Chapter III
Look back at the first paragraph of chapter 3. This
paragraph hints at one of the major themes of this novel. What is it and how
does it hint to it?
Simple, plain richness that affects the mental mind of people who see Gatsby’s mansion as something greatly achieved. Every weekend, Gatsby throws a huge party, or even festival, in his gigantic mansion where people, invited or not, could come and enjoy as much as they want to. The next day, usually a Monday, his servants would clean up the entire house and repair anything that was broken from the previous night. One of the novel’s main themes is the usual “American Dream” of what an “average” man would do with his huge amount of money.
What is Nick’s cardinal virtue? What is ironic about this?
A cardinal virtue is basically something that is regarded as an important morality or excellence in an art or doing. Nick’s most probable cardinal virtue would be that he thinks of himself as a nice and ethical person who is generous and kind to everybody, which is VERY ironic. Not a long time ago, even he acknowledged that he had very contradictory feelings inside him, at one side hating the rich, king-like people, but, at the other side, he would appraise and look up to them. In other words, he is not honest to himself either; he just believes that he is.
Simple, plain richness that affects the mental mind of people who see Gatsby’s mansion as something greatly achieved. Every weekend, Gatsby throws a huge party, or even festival, in his gigantic mansion where people, invited or not, could come and enjoy as much as they want to. The next day, usually a Monday, his servants would clean up the entire house and repair anything that was broken from the previous night. One of the novel’s main themes is the usual “American Dream” of what an “average” man would do with his huge amount of money.
What is Nick’s cardinal virtue? What is ironic about this?
A cardinal virtue is basically something that is regarded as an important morality or excellence in an art or doing. Nick’s most probable cardinal virtue would be that he thinks of himself as a nice and ethical person who is generous and kind to everybody, which is VERY ironic. Not a long time ago, even he acknowledged that he had very contradictory feelings inside him, at one side hating the rich, king-like people, but, at the other side, he would appraise and look up to them. In other words, he is not honest to himself either; he just believes that he is.
Chapter IV
List the details that Gatsby tells Nick about Gatsby’s life.
First of all, Gatsby explains how he is the son of a well and rich family who lived in the Midwest area of the United States. He used to participate in World War I (and shows off that he earned various medals from different European nations). In addition, Gatsby used to go to college in Oxford.
Gatsby is not telling the truth about his life. Can you find any parts of his story that make you suspicious?
The fact that San Francisco is NOT in the Midwest (it is south from Los Angeles, California) already made me have a skeptic perspective towards Gatsby. But he did not stop to “lie”; Montenegro is neither a European nation nor a major city in Europe; it is a small city in the United States. However, the fact that Gatsby showed Nick a medal of Montenegro appraising him as a hero and a photograph of Gatsby himself playing in cricket in Oxford negate some false speculations.
What is your impression of the kind of person Mr. Wolfshiem is?
He is rather a dark and gloomy person who may have a secret connection with an underground or mafia organization in the way he talked at first when he met Nick. To add more, he has a little bit of the “careless and arrogant” attitude towards everything he either does not like or wants to ignore.
What does Jordan Baker reveal about Gatsby?
Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby was and is in fact STILL in love with Daisy Buchanan, Tom’s wife. Gatsby and Daisy used to hang out together in a small city before he left to war. At that time, Daisy decided to marry Tom, thinking that Gatsby already died in the war, which was a regretful mistake: Daisy received a letter from Gatsby one day before her wedding, which caused her to drink lots of wine (nevertheless, she still married Tom despite her urgent feelings for Gatsby).
Explain what happened with their relationship after Gatsby and Daisy met.
(ask Mr. Brennan about this)
First of all, Gatsby explains how he is the son of a well and rich family who lived in the Midwest area of the United States. He used to participate in World War I (and shows off that he earned various medals from different European nations). In addition, Gatsby used to go to college in Oxford.
Gatsby is not telling the truth about his life. Can you find any parts of his story that make you suspicious?
The fact that San Francisco is NOT in the Midwest (it is south from Los Angeles, California) already made me have a skeptic perspective towards Gatsby. But he did not stop to “lie”; Montenegro is neither a European nation nor a major city in Europe; it is a small city in the United States. However, the fact that Gatsby showed Nick a medal of Montenegro appraising him as a hero and a photograph of Gatsby himself playing in cricket in Oxford negate some false speculations.
What is your impression of the kind of person Mr. Wolfshiem is?
He is rather a dark and gloomy person who may have a secret connection with an underground or mafia organization in the way he talked at first when he met Nick. To add more, he has a little bit of the “careless and arrogant” attitude towards everything he either does not like or wants to ignore.
What does Jordan Baker reveal about Gatsby?
Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby was and is in fact STILL in love with Daisy Buchanan, Tom’s wife. Gatsby and Daisy used to hang out together in a small city before he left to war. At that time, Daisy decided to marry Tom, thinking that Gatsby already died in the war, which was a regretful mistake: Daisy received a letter from Gatsby one day before her wedding, which caused her to drink lots of wine (nevertheless, she still married Tom despite her urgent feelings for Gatsby).
Explain what happened with their relationship after Gatsby and Daisy met.
(ask Mr. Brennan about this)