Chapter 9 Reflection: Gatsby's Lonely Grave

"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 then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."  FitzGerald does a good job of conveying to his readers the moral of his story.  Through symbols and imagery we see that Gatsby was looking for greed not love.  He also talks about time.  Time can give us the illusion that people will not change or their intentions are good.  The book ends on a happy note.  He tells us that even though Gatsby has died life still moves on.  Not only will it move on it will move faster and the people in this world will try harder.  It gives hope to FitzGerald's readers.  I was a bit disappointed with the ending, because Tom did not get what was coming for him.  Nick was still nonjudgmental even though everyone around him seemed not to care about Gatsby's death.  Tom even blamed everything on Gatsby.  I would have liked to see Nick stand up for what he believed in.  Nick should have given Tom a piece of his mind.  Nevertheless I enjoyed this book thoroughly.  It paints a good picture of the corrupt society.  It makes you think twice about correlating money with the American Dream.  Tom had all the money that he could have, but look at his life now.  He is in a pointless marriage with a girl that only wants to be protected and sheltered.  She has no courage and seemingly no heart to do anything of much significance.  Tom is the typical control freak that voices his opinions to dead ears.  Tom, to me, is like a person on a blow horn speaking to a crowd of deaf people.  He is ignorant of the fact that no one cares what he says at all, this is because of his over extended ego.  His enlarged ego creates a protective bubble surrounding himself.  Tom and Daisy are protected by the superficial shell of West Egg.  There will come a day for them when someone comes along and snaps their lives into reality and finally wakes them up to the monstrosity of their lives.  God Bless You Gatsby!!!

Chapter 8 Reflection: Tom Lucks Out

Well Gatsby was killed by Wilson...  I never would have thought that Wilson would have done that.  Wilson was such a peace maker.  FitzGerald made an unexpected bang at the end of his book.  I was very surprised when that happened.  It is also tragic that Wilson mistook Gatsby for the actual cheater, Tom Buchanan.  Tom really lucked out this entire book.  He never got caught for having a mistress and Daisy did not even care when she knew Tom had a mistress.  FitzGerald must have a moral at the end of the story.  I want Tom to have his punishment that he deserves because nothing too bad has happened to him.  Even if Gatsby did not die, I think that Tom should still have been with Daisy.  "'Go away now, old sport?' ' Go to Atlantic City for a week, or up to Montreal.'  He wouldn't consider it.  He couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do.  He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free." Gatsby would have serious problems with Daisy.  Daisy needs someone who can look into the future, but Gatsby keeps looking at a pinpointed scenario in the past.  Tom was better off with Daisy anyway, despite this fact, karma needs to catch up with Tom.  The only people left in the group are Tom, Daisy, Nick, and Jordan.  There are no sexual tensions or cheating anymore.  I predict that Daisy and Tom will go into the same dull thing that they have been doing for years.  Nick will have nothing to do with any of the group and he will move back to West Egg.  Jordan will be a non-factor in the book at the end.  R.I.P. Gatsby!!!

Chapter 7 Reflection: Tom confronts Gatsby

Gatsby has became more devoted to the idea of Daisy being a permanent resident in his life.  He fired all of the staff in his house and hired new ones.  This is where Tom and Gatsby really feel the hostility.    Tom senses that Gatsby is having an affair with Daisy.  There are many hints that lead him to believe this.  Such as the fact that Gatsby and Daisy have been spending days alone together.  When Daisy, Tom and Gatsby where together she said to Gatsby "You always look so cool."  Tom knew what this ment in Daisy language because he was married to her for years.  It was Daisy language for I love you.  Tom wanted to take Gatsby's car to go out to the town.  Gatsby stated the fact that his car was almost out of gas, but Tom was insistent in taking Gatsby's car.  Taking Gatsby's car was his way of controlling Gatsby, because Tom knew that he was losing Daisy.  So Tom was desperately trying to grab on to any of his possessions.  On his way to the town, Tom realizes that his wife is having an affair with Gatsby.  And also he realizes that Jordan and Nick both knew about the affair.  Tom stops by to get gas, when they meet a morbid looking Mr. Wilson.  Mr. Wilson tells them that he needs money to move out to the west.  The way that Tom reacts to his situation is the exact opposite of how Mr. Wilson reacts.  Mr. Wilson reacts with complete denial of emotions, while Tom reacts with complete anger with the whole situation.  I almost wanted to see a fight between Tom and Gatsby at the hotel.  Tom accused Gatsby of lying about going to Oxford and of being a criminal.  Daisy was so distraught afterwards that she and Gatsby sped off to Gatsby's together.  Daisy sped off in her car, without realizing she hit Myrtle with her car and drove on by.  The irony in this situation is hard to miss.  Daisy had no idea that she had just ran over Tom's mistress.  Tom also has no idea that Daisy was the one who ran Myrtle over.  This Chapter has been a clashing of love interests and identities.  I do not think that Daisy and Gatsby will live happily ever after.  Due to Gatsby's extreme obsession.  Daisy will not be able to withstand Gatsby.  I feel sorry for Daisy because she lives such a shallow life and she sees nothing wrong with it.  I wish I could meet Daisy and talk some sense into her.  Be Strong Gatsby!!!!

Chapter 6 Reflection: J. Gatsby Revealed

Gatsby was not a wealthy man when he was young.  He had to put in hard work to pay for his way through college working as a janitor.  Oxford was not the college that he attended, despite all of the rumors.  James Gatz was born on a North Dakota farm.  He made a brand new image of himself by changing his name to J. Gatsby and by calling himself the Son of God.  He was ashamed of having parents that were poor.  "The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself."  The conception of himself was that he was just a farmer boy.  In order to escape his upbringing he created a new identity for himself.  This new identity brought him great wealth, but would it be all he dreamed of?  Tom has introduced himself into the affairs of Daisy and Gatsby.  Tom is suspicious that Daisy and Gatsby spent the day alone together.  I am predicting that he will find out about Gatsby's and Daisy's love affair.  Gatsby and Tom will both have dirt on each other.  It is only a matter of time before Tom and Gatsby clash.  Go Gatsby Go!

Chapter 5 Reflection: J. Gatsby & Daisy Meet Again

It is very obvious to say that the meeting between Daisy and Gatsby was awkward.  Nonetheless I admire Gatsby's love and devotion to Daisy, although it is a very unhealthy habit.  Devoting that much time and effort into one girl is hazardous and can be self destructive.  Gatsby was waiting for five years to meet Daisy again.  Gatsby needs to take a step back and  reprioritize his life.  Anyway I think that Daisy has no grasp on how to live.  The "American Dream" is not just about getting expensive stuff, and I would even tell you that it is not important at all.  When Daisy pressed her face into the fancy shirts and was crying, it made me look in curiosity.  What was more important to her?  Was it that she had such a wealthy man wanting her hand in marriage or was it that she had a man that loved her so much and she would finally be away from Tom?  Which of these were more important to her?  If she valued one of these more than the other would it affect her life in a positive or a negative way?  I think crying in a pile of shirts, just because they are beautiful, borders on psychotic.  Even if she did have a legitimate emotional reason for doing that she did not have to cry in a pile of sheets...  Nick is going to be blamed by Tom for being involved in all of this.  Nick needs to get a grip on how to handle situations like this.  It is good not to judge others but do it in moderation of what you know is right.  Stand up for what you believe in do not just sit there and tolerate it.  There needs to be a balance of morals.  Between what you do and what you do not do.  Gatsby wasted his life working up one woman.  He is going to have a tight grip on this girl and she is going to slip out of his hands like soap.  Good Luck Gatsby!

Chapter 1 Reflection: Introduction to new life in "East Egg"

Nick is a symbol of the "American Dream" this character is moved out from is normal life into the hospitality of East Egg. The first thing that Nick notices is the extravagant and lavish decor on the exterior of the house. When he walks up to the front steps of Tom's house he is greeted by a rather large man. Tom stands up and greets Nick with a pompous and arrogant statement "I've got a nice place here." Tom's ego is out on a joy ride, but his decency is left up to dry. Their house, on the outside, is everything you could dream of, yet when Nick steps into the house he realizes that all of it is just a show. Mrs. Baker is a stuck up woman that does not even give Nick a glance when he walks into the house. Daisy on the other hand is over joyed to see Nick. Even though Mrs. Baker is a guest at the Buchanan's, she has not right to treat Nick in this manner. Nick just shrugs it all off his shoulders and chats with the two women sitting on the couch. Evanescently, they start talking about Gatsby, but they are interrupted by the call of dinner. When they exit out of the back of the house, there is a table set for them with candles on the table. Going out of their way to look elegant and civilized, only makes them seem more ridiculous to Nick's eyes. Throughout the entire table conversation Tom and Daisy are passively arguing. This chemistry between them shows an early sign of trouble in the near future. Tom gets a call in the middle of dinner, but it is by someone who will only make this situation worse for everyone. Mrs. Baker tells Nick that Tom is cheating on Daisy with some girl. Tom's live is in the process of deterioration. He is desperately trying to hold on to what is climatic in his life. When is all said and done Nick leaves for the day. On his way out Daisy comments on a rumor that she heard from three people. The insists that the rumor that she heard must be true. Nick is disgusted because Daisy thinks she knows more about his life than he does. At the end of the book Nick sees a figure looking up at the stars. Nick thinks that the figure resembles Gatsby and he almost calls out to him, but he does not. Gatsby looks as if he is trembling over the water. As soon as Nick looks back at that spot, Gatsby is long gone. Goodbye Gatsby!