AFTER READING AT LEAST HALF OF THE NOVEL:
As I got to Ch. 4 I realized that the story was concentrating mainly in Nick and what he observed. But sooner or later it would have to revolve around Daisy and Gatsby. So, I thought that in the following chapters something related to this couple would happen instead, something that introduced the romantic conflict in the story.
The quotation I chose is the following:
"About that. As a matter of fact you needn't bother to ascertain. I ascertained. They're real."
He nodded.
"Absolutely real - have pages and everything. I thought they'd be nice and durable cardboard. Matter of fact, they're absolutely real. Pages and - Here! Lemme show you."
I picked it for two reasons. First, because Owl Eyes seemed to be the only person in the party who noticed and appreciated that the books weren't fake. And also, because I thought this situation was key to explain why this funny man was the only guest that would show up at Gatsby's funeral and why he would prove to be different from all the others guests.
In chapter 4 there's a change in the focaliser, it is now Jordan Baker who sees and experiences.
AFTER READING THE WHOLE NOVEL:
What are the most important moments/ideas in the story?
- I think the most important moments in the story are Gatsby and Daisy's reunion at Nick's; when Jordan, Nick, Daisy and Tom meet at the Buchannan's house and when Tom steps by Wilson's garage, because I think that these are the moments of most tension in the book.
The ideas that I find most important are how far people can go to thrieve their dreams, both the material and emotional ones; and how snob and materialistic a generation, and people in general, can be.
What were you thinking about as you read?
- Something that shocked me, as I wrote in the second post, was how natural adulthood was portrayed. Like Martine, I found Nick's narration quite dull but I was very excited while reading chapters 7 and 8, which were mainly centred in Gatsby and Daisy's relationship. And the last thing I thought about as I read the book, was that even though I was able to follow the events my lack of vocabulary was preventing me from appreciating the descriptions of setting and mood, I was too concerned with understanding the plot, which I think is a bit tight, and I didn't pay much attention to how the story was told.
What did the text make you think about?
- It made me think that even though this story is set in the 20s, shallowness and snobbery haven't faded away, that they are still present nowadays in our society, and that we deal with them in everyday life. Some situations in the book reminded me of similar ones I have witnessed or being through.
This is a song very related to what I wrote above, it would fit just fine in a modern film version of the book!
On an even more personal note, it made me think that it might not be such a good idea to assume that things will turn out the way we want them to, no matter what, and that sometimes, we need to know when to give up certain dreams. Otherwise, as the final line says, we will be going backward-driving to the current of the river, and we will get hurt in the meantime.
What one question would you ask the writer if you had the chance? Why?
- I would ask him whether, like Nick did after Gatsby's death, he would have changed his lifestyle or whether he wished he had been born in a different time. I think Fitzgerald was strongly criticising the shallowness and lack of values present in people in those times, but I also believe that all the pain and desilusion Nick felt was actually Fitzgerald's.
Silver Screen Gatsby
A while ago I read in a blog that Baz Luhrmann is thinking about making another film version of The Great Gatsby. The owner of such blog had posted pictures of the people she'd like to be on the movie. These are actors that I believe would be great in the film:
From top to bottom and left to right:
Gatsby; Daisy Buchanan; Nick Carraway
Jordan Baker; Mrs. Wilson;
Tom Buchanan; Mr. Wilson; Wolfshiem
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