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.
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Chapter three reintroduces Gatsby as a rich man who throws extravagant parties. Nick has received a formal invitation to attend one of his parties and enjoys himself with Jordan Baker. At first Nick does not recognize Gatsby but says that he is having trouble finding the host and Gatsby clears up his confusion. Nick describes his daily life and mentions that his practicality always gets in the way of his romances. At the end of the chapter, however, he starts to debate with himself whether he has feelings for Jordan Baker or not. My question is, what did Gatsby talk to Jordan Baker about for an hour during the party that she is not allowed to repeat?
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 begins with Nick Carraway’s description of the party at Gatsby’s house. The party is lavish and packed with hundreds of rich people. The only thing that puzzles Carraway for a while is the fact that he cannot seem to find Gatsby anywhere. When they finally found Gatsby, he realized that the two of them fought with each other in the war, and they immediately became friends. My question is, why would Gatsby rather watch the party than partake in it?
ReplyDeleteNick is suprised not only at how friendly Gatsby is, but also at how young he is. He thought that Gatsby would be older, probably because of his wealth. Gatsby has a huge mansion, a ton of friends, and yet no one knows anything about him. Everyone is trying to figure out where he came from and what his story is but no one can. My question is what is Gatsbys story? Where did he come from? How is he so rich?
ReplyDeleteJay Gatsby, i believe would rather not take part in the seemingly increasing revelry that he provided fro his party guest, shows to be an anti-social person. The things found out about him like how he does not drink could also show he has purposefully pulled himself away from the drunkenness going on in the party. This type of action either reveals that he has a moral standard of his own and that he is above the activities going on in his party, or is naturally an anti-social person. Regardless he is just being introduced in a book about himself being related to Nick due to their previous connection, but even still mysteries behind Gatsby, like his opulence or his reasons for distancing himself, still stand. My question is, what was the metaphoric compression of this Chapter supposed to reveal?
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 3, Gatsby is throwing a huge party, which Nick attends. He searches for the host but cannot find him, so he starts to talk to Jordan Baker. After Nick and Jordan sit down to dinner, he starts talking to another man at the table. They found out that they fought in a wart together awhile back, and then the man revealed himself as Gatsby. Gatsby leaves to take a phone call, and Jordan explains to Nick that no one knows for sure what Gatsby's background is. My question is, why doesn't anyone know about Gatsby's background?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Folarin in the fact that Jay Gatsby seems to be a more introverted character or kindof anti-social. However, I don't think that he is highly anti-social because if he were then why would he hrow these elaborate and over the top partys? I think something that proves that Gatsby is rather introverted is the fact that Nick and Jordan seem to realize that they are among the few that are actually invited to the party. That seems to imply that many people who do not know Gatsby or are even invited by him come to his partys. It seems that Gatsby is trying to portray himself as something he's maybe not, and maybe he cares f highly of what others think about him. I think that if no one knows about Gastby's past Gatsby must be keeping to himself or hiding his past. My question is how did Gastby become so rich and how come no one knows about his past?
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter, Fitzgerald actually explains a lot. He shows how though people from west egg and east egg are both very rich and somewhat smug, they are also very different. Once again, he shows how the west egg people seem to be somewhat below the east egg people. The east egg people seem much more refined and civil, which explains why people wish to live there. Fitzgerald also beings to explain Gatsby which is very important. Gatsby is very wealthy and always throws wonderful parties. The weird thing is noone knows how he became so wealthy and even though he throws such elegeant parties, he does not participate in them, but instead he just watches them. Though we learn about Gatsby a little bit, we gain more questions about him which makes this chapter a good way to set up the rest of the book. Though i know it will be explained later, I want to know why Gatsby does not take part in his own party? This is confusing to me because it gives the impression that he is socially awkward yet he does throw these parties and his conversations with Nick and Jordan seemed very interesting and normal.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, I came to the conclusion that this was the singular greatest chapter I had ever read in any other work. The character descriptions and word choice were so exact, detailed, and unreserved. Nothing was held back. This chapter contained a more accurate description of the way life was in the 1920's than most anything else I have ever read. Unreserved dinner guests eat and drink without a care and don't ever concern themselves with the identity of their host. My favourite quote from this chapter was "The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun..." (Fitzgerald 40). In an attempt to answer the question some of you have asked, perhaps Gatsby is not isolating himself because he would rather observe the party than take part, but instead, maybe he is waiting for a specific guest to arrive. He stays sober in order to watch everyone at the party and he is unkown to practically everyone. He could have been waiting for a particular guest. I echo Holly's question which is, what did Gatsby talk to Jordan about for an hour?
ReplyDeleteI think that gatsby is the kind of person who gets enjoyment out of other people's experiences. He thrives on what other people think about him. And when is there a better time for him to impress people, than at a luxurious party hosted by himself. Like Dr. Camacho said in class, Gatsby is new money, so many people at the party may have the same question we do, "Where did Gatsby come from, and how did he get his money?" Something i want to add to this, is where is Gatsby's family? (If he has any)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that was odd about this chapter was that while all the other guys had a girl putting their heads on their shoulders, Gatsby was alone. If Gatsby's the host of the party, why would people ignore him? Is it the fear? I agree with Folarin and Lena in that Gatsby seems to be an introvert. I think the reason he has parties is to show off and that's it.I just really want to know what Gatsby said to Jordan. Why must she not tell anyone? Why does no one know where he came from?
ReplyDeleteChapter three introduces a number of questions that i think will be importatn laster on in the story. WHy is gatsby so rich and yet so young. Why does he like to host elaborate parties but not participate in them. I think that these questions will be awnsered later on in the book, and that they might have some impoertance in explaining who Gatsby really is. Also this chapter tells us more about West and East egg. If west is lower then east, and if Gatsby is so rich, why does he live on West egg stil. Does this have to do with how Gatsby got his moeney maybe?
ReplyDeleteIt seems that every character in this book is concerned with having money or showing off their money. Even Nick, I do not understand his interest in Daisy if he thinks she is a dishonest person. Also, Gatsby really interests me. Why doesn't anynody know his real past?
ReplyDeleteI think all the characters find security and acceptance in their money. Even Gatsby uses his money as an identity for himself. And in Nick's mind they become the symbol for everything he wants to gain and become(like how Gatsbys was the green light). Nick seems to be reching out to them trying to get where they are. And he doesn't realize that he can't because no one can become old money. When will Nick and the other characters realize money isnt the answer to everything?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how secluded Gatsby is. He invites people to these huge parties and just watches them. Its actually kind of creepy, like hes studying them for some reason. Gatsby actually acts similarly to Nick in the way that hes not very social or overwhelmingly congenial. Do you think this connection means anything?
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most important parts of the chapter is when Owl Eyes crashes his car. The car accident can represent the roaring twenties. Owl Eyes shows the reckless lifestyle of the people during the roaring twenties by partying and getting in the accident. The accident also represents the good times coming to an end. The end is seen in the roaring twenties with the Great Depression. The accident plays the important role of symbolizing the effects of the twenties.
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter we begin to learn about how much people know James Gatsby. The answer to this is very little. The first party that Nick attends he hears wild accusations about who Gatsby is and what he has done. Of coarse, the reader realizes immediately that these statements are merely the result of wild imaginations. Also, in this chapter we learn more about Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway before being introduced to Jay Gatsby himself.
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