chapter 4, Jordan finally tells Nick of Gatsby’s true intentions. I found Gatsby buying that house so he could be across the bay from Daisy, kind of stalker-ish. I understand that he wants to see her again but that’s kind of extreme.

Nick was being used by Gatsby to get closer to Daisy, but at the same time, we don’t see Nick getting angry about being used. If it were me, I would be upset. Nick was the only one to receive an invitation to Gatsby’s party because Gatsby knew that he could use Nick for his Plan B. Gatsby’s first plan was to have these large parties so that maybe one day Daisy would eventually show up. She never did so he thought of another way to get closer to Daisy.

Gatsby is chasing the past but Daisy has changed. She has a daughter to think about and she’s married already. I don’t think she’ll leave Tom for Gatsby. I just wish Gatsby had someone who would tell him the truth.

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(May 2, 2021) Chapter 4 Blog: Characterization 

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(May 2, 2021) Chapter 4 Blog: Characterization 

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Teacher Topic:
I'm starting to believe the rumor that Gatsby is a bootlegger based on who Mr. Wolfsheim is.
Mr. Wolfsheim starts talking about how someone he knew got shot when Nick and Gatsby arrive. I found him talking about that so easily, just wrong. Mr. Wolfsheim states, “He turned around in the door and says: ‘Don’t let that waiter take away my coffee!’ Then he went out on the sidewalk, and they shot him three times in his full belly and drove away” (Fitzgerald p.g. 59). Why would someone bring up murder like that during lunch? Any way, he also showed Nick his cufflinks made out of human molars. Like first, WHO HAS HUMAN MOLARS FOR CUFFLINKS? It's disturbing that not only does he have them, but he was proud of them. The cufflinks are one of the many signs that show that Mr. Wolfsheim is bad news. Then, Mr. Wolfsheim goes on to tell Nick what a good man Gatsby is. Gatsby portrays himself as being friendly and harmless but that gets skewed after this encounter with Mr. Wolfsheim.

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(April 25, 2021) Chapter 3 Blog, Part 2: Guests or Pests?

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(April 25, 2021) Chapter 3 Blog, Part 2: Guests or Pests?

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Even though Gatsby has these large extravagant parties and doesn’t seem to mind all the commotion, I wonder if he ever gets tired of it. Whenever the parties end, there are always people who stay longer than they are supposed to. Some of them are drunk and can’t hold their emotions. For example, “beside her stood a tall, red-haired young lady from a famous chorus, engaged in song. She had drunk a quantity of champagne, and during the course of her song she had decided, ineptly, that everything was very, very sad--she was not only singing, she was weeping too. Whenever there was a pause in the song she filled it with gasping, broken sobs, and then took up the lyric again in a quavering soprano” (Fitzgerald, p.g 43). There were others that ended up causing scenes, like the women who had to be carried out by their husbands because they were complaining that they were always the first ones to leave (even though they were some of the last) and the accident that happened outside of Gatsby’s house. I’m surprised Gatsby didn’t lose his temper around some of these people. I’m pretty sure I would’ve lost it. But he didn’t kick people out and tell them it’s time to go, he let them leave at their own time.

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Teacher Topic:
Just by the way Jordan believes that when she drives, she doesn’t have to be careful because other people are, just really shows who she is as a person. Nick calls her out when he says, "You're a rotten driver...Either you ought to be more careful, or you oughtn't to drive at all" (Fitzgerald, p.g 49). She responds to him with, "They'll keep out of my way...It takes two to make an accident" (Fitzgerald, p.g 50). We see the true colors of Jordan in this section (her carelessness for other people and her shallowness). We see that she doesn’t really care about the consequences of her actions. This also reflects her social class due to the fact that many wealthy people tend to not face consequences for their actions because of their power and money (even if they do something bad). When it comes to setting, social class is shown based on where the character lives and what the area they live in looks like. As far as certain characters being able to “pass” in more than one social class, I’m not sure. Myrtle is more in the poor/working class category, but she tries to act and behave wealthy. But at the same time, I don’t think anyone is being fooled.
Word Count= 216

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(April 18,2021) Chapter 2 Blog, Part 2: Um What?

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(April 18,2021) Chapter 2 Blog, Part 2: Um What?

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During the beginning of this chapter, I asked myself so many questions like why would Tom want Nick to meet Myrtle and why did Tom choose Myrtle as his mistress or just straight out why? When Myrtle’s sister Catherine started telling Nick that the reason that Tom and Myrtle aren’t together is because Daisy doesn’t believe in divorce, I thought the nerve of this woman. I understand that Myrtle wants an escape from her life but hurting someone else isn’t the way. I feel like both Myrtle and Daisy are going through so much just to be with Tom but at what cost. Not only did he hurt Myrtle physically but he’s been hurting Daisy emotionally by being with Myrtle. I feel like Tom has strong feelings for Myrtle but not on the same level as his feelings for Daisy (if he broke Myrtle’s nose for just saying Daisy’s name).

Another thing is that I feel like Myrtle is one of those people who plays down her beauty to just receive compliments. For example, "It's just a crazy old thing," she said. "I just slip it on sometimes when I don't care what I look like."

"But it looks wonderful on you, if you know what I mean," pursued Mrs. McKee (Fitzgerald, p.g 26).
Word Count= 211

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Teacher Topic:
East and West Egg are the wealthiest parts of the city. Tom and Daisy live in East Egg and Nick and Gatsby live in West Egg. Although, Nick travels to East Egg to visit Daisy sometimes. East Egg is considered where people who have had money passed down from generation to generation within their family live (“old money”). West Egg is where the people who have worked to acquire their wealth live (“new money”).
New York represents the time period, but I also believe that it represents the carelessness of the characters. Tom goes there because that’s where him and Myrtle go to be together. He also takes Nick there to meet Myrtle and they eventually have a small party where Nick gets drunk.

Nick describes the Valley of Ashes as, “...--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” (Fitzgerald, p.g 16). The Valley of Ashes is where the working class/poor live and is a sort of a gloomy city. Tom goes there often to meet Myrtle.
Word Count= 206

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(April 11,2021) Chapter 1 Blog, Part 2: The Unhappiness of Daisy

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(April 11,2021) Chapter 1 Blog, Part 2: The Unhappiness of Daisy

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Student Topic:
While reading the chapter I felt bad for Daisy. She might be living luxuriously but it’s costing her her happiness. She was alone when she had her daughter. That should’ve been a happy experience not a sad one. Daisy goes on to describe her daughter’s birth to Nick,‘ "It'll show you how I've gotten to feel about--things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling, and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or a girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept..." ’(Fitzgerald, pg. 14-15). Daisy opens up to Nick and that helps the reader get a greater understanding of the character. Towards the end of the chapter where Nick thinks to himself that Daisy should just take her child and leave, I was in total agreement with him. But I know that he was right when he said she wouldn’t do it (because it’s not that easy).Tom has proven to be a lousy husband (having a side-chick and missing the birth of his first child). This comes to show that money isn’t always everything.
Word Count=207

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(April 11,2021) Chapter 1 Blog: Characterization 

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(April 11,2021) Chapter 1 Blog: Characterization 

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Teacher Topic:
Supercilious~ behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others

Fractiousness~ the trait of being hard to influence or control; stubborn/irritable

“Now he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face...It was a body capable of enormous leverage — a cruel body”(Fitzgerald, pg. 6).

Throughout the chapter, the colors red, white, and gold are mentioned. I believe that red is associated with the emotions of hate, rage, and passion. The color red can also be associated with Tom’s character. So far, Tom has shown all these emotions in Chapter 1. I believe that white is associated with simplicity and innocence and reflects Daisy’s character. Gold is also mentioned and represents the wealth of the couple.

Just based on how Nick started to describe Tom in Chapter 1, I knew that Tom wasn’t going to be even close to one of the favorites. At first I thought, “well maybe he’ll go through character development and change, but um...yeah no.” It’s barely Chapter 1 and I don’t think Tom will become a good person (we’ll see soon).
Word Count= 200