In the Comments section below, please post a response of at least one full paragraph (min. 5 sentences). Your assignment is twofold: 1) you are to demonstrate a clear understanding of the text by attempting to summarize the text's argument as precisely as possible, and 2) you are to use your comment to ask the text (or ask your peers) at least one thoughtful question.
Remember: your comment can respond directly to other students' posts on this text. The goal of this forum is to offer an opportunity for intelligent dialogue related to the works we are studying in class. Respectful debate is always welcome.
Nick invites Daisy over for tea, and in doing so, sets her up with Gatsby. The two are at first awkward, because Gatsby doesn't know what to do now that he has finally found her, and because Daisy is now married. Nick, caught between them, decides to leave. When he comes back, he finds that the awkwardness is gone and that they are getting along quite well. Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick over to his mansion, where Daisy is astounded at his wealth. It seems as if Daisy and the people of East Egg are driven by money, not friendships or love. Nick realizes this, and feels completely secluded from his neighbors: he is nothing like them. He returns home as Gatsby and Daisy dance. Nick begins to understand his neighbors alot better after this incident, and the more he know about them, the more he realizes that he doesn't belong there. Why is Daisy so quick to fall for Gatsby again?
ReplyDeleteI think she is quick to fall in love with Gatsby again because they both never really had closure. Their relationship ended because Gatsby went to war. They were never fully over each other. When Daisy saw Gatsby all of her old feelings came rushing back and she wanted what they had in the past. The thing is Daisy is married. Why would she stoop as low as Tom and cheat? Why doesn't Gatsby care that Daisy is married?
ReplyDeleteAlex, I think that Daisy was feeling unapreciated and was longing for someone to actually give her the attention she was lacking from her husband. I dont think that Daisy saw her affair with Gatsby as cheating, i think she saw it as a chance to feel the way that she had not since she was 17. I think that Gatsby was so desperate to see and talk to Daisy that he ignored all the complications their relationship would cause. Did Nick feel guilty about assisting their affair even though he is good friends with Tom?
ReplyDeleteHolly, I agree with you, in saying that neither daisy nor gatsby thought that what they were doing was wrong. I also don't think that nick felt guilty at all in helping daisy and gatsby get together. I think this, because nick actually drove with Tom to new york to see Myrtle, so if anything, helping daisy and gatsby get together probably relieve nick from any guilt he had with helping Tom. I feel like nick is the kind of person that goes along with whatever anybody tells him to do, so it might not really effect him when gatsby has him invite daisy over. I was wondering, why gatsby just doesn't flat out invite daisy over, instead of going through nick?
ReplyDeleteI don't really think that morals are the issue for Gatsby. He has his eye on the prize, and the prize is Daisy. Gatsby will do anything that he can in order to get the girl back. On a side note, I think this is Fitzgerald's reflection on American lives, as we always want more, but we're never happy when we get what we want. It is easy to look back on old times with fondness, but sometimes we just need to pick ourselves up and move on instead of dwelling on the past. Gatsby no longer has to worry about acquiring wealth, so is the appeal of Daisy really just the thrill of the chase, since he has nothing else to want? Money can honestly buy just about everything... everything except Daisy.
ReplyDeleteIn the Great Gatsby, it seems that no one values the commitment of marriage; they see being married to someone as just a roadblock to having a relationship with someone they really care about. Daisy is married to Tom, who is having an affair with another woman. Then, when Nick invites Daisy and Gatsby over for tea, she begins to open up to having a relationship with Gatsby again. Does Daisy have any feelings at all for Tom? Why doesn't anyone value commitment? If Daisy and Tom both don't have feelings for each other, but for other people, why won't they get a divorce?
ReplyDelete-Gracie
I agree with Chris in that it seems like the people of East Egg are more interested in money and materialistic possesions rather than in true love. Daisy seems to have no care for Gatsby truly but seems to care more about his wealth. I think it is interesting that Nick is in the center of both affairs. He is with Tom when he sees his mistress, Myrtle, and he is with Daisy when she sees Gatsby. I think it is interesting and a bit odd that Gatsby goes through all the trouble of getting Nick to invite Daisy over for tea instead of just asking Daisy for tea himself. Also if both Tom and Dasiy are having affairs why don't they just get divorced? It doesn't really seem like Tom wouldn't divorce Daisy over the fact that Daisy is a Catholic or not because he seems to not care about cheating on her or having morals.
ReplyDeleteLena, you bring up a good point when you mention Nick being in the middle of both affairs. He is stuck in both of them, and he is probably wondering the same thing you are, if they are both having affairs, why dont they just get divorced? My answer, which may be wrong, is that if they get married to the people they are having affairs with, then their relationship would become dull. It may not be that they love Myrtle and Gatsby so much as that they are bored with Tom and Daisy. My question is, do they not care that they are both having affairs?
ReplyDeleteI think val raises a good point. This does seem to relate to an american dream where enough is just a little more. Therefore could the lack of commitment in this chapter be trying to relate to the fact that americans have a hard time commiting to anything. the second we get what we want, we want something else. For gatsby it was always daisy, for daisy it was the memory of a man she once loved, for tom it was about reliving the glory days. and when all of them almost attained what they were striving for, it seemed as though none of them were ever truly happy with how it ended up. at least thats what i think. I want to know whats up with nick and jordan however.
ReplyDelete-zach
In this chapter, Nick is returning home from a date with Jordan and sees an eager Gatsby who wants to win his affection. Gatsby's motive for doing this is to get Nick to set him up with Daisy. On the day of the date, Gatsby is extremely nervous because he feels that even if she loves him, things won't be like they were in Louisville. The meeting seems to be a disaster, but Nick leaves for a moment to return to a raident Gatsby. It's also funny to see how the mood of the room relates to the weather outside. At the end of the chapter, Nick also wonders how Daisy will live up to the image Gatsby thinks of her. He has a feeling that she won't and this relationship will end soon. My question is: why does Gatsby, who seems to be a reasonable man with a conscience, still want to date Daisy when she's still married? I understand why Daisy would, but why Gatsby?
ReplyDelete