The Great Gatsby: chaper 1

Epigraph 

An epigraph is a literary device in the form of a poem, quotation, or sentence – usually placed at the beginning of a document or a simple piece – having a few sentences, but which belongs to another writer. An epigraph can serve different purposes, such as it can be used as a summary, introduction, example, or an association with some famous literary work, so as to draw a comparison, or to generate a specific context for the piece.

Source: https://literarydevices.net/epigraph/

What is the narrative point of view?

What is the narrative point-of-view for this novel? 

Who is our narrator? 

What does Nick himself say about his characteristics? (quotes)  

What is Nick's character really like? How do you know?  (quote) 

Which qualities give Nick the potential to be a successful and effective narrator?

Nick Characterisation 

Consider these quotes: 

"I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men" " frequently I have feigned sleep, preoccupation, or a hostile levity". pg 7 

"Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn." pg 8 

"then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life," pg 8 

" after boasting this way of my tolerance, I come to the admission that it has a limit." pg 7 

Which qualities give Nick the potential to be an unsuccessful and unreliable narrator?

Nick our narrator 

There are clear hints that he can be intolerant and judgemental – he admits that he “feigned sleep” when people confided in him, he views Gatsby’s life with “unaffected scorn” and he’s “disgusted” by Tom and Daisy’s marriage. ​

These comments make the reader less trusting of his narration because they suggest he is dishonest.

Nick sometimes misreads situations which also makes his narration untrustworthy. He thinks Daisy has ‘everything’ she wants so he sees in her eyes the “absence of all desire” pg 17 – but we later find out that she has had “a very bad time”. ​pg 21

What is the importance of this to your reading of chapter 1?

What is the importance of this to your reading of chapter 1? 

Write your answer in your exercise book. At least two sentences. 

Narrative technique 

Keep a very careful eye on the use of these narrative techniques. 

First-person 

Third-person 

Reported speech 

Direct speech 

Omniscient/limited omniscient

Read the introduction of your character

1. which character is being introduced? 

2. What physical aspects of the character are stated?  Annotate these passages and write a mini analysis - 2 sentences. 

3. How does your character speak? Describe the tone of their voice in a mini analysis - 2 sentences.  Annotate passages that show the 'voice' of the character. 

4. Annotate descriptive language, figurative language, metaphors and similes that are used in the introduction of your character. 

5. What values and beliefs are shown of this character? What does this character believe in? Write down you ideas in at least two sentences. 

Connotations
to the word daisy

Daisy characterisation 

Look at the  description of Jordan and Daisy when they are first introduced,  “ they were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house." pg 13 

"as cool as their white dresses" pg 17 

What are the
connotations of "white"

Daisy characterisation 

It is ironic, given her name, that Daisy’s life is conducted in an entirely manufactured environment remote from the natural world​

Daisy: look at these quotes 

"Do they miss me?’ she cried ecstatically" pg 15 ​

“Then she added irrelevantly: ‘You ought to see the baby.'" Pg 15 ​"All right,’ said Daisy. ‘What’ll we plan?’ She turned to me helplessly: ‘What do people plan?’" pg 17 ​

"impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire." pg 17 

Is Daisy a pleasant person? Why or why not? Write your ideas. 

A bad marriage or her own doing? 

 “I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it”​ pg 17

“That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great big hulking physical specimen of a -’​ pg 17 

 “Tom’s got some woman in New York….She might have the decency not to telephone him at dinnertime. Don’t you think?" pg 20 

“Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about everything”​ pg 21 

Is Daisy in a bad marriage or did she contribute to her situation? Write your answer. 

Defeatism 

 "'All right,' I said, 'I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.'”​ pg 22 

Daisy therefore clearly believes that society doesn’t value intelligence in women.​

This comment hints that although she ignores Tom’s affair,  and she is upset by it, she believes she would be happier if she were a fool and didn’t realise he was cheating.​

Daisy's problems 

Write a list of the problems that Daisy faces. 

Weather and seasons 

Pathetic fallacy 

Seasons and dates

Time of day 

"'In two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year'" pg 17 

"a few days before the Fourth of July" pg 29 

Tom characterisation 

​

 “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 and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward…..It was a body capable of enormous leverage – a cruel body”​

“….added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even towards people he liked – and there were men at New Haven who hated his guts” pg 12​

Our initial impression of Tom is not positive.​

Read the following extract and make two columns of negative and positive adjectives and adverbs used to describe Tom. Look up words that you do not know. 

1. The Roaring Twenties 

2. The American Dream 

3. Class (old money, new money, no money, established wealth, nouveau riche, poor, upper class, middle class & working (lower)  class

4. Past and future

5. Appearance versus reality