When Gatsby Meets Daisy Again Prove He Is Not Smooth or Relaxed
"'I wouldn't ask too much of her,' I ventured.'You can't repeat the past.' 'Can't repeat the past?' he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can!'... 'I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before,' he said, nodding determinedly. 'She'll see.'" (110).
This quote was at the very end of chapter six, when Daisy and Tom had just left from Gatsby's party. Gatsby at this point shows not only how much he loves Daisy and wants things to work out with her, but also how stuck he is in the past. He regrets losing her five years ago and wants to make up for it. The fact that he is trying so hard to recreate what happened so many years ago tells us that Gatsby partly blames himself for what happened and he now wants to make up for it. Also, Gatsby and Daisy were very much in love in the past and Gatsby might be afraid that he will lose her unless he makes her feel the way she did before he went away. In addition, Gatsby knows that hardly anything can happen between them if Daisy is still married to Tom, therefore, trying to make her feel as though she is in the past when she was not married to him could make her realize how unhappy she is with Tom and motivate her to divorce him. Overall, this quote says a lot about Gatsby's feelings and motivations for trying to recreate the experience that happened those five years ago.
-Allison
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"After half an hour the sun shone again … While the rain continued it had seemed like the murmur of their voices, rising and swelling a little, now and then, with gusts of emotion. But in the new silence I felt that silence had fallen within the house too" (93-94).
This highly symbolic passage from Chapter V holds a lot of information about the happenings between Gatsby and Daisy. The tumultuousness of the storm hints at the passion that these two people have for each other, while the reader never actually sees these "gusts of emotion." The imagery in this passage could also symbolize so much more. The meeting of Gatsby and Daisy has finally occurred, after much anticipation from not only Gatsby but the reader too, like the bursting of a giant raincloud. Also, the shift from dark to light is symbolic of the complete turn-around of Gatsby's mood. It could be said that he has weathered the trials of the rainstorm to find again the sun of his life. The "silence [that] had fallen within the house" is perhaps the weightiest of this section, though. This calm after the storm of emotions shows the understanding which Gatsby and Daisy have reached, after perhaps retelling of years apart and trying to set back the clock by their reminiscing. Even though the reader may never know what exactly was said within the house at this first meeting, the end result, this silence of nothing more needing to be said, is clearly visible.
--Alex Silver I
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"That huge place there?" she cried pointing.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it, but I don't see how you live there all alone."
"I keep it always full of interesting people, night and day. People who do interesting things. Celebrated people" (90).
This passage caught my eye because it points out Gatsby's lonely life. He lives in a giant mansion in West Egg and is filthy rich. But, he is alone in that huge house and has no wife, no family, just him. I think that Gatsby fill his house with guests to try and make himself feel less lonely. Sure there are a hundred guests over his house but they are not friends. The people come for the party and have no idea who Gatsby is. In this passage I feel like Gatsby's last statement is defensive. "I keep it always full of interesting people, night and day. People who do interesting things. Celebrated people." He doesn't just say that he keeps it full of people, they are interesting people who do interesting things and are celebrated. Gatsby is trying to show Daisy that his life isn't empty, but full of fun and celebrated people. I think that Gatsby is an extremely lonely person and that is a big challenge in his life.
Kelsey G.
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"In the morning,
In the evening,
Ain't we got fun--
Outside the wind was loud and there was a faint flow of thunder along the Sound. All the lights were going on the West Egg now; the electric trains, men-carrying, were plunging home through the rain from New York. It was the hour of a profound human change, and excitement was generating on the air.
One thing's sure and nothing's surer
The rich get richer and the poor get-- children. In the meantime, In between time--" 95
The song played at the end of chapter 5 epitomizes the mood of the 20's which is symbolized through the weather and environment. The wind out side was loud and there was "a faint flow of thunder along the Sound." This, along with the descriptions of "all the lights" going on the West Egg evokes a feeling of excitement from the reader. The twenties were a huge revolution in America and this is exemplified in the book as it is described as, "the hour of a profound human change…excitement was generating on the air." As the song "Ain't we got fun" shows, for the rich, life is a constant party. The song also exemplifies the increasingly deep divisions between the rich and the poor. "The rich get richer and the poor get—-children." After this song is played, Nick realizes that he is no longer recognized or important to Gatsby. This suggest that this passage is exemplifying Daisy's and Gatsby's love for each other as well and that the "Excitement" symbolizes the passion in their newly reignited relationship. The characters of Daisy and Gatsby have strayed away from their false facades, and their genuine personalities have emerged which could be considered part of the "hour of profound human change", but more accurately "character change".
-Sydney McKinley
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One part of the Great Gatsby that really stood out to me was the sentance "Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate to peasantry" (93). This passage decribes how when Jay Gatsby's house was built, the architect tried to pay the people in the surrounding houses to thatch their roofs with straw. The neighbors refused because in comparison to Gatsby's castle-like house, their homes would appear less valuable. Aside from a little summary of the people's feelings about their homes, I think this had a greater importance. This compared the characters to two low ranking social classes from the medieval times- serfs and peasants. While peasants were merely of a poor, working class, the serfs were the slaves to higher class powers. By saying that the characters would rather be serfs than peasants is like saying that they would rather be enslaved than appear to be less wealthy. This trait can be seen in many of the characters. Daisy Buchannan for example, would rather be oppressed by her husband and continue living her elite, high-class lifestyle in East Egg than be with Jay Gatsby, who is still wealthy but lives West Egg, which isn't as highly regarded. It's sad to think that wealth and status is such an important quality and guiding factor in the character's lives.
-Elyssa Williams
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'"If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay," said Gatsby. "You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of the dock"'(92).
This quote is describing how Gatsby has always had Daisy is in his heart and how she never left his thoughts. The green light at the end of her dock matches the one at the end of his dock. It is as if they are a pair that belong together. The mist is representing the hazey relationship Gatsby and Daisy have now, after all these years. It also represents how they have always been in each other's lives, through Nick, just they never knew it. A green light also represents go and by having the light be green it is as they are saying to each other to go and continue their love and not let the haze/ mist, Tom, get in their way of having a happy ending.
~Nikki
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Sorry I didnt mean to post just that here is the rest.
The fact that you can see the light across the bay also shows that even though it may seem as if it they are worlds apart they really aren't. The use of a light also symbolizes their own fire beginning to rekindle. If Tom is allowed to go out and get with other girls then Daisy should not be able to try and relight an old flame that once was burning. But at the party you can clearly see Tom is uncomfortable with the idea of Daisy and Gatsby even being friends.
~Nikki
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"Almost the last thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the moving picture director and his Star. They were still under the white plum tree and their faces were touching except for a pale thin ray of moonlight between. It occured to me that he had been very slowly bending toward her all evening to attain this proximity, and even while I watched I saw him stoop one ultimate degree and kiss at her cheek" (113).
This seemingly insignificant, and all together ambiguous, quote from the end of Chapter VI, struck me as incredibly symbolic for the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy, or perhaps merely how Nick percieves their relationship. Gatsby, like the director, has worked for years with the sole desire to be with Daisy, but no matter how close they are, like the director to the Star, they will always be separated by some great distance or curcumstance, represented by the ray of moonlight that still shown through. However, perhaps this is also foreshadowing: in the end the director is able to leap past the last hurdle to finally be with the Star that he'd been working for all night, so perhaps this represents how in order to win over Daisy, he has merely to conquer one last obsticle, and this last obsticle could be Tom.
-Colin
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"I went out and opened it. Gatsby, pale s death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes.
With his hands still in his coats pockets he stalked by me into the hall, turned sharply as if he were on a wire, and disappeared into the living-room. It wasn't a bit funny." (86)
This quote carries much weight due to what it shows. The quote is when Gatsby arrives to meet with Daisy. The quote shows that Gatsby, is very nervous about his meeting with Daisy. It is a time when we see how much he cares for her. She is obviously the object of his affection and by his nervousness in meeting her he obviously very much wants her. It shows that she truly meant something to him. Before this it is revealed that she and Gatsby had dated during the war and perhaps he is trying to win her over now that he is wealthy. Phrases like, "His hands plunged like weights into his coat pockets" show that he is incredibly nervous and show that this is the moment he has waited for for years. It is now obvious at this point that he is deeply in love with Daisy and his entire life revolves around wooing her. The quote I find is very important to the future plot. As the chapters develop we see that the book is revolving more and more around him trying to win Daisy over from Tom. This is why I believe that this quote is so important to the story. It also in a way shows the difference between Tom and Gatsby. Tom is so arrogant as to think that he can entertain many mistresses why still having Daisy, while Gatsby is very nervous even to see Daisy because of how much he cares for her and because of his lack of the self-confidence that Tom has. This may have something to do with Tom being born into wealth and Gatsby not.
Joshua Cali
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"There was a sharp line where my ragged lawn ended and the darker, well-kept expanse of his began" (82).
Although this may be a stretch, I believe the fine line between Nick and Gatsby's lawns could be a symbolic representation of the difference between themselves. One obvious difference between the two men is their wealth. Jay Gatsby Is a very wealthy man who has a very large and opulent house, while Nick has a small house that he refers to as an "eye sore". Not only are Nick and Gatsby's houses different, but also the women they see, and the relationships they have with these women. The women that Gatsby is in love with, Daisy, is a beautiful, attractive, and very feminine woman, while Jordan, Nick's woman, has a very masculine physique. The relationship between Nick and Jordan is not a very loving and serious relationship, and I personally think that Nick does not truly love Jordan, that he is only in love with idea of being in love. Contrary to Nick and Jordan, Gatsby is truly in love with Daisy and has been ever since the kissed. I believe that this contrast between Nick and Gatsby's lawns is in fact a symbolic representation of how different they really are.
-Haley
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"Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place. Then he sat down, rigidly, his elbows on the arm of the sofa and his chin in his hands" (91).
In this moment, Gatsby knocked over Nick's clock. This is signifuicant because it shows how Gatsby is a real person contradicting the "great" and somewhat unreal person that he has constantly been described as. He now comes off as awkward and love struck. This gives him real human qualities that the reader has yet to see from him. Gatsby wants her feelings to be the same as they were before, but is scared that they have changed.He is nervous about Daisy and if her feels have changed since the last time that they saw eachother, which was a long, long ago. Because of the significant time differnence, the fact that it was a clock that fell makes it more symbolic of the time that past betweent he two of them.
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" Five years next November" (87).
-As the reader knows Gatsby is very intelligent and has strong feelings for Daisy although their relationship is not well. Gatsby says this quote concerning the time that him and Daisy had not seen each other. I think this shows a feeling of desperation and how much he remembers because he loved her so much. Gatsby wants to get back together with Daisy so he has Nick convince her to have tea with him. The specific time period given could show that Gatsby is still in love with Daisy and wants to be with her, and it also could show that Gatsby has waited for so long that it shows his heart is still beating for her. Gatsby wants Daisy to be with him and not Tom. I also found this sentence to be odd because Gatsby never gives the full details in his life, but in this instant he does proving he wants to be with Daisy.
-Katie B
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"Suddenly, with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily" (92).
This sentence has a significant weight because of what it reveals about Gatsby and Daisy's relationship. The reader knows the overall idea of their past, however, the details are not revealed. This sentence shows how much Daisy must really love Gatsby to cry over his success. The t-shirts represent how successful Gatsby is in life that he has a private shopper who sends him clothes from England. The fact that Daisy cries over this could be because she resents not staying with Gatsby to live this extravagant life style or that she simply is proud of what he has made of himself over the last few years.
Paige Hanson
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Great start- especially strong posts from COlin, Sydney, Alex,Danielle W, and Elyssa.
=LC
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"But they made no sound and what I had almost remembered was uncommunicable forever" (118). The quote that I chose is the last sentence of chapter six. In this quote, Nick describes a brief moment in time where he is almost reminded of something that was once said. He scrambles to form the words in his mouth, but he can't seem to remember, and ends with the sentence above. I think that this sentence is extremely symbolic of the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. Similar to the part of the chapter where Nick tries to convince Gatsby that what he once had will never be the same, and that he cannot recreate the past, the memory that Nick cannot recreate is the feelings between Gatsby and Daisy that will never be as it once was. The fact that the narrator uses the word "umcommunicable" is representative of the trouble that the characters have communicating in the story. A prime example is when Gatsby first meets Daisy for the first time in almost five years. When Gatsby storms into the room, he is greeted by the girl of his dreams and a lack of speech. The awkward silences shared by the group in Nick's living room are rather unpleasant. Gatsby and Daisy did not know what to say, it had been too long. There was a definite lack of communication between the both of them. It becomes very noticeable that Nick does not know what to say a lot of the time, mostly with Gatsby. The characters in the book experience this inability to voice their feelings on part of their fake personalities. So many of the characters have constructed an identity for themselves in which they do not belong. A lot of the time, these people take a while to think of what they should say rather than what they normally would. Overall, there is an absolute lack of true and honest people, an idea that is exemplified by this quote.
--Anna--
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"Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes. With his hands still in his coat pockets he stalked by me into the hall, turned sharply as if he were on a wire, and disappeared into the living-room. It wasn't a bit funny" (86).
This whole section, I think, gives a lot of insight into Gatsby's character. He seems almost psychotic. He is described as being "pale as death, with his hands plunged like weight in his coat pockets." When Daisy comes over, and the two meet for the first time in five years, Gastby is very antsy, anxious, and restless. He does his best to make a good impression, and cleverly uses Nick as his source to attract Daisy over. However, despite all of his tactics, he cannot hide his utter nervousness for seeing the woman he has longed for for many years. Also notable, his mannerism in this quote seems to be quite odd. Before this scene, when Gatsby had met with Nick, he had always been carefree and restful, laughing and having a very charismatic persona. The fact that he "stalked" through the hall and "turned sharply as if he were on wire" shows that he was very stiff, and quite the opposite of his normal self. It is no secret that this moment, right before being reunited with Daisy, is driving him insane. We see a new side to Gatsby, and learn that underneath his cool, put-together exterior, he is quite a different man.
--Kelsey French
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"The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself" (98).
Nick sees that Gatsby has achieved his status because of desire, and not privilege/inheritance like Daisy - who seems to be the opposite of what Gatsby represents. Gatsby saw himself as a guy who could be wealthy and important, and created himself to match that persona.
In addition, Fitzgerald makes a point to include that Gatsby is from West Egg not East Egg. This emphasizes his lack of social ability to match that of East Eggers like the Buchanans. Perhaps this is to show that, as hard he may work and be motivated to reach that status, being an East Egg member cannot truly be worked for, it can only be given by someone else.
Fitzgerald also uses the word "Platonic." Using Dictionary.com, Platonic with a capital P is apparently different from platonic, which means theoretical. That definition would fit, but apparently is not the one Fitzgerald chose. The definition for Platonic is a little less concrete, but the most common definition is "love without sensual desire." This also fits, as it shows that Gatsby was "in love" with the concept of him being wealthy, rising from the poorer childhood.
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Source: http://coppensamlit6.blogspot.com/2010/01/gatsby-ch-5-important-moment.html
One sentence I found interesting was, "Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place" (91). This sentence appears in the novel when Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in five years. After this sentence, many references to time and clocks are made and I think this is significant because of the time Daisy and Gatsby spent apart. At first, I didn't quite see the "weight" of this sentence. It seemed important, but I wasn't sure why. Now I think it is significant because at this point in time, the clock has stopped both figuratively and literally for Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick as well. Gatsby and Daisy have begun right where they left off, so it is as if the time they did not spend together doesn't matter at all. Sure, Gatsby is nervous because he "caught it with trembling fingers" and Daisy was crying before Nick entered the room, but these two people have a connection that time cannot sever. As for Nick, I think he is startled by this revelation and doesn't know what to think of it. Usually he is a bystander and easy-going, but this time he was the only one there, besides Gatsby and Daisy, and was thrust into this meeting. It almost seems as if Nick is insignificant compared to these two because he leaves and they don't even really realize it or take notice of it. This sentence seemed simple at first, but now it seems to have a lot more of a meaning to me.
Danielle W.
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