Why Is The Great Gatsby Socratic
The Great Gatsby Socratic
Seminar
Paul Earnest
Semar 11 2/19/14
1. The american dream is a dream that people have for themselves in order to become happy.
The american dream in the great gatsby is independence and to make something possible with all the work you put into achieving the dream. Tom and Daisy achieve the american dream but it was not how they imagined it working out. They thought they would need to split up to achieve it …show more content…
but turns out they didn’t have to. Fitzgeralds message concerning the dream is that the summer is over, gatsby is gone and can no longer achieve his dream. “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”(180)
This shows that if Gatsby had just a little bit more time he would have achieved his goal. 2. The foul dust Nick is referring to is the dream Gatsby can't have. Gatsby did not turn out alright in the end he did not achieve his american dream and was killed. Gatsby’s dream was to marry daisy and be with her for the rest of his life. Gatsby did not fulfil his dream because Daisy did not leave Tom for him. “Tom and Daisy they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together.”(179) This shows that Tom and Daisy have learned their lesson to not take their love for granted and will not treat each other right. That left a sour taste in gatsby’s month by not being able to be with his love.
3. Sven Birkerts opinion about the great gatsby being disillusionment and hope is illustrated best by Jay Gatsby. Gatsby looks into the sunset in the beginning of the book and sees a hope to someday be with Daisy. Gatsby is striving for this goal for the entire book. He eventually has gets Nick to ask Daisy to come have tea with gatsby.Gatsby thinks from this point he can win her back. Before Gatsby went to war Daisy and gatsby were in love, Gatsby wanted to remind her what was lost with his long absence. 4. Marriage and love are depicted in the novel by Tom and Daisy not getting a divorce even though Daisy likes Gatsby but likes Tom more. Tom And daisy’s relationship is complicated considering Tom cheated on Daisy with Myrtle. “ I went up to New York with Tom on the train one afternoon…”(24) This shows that Tom had brought Myrtle up to New York and they are doing their best to hide the affair from Daisy. The affair is known by everyone in town except
Daisy. The marriage between Myrtle and George is depicted as not going so well. Myrtle thought she was marrying this hardworking active life living man but, George is a lifeless handsome man colored gray by ashes floating in the air. Myrtle was not happy and wanted to do stuff so she started having an affair with Tom. Nick Became involved with Jordan because he needed a women in his life. Nick liked how Jordan was not the same person as him. They were polar opposites of each other and thats why they were a thing. Eventually this lead to the downfall of their relationship because they had absolutely nothing in common with each other.
Love to these characters is not as meaningful as it is to other people. they get married but feel the need to “love” more people so they cheat. love to them is just being really good friends. thier love is not true love as it is a bond together. But if something goes a way they do not want it to go they get angry and want to go separate ways. This is true in all cases except Tom and Daisy
they may not truly love each other but their is some bond. The bond the have is not present with the others in the novel. Their bond as strong as it is but, is not strong enough to be true love. 5. I believe Nick is a reliable narrator because he is the most honest person in the book. But since the story is told from his point of view there will be some differences between what happened and what he said. “One of the few honest that i have ever known.”(54) This shows that Nick is an honest person but, he could never be completely truthful no matter how hard he tried not to lie. We will never know what the lies told are or if they change the whole complexion of the story or not.
6. Fitzgerald describes the midwest as a peaceful place where not much happens. He describes the east as a place where all the action is and the bad. For Nick they represent his old home and his work, but for Gatsby it represents his past loving relationship with daisy, and his poor life for the midwest. The east represents his fraud money and want for daisy. “from louisville. our girlhood was passed together their.”(19) this shows that they were from louisville the midwest.
7. Tom and daisy were the only couple remaining together because they were the only ones who truly loved each other. these characters were unhappy with the marriage but it eventually hit them that they were right for each other. They escape the pain by leaving the east and starting fresh in the midwest.
They want to escape all they ever knew and let love take over and be together forever. “After Gatsby’s death the east was haunted for me.”(176) This shows that they just wanted to put this part of their life to rest and start new.
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4. The significance of the book being called The Great Gatsby is that Gatsby is trying to prove to himself that he is great. Gatsby is not truly great. He earned all his money from bootlegging and illegal gambling and being an accomplice to the world series being fixed. “well, this would interest you. It wouldn’t take up much of your time and you might pick up a nice bit of money.”(83) This shows Gatsby trying to get Nick into the game but Nick is not interested.
Gatsby is not worth the whole damn bunch put together because all he does is live in the past and he cant let things go. Gatsby is not truly part of the high society because he cheated his way to the top. Gatsby wealth is all stolen, he was poor growing up but now he fake rich. 6. The eyes of Tj Eckleburg symbolize that god is always watching. which means whatever you do it will come back at you harder then you threw it. You will always get caught if you
do something bad you may not directly get hurt from the act but karma will come at you. “the eyes of Doctor T.J.Eckleburg are blue and gigantictheir retinas are one yard high.”(23) This shows that TJ Eckleburg's eyes are their to watch the heinous acts you commit. 8. Gatsby standing on his porch staring at the green light symbolizes his hopes and american dream. The green light is just opening as the book begins. “Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens.”(20) This shows how gatsby has not yet achieved the dream but is still hoping to achieve it one day. As we learn later in the book gatsby american dream is to be with daisy. once gatsby dies the green light
closes because since gatsby is no more he cannot achieve his american dream.
Seminar
Paul Earnest
Semar 11 2/19/14
1. The american dream is a dream that people have for themselves in order to become happy.
The american dream in the great gatsby is independence and to make something possible with all the work you put into achieving the dream. Tom and Daisy achieve the american dream but it was not how they imagined it working out. They thought they would need to split up to achieve it …show more content…
but turns out they didn’t have to. Fitzgeralds message concerning the dream is that the summer is over, gatsby is gone and can no longer achieve his dream. “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”(180)
This shows that if Gatsby had just a little bit more time he would have achieved his goal. 2. The foul dust Nick is referring to is the dream Gatsby can't have. Gatsby did not turn out alright in the end he did not achieve his american dream and was killed. Gatsby’s dream was to marry daisy and be with her for the rest of his life. Gatsby did not fulfil his dream because Daisy did not leave Tom for him. “Tom and Daisy they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together.”(179) This shows that Tom and Daisy have learned their lesson to not take their love for granted and will not treat each other right. That left a sour taste in gatsby’s month by not being able to be with his love.
3. Sven Birkerts opinion about the great gatsby being disillusionment and hope is illustrated best by Jay Gatsby. Gatsby looks into the sunset in the beginning of the book and sees a hope to someday be with Daisy. Gatsby is striving for this goal for the entire book. He eventually has gets Nick to ask Daisy to come have tea with gatsby.Gatsby thinks from this point he can win her back. Before Gatsby went to war Daisy and gatsby were in love, Gatsby wanted to remind her what was lost with his long absence. 4. Marriage and love are depicted in the novel by Tom and Daisy not getting a divorce even though Daisy likes Gatsby but likes Tom more. Tom And daisy’s relationship is complicated considering Tom cheated on Daisy with Myrtle. “ I went up to New York with Tom on the train one afternoon…”(24) This shows that Tom had brought Myrtle up to New York and they are doing their best to hide the affair from Daisy. The affair is known by everyone in town except
Daisy. The marriage between Myrtle and George is depicted as not going so well. Myrtle thought she was marrying this hardworking active life living man but, George is a lifeless handsome man colored gray by ashes floating in the air. Myrtle was not happy and wanted to do stuff so she started having an affair with Tom. Nick Became involved with Jordan because he needed a women in his life. Nick liked how Jordan was not the same person as him. They were polar opposites of each other and thats why they were a thing. Eventually this lead to the downfall of their relationship because they had absolutely nothing in common with each other.
Love to these characters is not as meaningful as it is to other people. they get married but feel the need to “love” more people so they cheat. love to them is just being really good friends. thier love is not true love as it is a bond together. But if something goes a way they do not want it to go they get angry and want to go separate ways. This is true in all cases except Tom and Daisy
they may not truly love each other but their is some bond. The bond the have is not present with the others in the novel. Their bond as strong as it is but, is not strong enough to be true love. 5. I believe Nick is a reliable narrator because he is the most honest person in the book. But since the story is told from his point of view there will be some differences between what happened and what he said. “One of the few honest that i have ever known.”(54) This shows that Nick is an honest person but, he could never be completely truthful no matter how hard he tried not to lie. We will never know what the lies told are or if they change the whole complexion of the story or not.
6. Fitzgerald describes the midwest as a peaceful place where not much happens. He describes the east as a place where all the action is and the bad. For Nick they represent his old home and his work, but for Gatsby it represents his past loving relationship with daisy, and his poor life for the midwest. The east represents his fraud money and want for daisy. “from louisville. our girlhood was passed together their.”(19) this shows that they were from louisville the midwest.
7. Tom and daisy were the only couple remaining together because they were the only ones who truly loved each other. these characters were unhappy with the marriage but it eventually hit them that they were right for each other. They escape the pain by leaving the east and starting fresh in the midwest.
They want to escape all they ever knew and let love take over and be together forever. “After Gatsby’s death the east was haunted for me.”(176) This shows that they just wanted to put this part of their life to rest and start new.
Back
4. The significance of the book being called The Great Gatsby is that Gatsby is trying to prove to himself that he is great. Gatsby is not truly great. He earned all his money from bootlegging and illegal gambling and being an accomplice to the world series being fixed. “well, this would interest you. It wouldn’t take up much of your time and you might pick up a nice bit of money.”(83) This shows Gatsby trying to get Nick into the game but Nick is not interested.
Gatsby is not worth the whole damn bunch put together because all he does is live in the past and he cant let things go. Gatsby is not truly part of the high society because he cheated his way to the top. Gatsby wealth is all stolen, he was poor growing up but now he fake rich. 6. The eyes of Tj Eckleburg symbolize that god is always watching. which means whatever you do it will come back at you harder then you threw it. You will always get caught if you
do something bad you may not directly get hurt from the act but karma will come at you. “the eyes of Doctor T.J.Eckleburg are blue and gigantictheir retinas are one yard high.”(23) This shows that TJ Eckleburg's eyes are their to watch the heinous acts you commit. 8. Gatsby standing on his porch staring at the green light symbolizes his hopes and american dream. The green light is just opening as the book begins. “Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens.”(20) This shows how gatsby has not yet achieved the dream but is still hoping to achieve it one day. As we learn later in the book gatsby american dream is to be with daisy. once gatsby dies the green light
closes because since gatsby is no more he cannot achieve his american dream.