- Nick is both part of the action and acting as an objective commentator. Does this narration style work? Why or why not?
- Why are we still reading a book written in the 1920's? (apart from the obvious--which is that I made you:-) What gives a book its longevity? And, which of its themes are eternal in the American psyche?
- Some people think having money leads to happiness. How did that work for the characters in this novel? And, how do you think Fitzgerald would respond the that statement?
Friday, May 7, 2010
FINAL "POST" READING QUESTIONS
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1. Yes, I think this works and I enjoyed this type of narration because then it didn't seem like the narrator just heard about it. In this story it felt like you were getting the first hand knowledge and it was kind of like you were there when it happened and knew what was going on. So yes I would say that this narration style does work and deeply involves the reader in the story.
ReplyDelete2. This book has a key theme that is key to America today and the America in the Past and that is the reason we are still reading this book from the 1920's and because we're in and American lit class. This book's longevity comes from the fact that it has an key theme and idea that has made America what it is today. This idea is the American Dream. This dream says that if you come to America and work hard you can become prosperous and as succesful as you can through working hard. The American dream is illustrated on page 189 where it states, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther...And one fine morning- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." This shows the American dream because it shows how if you don't get it today you can work harder tomorrow and strive to get it then.
I agree with Taylor that this narration style does work cause you can actually feel the emotion with the way he tells the reader and describes things and you understand how he experiences all the things in the novel, he does well narrarating for the other characters too cause you feel cause he is right there with them he is a key character and is a perfect choice for narration because the conflict isn't about him it is about the people around him so it evens it out because if the conflict was about him the reader would only know their thoughts about themselves not others.
ReplyDeleteThis book was written over 80 years ago but I think we are still reading it today because this book symbolizes what the American dream really means even in today's world like for gatsby he worked so hard and became a very rich wealthy man but lost it all in the end no matter how hard he worked for it, and how Tom and daisy are so rich and get away with everything just like people in today's world they don't have to clean up their own mess.
For the characters in this novel money definitely did not lead to happiness, Tom and daisy were never happy with eachother they still weren't even after daisy still chose Tom even though they were very rich they were not in love or happy with eachother and no amount of money could fix that and it was the worst of all for gatsby because he worked so hard for his fortune even if it was in illegal drugstores or bootlegging he did it all for daisy and she was in love with him but still did not choose him I don't know why she didn't that was stupid and in the end he was still not happy he still had his mansion and all his money but he didn't care cause he didn't have her. Then he died and that was it...no happiness ever except for the early years that he was with her.
I agree with taylor and Collin. The novel is interesting it draws in attention to the people who are reading it. It's a mystery and it let's the readers imagine what the character gatsby really is. You can either agree with what the rich wealthy people say about him or put together bits and peices through out the story to find out the truth about gatsby. This novel is an example of the American dream because people lie and do stupid things if you work hard you can be successful it also teaches you a lesson that you need to be careful with choosing your friends because people can just use you for your money or your fame to enjoy themselves. It also gives an example to let go of the past you can't live your life in the past you need to move on gatsby based his whole life around chasing daisy when in the end he couldn't have her and he rook his life he would of had a great future due to how successful his life was. so don't go chasing foolish dreams and look forward to a great future
ReplyDeleteMoney never leads to happiness for most people you have to find something you enjoy or be with someone who makes you truely happy. Celebrities have riches ad fame but are still not happy that's why they end up doing drugs and or kill themselves
ReplyDeleteThe way Fitzgerald set up the narration works very well i think. We are able to feel as though we are Nick, we are going to Gatsby's parties and expereincing all of the emotions that Nick is exposed too.
ReplyDeleteI believe the reason we are still reading this book is because the themes that are conveyed will never get old. You have the selfishness of humanity, the poison known as wealth, truthfulness, and the American Dream.
The question can money buy happiness? You can look at it so many ways. If you have more money you will be able to secure the things you own and buy the things you dont. Gatsby had tons of money, but was he happy? I dont think so. Seems to me that he shouldnt have been so fullhardy and chased Daisy until his death. He should have realized that there alot more fish in the sea and went and found someone else that wasnt so selfish and married..
2. We are reading this book that was placed back in the 1920's because it kind of gives you an example of the american dream, everyone wanted money. They would do whatever they wanted for it. Even if it was illegal. Like bootlegging. They knew it was illegal, but as long as they had money and didn't get caught, they didn't care. They just wanted to be happy. Everyone wanted to be happy so they would do whatever needed. This draws the readers attention by having Gatsby as a mysterious character. It also conveys the theme that the american dream can be achieved.
ReplyDelete2. I think that money back in the 20's was a dangerous thing to have, like it still is today, but people with money became obsessed with it and lost all of their friends and family in the process. Gatsby gave up his chance with daisy by leaving her the first time to go make money and become rich. When Gatsby became rich he lost all the hope for him and daisy. Gatsby chose money over the love of his life.
ReplyDelete1. Yes, I actually really enjoyed the narration and well i guess the objective commentator. It's going to make the movie alot more appealing I believe. Because they did the same thing in the motion picture "Good Fellas" not only was the main character the narrator but he was also an objective commentator.
ReplyDelete2. Why are we still looking back at WW2 and wondering why we didnt try to stop the Nazi tyranny. Wether it's comming to Polands aid, or even when Winston Churchill and president Roosevelt recieved the news but not only that pictures also of the concentration camps/extermination camps? We can learn alot about the past by simply looking back and reading a novel written in the 1920's. The theme I think that's most eternal in the American psyche is simply, The Pursuit of Happyness.
ReplyDelete3. Money can obtain material happyness. Take Mr. Gatsby for example. He had expensive suits, a beutiful mansion, and a simply ballin' car. But eternally Gatsby was failing to meet his needs. Upon his death only a few actual friends showed up. I recall that list about everybody that's ever been to Mr. Gatsbys partys. I mean just a huge book of so called "friends" but not only was he virtually alone at his funeral. He also died alone. With nobody to love him. Money is not the solution to happyness. Nick was balling on a 1920's budget. So he didn't have all that Mr. Gatsby had. Nevertheless I believe Nick will find true love. Not die alone surrounded by a few friends. Rather rows of friends and family members to remember the kind of person Nick was.
ReplyDelete1. The narrative style works for this book. because you can see whats going on through the eyes of someone who is not as judgmental. Its very discript and has an interesting way of state things that make you actually stop and think about what he is saying also it gets you more involved in the story.
ReplyDelete3. I agree with Paul and would also say that Mr. Gatsby is an example of how money can only buy so much happiness and it is usually just material things. The main thing I think this story is trying to tell us is that real happiness can be obtained without money and that just because your rich and think your happy and have a lot of friends you might not have as many friends as you think and they will leave you when you die or lose your money. Nick is a great example of this because he is more worried about those he loves than trying to get rich and buy friends.
ReplyDelete3:First off we have to look at what happiness is for the book. Gatsby wanted to be happy with Daisy. He believed that to be happy with his life he had to be with Daisy. And to get with Daisy he had to get money, a lot of money. So from Gatsby's perspective money did lead to happiness. Although that may be true for Gatsby that doesn't mean the same for everyone else in the book. Tom wanted happiness. He wanted it so bad that he cheated on Daisy. So for him he already had money from the get-go, and it was't necessarily the money that made him happy.
ReplyDelete2: People around the world today are still reading this book because even though it may be from the early 1900's it still has eternal themes that will always be around as long as the human race maintains its status. An example of an eternal theme from "The Great Gatsby" is about success and the American Dream. Fitzgerald writes about Gatsby wanting to be with Daisy( a goal he has set, or a dream he wants to pursue). Gatsby met Daisy before the Great War and has always loved her since but when he left he realized that he couldn't "be" with her because he was poor. He was in a different social class than her. So his Dream or goal was to be successful and make a lot of money so he could be with her. He wanted to rise to the top, just like every other American with their dream. So essentially Fitzgerald's theme in this book is about the American Dream.
Money didnt bring Gatsby happiness; maybe for a short period of time. Daisy ended up staying with Tom. Gatsby ended up getting shot, and only 2 friends showed up, showing how lonely he must have been, having shallow acquaintances instead of real friends.
DeleteWell yea it didn't bring him happiness but it was his path to happiness.
Delete1) This type of narration of Nick acting and his actions is a very well done narration for this story it works for this story because the story is very hard to understand from just one point of view it is told from both. It also helps to help the reader understand what is going on in other peoples minds and put two and two together.
ReplyDelete2) The reason I believe that people are stilling reading this book set almost 100 years in the past is that things like this still happen. The themes in this book can still happen in life today almost 100 years later. The themes that are eternal is the American psyche are Affairs, loneliness, and betrayal.
3) Having money did bring happiness to people in this novel. In Gatsby's case his money drove him crazy, he made the money so that he could meet daisy and in the first place daisy wouldn't marry him because he didn't have any money and now that he has money she wont marry him because she has already found another love. Money doesn't work out for Tom because with money he got daisy and a nice house and Mrs. Wilson, but in the end Daisy started to drift away from Tom and Toms mistress Mrs. Wilson got killed by Daisy, Toms wife. The only person that money worked out for is Nick. Nick didn't have a lot of money so he didn't have to buy happiness he earned it. When you ask 'How do you think Fitzgerald would respond to that statement' I assume you mean the one about money can lead to happiness. If so Fitzgerald would respond that money does not lead to happiness, it leads to depression and despair. that is why all the rich characters end up sad in the end of the book.
1) Nick being part of the story as well as being the narrator works out very well. Through his observant nature is the story told, take him out of it and the story wouldn't be the same at all. Also he is an intergal character in The Great Gatsby because he ties all of the other characters together, without him none of the plot would have occured, atleast the way it did.
ReplyDelete2) This book is still read in English classes today because it is an excellent example of modernism; which is part of many curriculums such as ours. Apart from that it also is a fairly good novel, and the storys moral; money can't fix everything, and that is something that will be relevant forever during mankind's greedy existence ( sounds pessimistic, just like modernism).
ReplyDelete3) The question of wether or not money leads to happiness cannot be answered. To some money is everything, and makes them happy. Thats not to say that most people would disagree that money leads to happiness. In the case of the characters in the Great Gatsby, money led to death and heartbreak. Not happiness. And if one were to ask Fitzgerald this question im sure he would vehemently disagree that money leads to happiness, argue the problems with money and say that it does not in fact lead to happiness. This whole novel is criticising money and the low morals of the era.
ReplyDelete1) Nick was a very interesting character in The Great Gatsby, and as I read the story i remembered what he said at the first few pages about reserving all judgment. Nick was the narrator to the story but also a key character; while he was there for all the major events he didn't have any major role in their outcome. I think this was a very effective way for Fitzgerald to tell the story and it helped give his readers an interesting point of view.
ReplyDelete3) I think, after reading Fitzgerald's story, that he would disagree that money brings happiness. In the story, Gatsby was able to have whatever he wanted and was extremely successful but we found out that he was truly un-happy because he wasn't able to convince Daisy to leave Tom. Nick, on the other hand was openly poor and an unsuccessful bondsman but was perfectly content throughout the novel and never showed that he was jealous of his rich friends; in most cases he was described as being resentful of them and didnt approve of their behavior.
ReplyDeleteI think that the style of narration works because it gives us a front row point if view to all the action going on in the story.
ReplyDeleteI think we read this book because of the theme of the book, which is like a forbidden live type thing, is an everlasting thing in American society, like it can always happen no matter what day and age it is.
Having money didn't bring Gatsby happiness, but it certainly helped him out substantially in his pursuit of happiness. Nick didn't have much money and he was doing just fine. He didn't need money to find happiness. Daisy and Tom had money and they weren't happy. Tom was having an affair and Daisy was not sure she loved Tom. I think that Fitzgerald would agree with that statement because of the way he portrays all the rich people, with most of them having problems and being unhappy.
I think the narration style in this book worked very well, because nick did a very good job if telling us how the other characters felt and acted. In the beginning it talks about how nick didn't judge anybody, but towards the end he starts to because of their terrible actions. Also I think Fitzgerald is trying to communicate that money cannot buy happiness because he makes the richest people in the book the unhappiest. Nick, the only one with morals in the book turns out to be the happiest. No one really gets what they want in the end but that's life and they all have to accept it and move on.
ReplyDelete1. I think this works because you get a first point of view of what actually happened and went on. You also get a view point on his thoughts and actions as well as others. This makes everything seem more realistic.
ReplyDelete2. I think we are reading this book because it's something that could be re-told and replayed over and over again. It shows us that even back then, things weren't very different. People were being judged based on wealth, where they lived, and people cheated on their significant others but we're scandalous about it.
3. Money does not lead to happiness. In the story we found out that Daisy didn't want to be with Gatsby because he wasn't as rich as her family and was very poor. Gatsby figured if he had money, he would get the girl; even if he had to do it illegally. Gatsby soon realized that even having more money than her and Tom didn't change anything which he hoped would. I think Fitzgerald would agree that wether your poor or rich, you will always be judged and you should just accept who you are and where you came from and surround those that care about you and not what you have.
1. I believe that Nicks being the narrator works because it gives his point of view, him being like a bridge to everyones lives. Nick is almost friends with everyone in the book and on most of their good sides so they are comfortable telling him things about their lives. Fitzgerald putting Nick as the narrator was a good choice for the book. Then again it would have been a good choice to have Gatsby as the narrator just because the tittle is The Great Gatsby. It should be more about him and from his point of view.
ReplyDelete1:This type of narration works because of what type of person Nick is. People reveal their secrets to him so he is a good objective commentator because of that and he voices his opinion about them to us as an audience while being part of the action.
ReplyDelete2. I think that we are still reading this book The Great Gatsby because it shows how life was like in that times period. Its almost like an inside view of it. Because the story was written in the 1920's it isn't that long ago so some of the things are still happening. People are still drinking and smoking, we may not have any speak easies but just like in the 1920's the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poor. There is still a great separating between the tow classes. People are always going to try to be the most rich and powerful, also the most popular and on top of the social status. Americans will always have the same stereo type that we are lazy, and think we can do what we want but in the end we will fight for what we want and will do anything to get it.
ReplyDelete2. Reading a book from the 1920's give us a sense of what people back then are like and what they do in their life and what they may be feeling. It gives a sense of differences of that time then and time now. A book that becomes longevity is a book that can be remembered and how it makes you feel when you read it. The emotion, the characters, the events, the conflict that you can remember gives a book it's longevity. The themes of anxiety, isolation, alienation, socialization, honesty are eternal in the American psyche.
ReplyDelete3. Money has its advantages but also it's disadvantages. You can have whatever you want, have the best parties, the nicest things but it doesn't really bring happiness. Gatsby in the novel has everything, big house, nicest things, parties, but he is lonely. As for Nick, he has an average house, gets paid alright, lives alone but has family that cares. What Fitzgerald is saying is that money can't provide everything for you, physically yes, but emotionally probably not.
3. Money at first may buy you a little bit of happiness but it usually doesn't last for long. Daisy was always a rich girl, she loved Gatsby and he loved her. They were supposed to be married,they were engaged but Gatsby was sent to war. When he returned Daisy was married and had a kid. Gatsby found out later that Daisy wouldn't marry him just because he was poor. Later in life Gatsby became rich, even richer than Daisy. Daisy didn't really like Gatsby for him she liked his money. At Gatsby's funeral you could tell who really cared for him. Mr. Willsom wanted the car that Tom had promised him so Tom used it as an excuse to see Daisy. Daisy only like Tom for more money and Tom only liked Daisy because she was pretty and ever more rich than he was. I believe that Fitzgerald would agree that money can not buy any person happiness. Even people who have been rich their whole life still feel sad because u can never tell if people are being friends with them for them or just their money.
ReplyDelete1. I liked this narration style and i thought it worked pretty well mainly because since Nick is part of the action you get a first hand experience of what is going on around him. And since he is also a third person narrator, you get to know what he is thinking of himself and others. I feel like i got more out of the story this way, rather than just a single type of narration.
ReplyDelete2. I think were still reading this book today because it shows the ever changing sense of the American Dream. Originally the American Dream was all about discovery and individualism. During the 1920's, money and social classes changed that dream into something more selfish. The dream of being on top is always going to be an eternal thought in the american psyche.
3. Money brings people happiness, but its not true happiness. The sense of love and security seems to be more important to Gatsby after he realizes that being rich only played a small part in being with Daisy. Money only seemed to bring these characters down in the end.
Yes, i liked the narration because i was able to follow along great in the book, and i could understand the conflict easily.
ReplyDeleteI thought the book showed great details on how people adapted to life in the 1920's. And how great detasiled the book was about it. Everyone is still doing the same things now as in the past, like throwing parties and what not. life hasnt changed and never will.
I thik money was kind of a bribe, people would become freinds if others have higher quality stuff, like cars and houses, but it was there to show how people arent real freinds unless you earn their freindship. you cant buy freinds, and when nobody showed up to gatsbys funeral, nick realized gatsby was a lonely man who had few people who cared.