Kelso High SchoolKelso High School

English English DepartmentDepartment

The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Chapter EightChapter Eight

Characterisation Gatsby, Nick

Theme American Dream

Symbolism

Characterisation - GatsbyCharacterisation - Gatsby

Characterisation - GatsbyCharacterisation - Gatsby He was attracted to Daisy because He was attracted to Daisy because

of her wealth and privilege and he of her wealth and privilege and he idolised both wealth and Daisy – the idolised both wealth and Daisy – the two are intertwined in his mind.two are intertwined in his mind.

When he enters her house as a poor When he enters her house as a poor soldier, he knows he has no real right soldier, he knows he has no real right to be there.to be there.

Characterisation - GatsbyCharacterisation - Gatsby““I don’t think she ever loved him,’ I don’t think she ever loved him,’

Gatsby turned around from a window Gatsby turned around from a window and looked at me challengingly. ‘You and looked at me challengingly. ‘You must remember…she was very must remember…she was very excited this afternoon.”excited this afternoon.”

Gatsby is not prepared to admit that Gatsby is not prepared to admit that he has lost Daisy as it is to him like he has lost Daisy as it is to him like losing his entire world. He losing his entire world. He continually refuses to accept that his continually refuses to accept that his dream is dead.dream is dead.

Characterisation - GatsbyCharacterisation - GatsbyDiscussion: How does the reader feel Discussion: How does the reader feel

about Gatsby’s inability to accept the about Gatsby’s inability to accept the truth? Is this denial a negative or truth? Is this denial a negative or positive aspect of his character? positive aspect of his character? What does this denial ultimately What does this denial ultimately bring about?bring about?

Characterisation - NickCharacterisation - Nick ““They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the

whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that … because always been glad I said that … because I I disapproved of him from beginning to disapproved of him from beginning to endend.”.”

Discussion: Is this true? Why does Nick Discussion: Is this true? Why does Nick say this?say this?

Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch put together’? What quality is it that put together’? What quality is it that makes him different?makes him different?

Nick’s PerceptionNick’s Perception Nick gives the novel's final appraisal of Nick gives the novel's final appraisal of

Gatsby when he asserts that Gatsby is "worth Gatsby when he asserts that Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch of them." Despite the the whole damn bunch of them." Despite the ambivalence he feels toward Gatsby's ambivalence he feels toward Gatsby's criminal past and nouveau riche affectations, criminal past and nouveau riche affectations, Nick cannot help but admire him for his Nick cannot help but admire him for his essential nobility. Though he disapproved of essential nobility. Though he disapproved of Gatsby "from beginning to end," Nick is still Gatsby "from beginning to end," Nick is still able to recognize him as a visionary, a man able to recognize him as a visionary, a man capable of grand passion and great dreams. capable of grand passion and great dreams. He represents an ideal that has grown He represents an ideal that has grown exceedingly rare in the 1920s, which Nick exceedingly rare in the 1920s, which Nick (along with Fitzgerald) regards as an age of (along with Fitzgerald) regards as an age of cynicism, decadence, and cruelty. cynicism, decadence, and cruelty.

THEME – The American THEME – The American DreamDream

Gatsby is a symbol for America in the Gatsby is a symbol for America in the 1920’s. The American Dream has, in 1920’s. The American Dream has, in the pursuit of happiness, the pursuit of happiness, degenerated into a quest for mere degenerated into a quest for mere wealth.wealth.

Gatsby’s powerful dream of Gatsby’s powerful dream of happiness with Daisy has become happiness with Daisy has become the motivation for lavish excess and the motivation for lavish excess and criminal activities. criminal activities.

THEME – The American THEME – The American DreamDream

Task: Consider all of the characters Task: Consider all of the characters in the novel. For each one note in the novel. For each one note down how they symbolise different down how they symbolise different elements of the American Dream.elements of the American Dream.

Gatsby’s DreamGatsby’s Dream

Nick, in his reflections on Gatsby's life, suggests Nick, in his reflections on Gatsby's life, suggests that Gatsby's great mistake was in loving Daisy: he that Gatsby's great mistake was in loving Daisy: he thus chose an inferior object upon which to focus thus chose an inferior object upon which to focus his almost mystical capacity for dreaming. Just as his almost mystical capacity for dreaming. Just as the American Dream itself has degenerated into the the American Dream itself has degenerated into the crass pursuit of material wealth, Gatsby, too, crass pursuit of material wealth, Gatsby, too, strives only for wealth once he has fallen in love strives only for wealth once he has fallen in love with Daisy, whose trivial, limited imagination can with Daisy, whose trivial, limited imagination can conceive of nothing greater. It is significant that conceive of nothing greater. It is significant that Gatsby is not murdered for his criminal Gatsby is not murdered for his criminal connections, but rather for his unswerving devotion connections, but rather for his unswerving devotion to Daisy; it blinds him to all else, even to his own to Daisy; it blinds him to all else, even to his own safety. As Nick writes, Gatsby thus "[pays] a high safety. As Nick writes, Gatsby thus "[pays] a high price for living too long with a single dream." price for living too long with a single dream."

SYMBOLISM – ‘Grail’SYMBOLISM – ‘Grail’

“…“…but now he found that he had committed but now he found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail.”himself to the following of a grail.”

A Grail is a sacred object of a quest A Grail is a sacred object of a quest undertaken by a loyal and devoted knight.undertaken by a loyal and devoted knight.

Gatsby has been transformed into a Gatsby has been transformed into a chivalric hero – a knight. His shinning chivalric hero – a knight. His shinning armour is his ‘beautiful shirts’, his horse is armour is his ‘beautiful shirts’, his horse is an expensive car.an expensive car.

Discussion: Do you think that Gatsby could Discussion: Do you think that Gatsby could rescue Daisy and take her to a better life?rescue Daisy and take her to a better life?

SYMBOLISM - WeatherSYMBOLISM - Weather

““The night had made a sharp The night had made a sharp difference in the weather and there difference in the weather and there was an autumn flavour in the air.”was an autumn flavour in the air.”

The ‘fire’ has gone out of Gatsby’s The ‘fire’ has gone out of Gatsby’s life with Daisy’s decision to remain life with Daisy’s decision to remain with Tom. This is symbolised by the with Tom. This is symbolised by the cooling weather and autumn slowly cooling weather and autumn slowly creeping in.creeping in.

SYMBOLISM – The swimming SYMBOLISM – The swimming poolpool

‘‘I’ve never used that pool all summer?’I’ve never used that pool all summer?’ In some ways Gatsby is clinging on to In some ways Gatsby is clinging on to

the hope that Daisy will love him the the hope that Daisy will love him the way she used to symbolised by his way she used to symbolised by his insistence on swimming in the pool as insistence on swimming in the pool as though it were still summer.though it were still summer.

Important – both his downfall in Important – both his downfall in Chapter 7 and his death in this chapter Chapter 7 and his death in this chapter result from his stark refusal to accept result from his stark refusal to accept what he cannot control – the passage what he cannot control – the passage of timeof time

The Swimming PoolThe Swimming Pool

Gatsby's death takes place on the first Gatsby's death takes place on the first day of autumn, when a chill has begun day of autumn, when a chill has begun to creep into the air. His decision to use to creep into the air. His decision to use his pool is in defiance of the change of his pool is in defiance of the change of seasons, and represents yet another seasons, and represents yet another instance of Gatsby's unwillingness to instance of Gatsby's unwillingness to accept the passage of time. The accept the passage of time. The summer is, for him, equivalent to his summer is, for him, equivalent to his reunion with Daisy; the end of the reunion with Daisy; the end of the summer heralds the end of their summer heralds the end of their romance.romance.

Gatsby’s DeathGatsby’s Death

Up to the moment of his death, Gatsby Up to the moment of his death, Gatsby cannot accept that this dream is over: cannot accept that this dream is over: he continues to insist that Daisy may still he continues to insist that Daisy may still come to him, though it is clear to come to him, though it is clear to everyone including the reader that she everyone including the reader that she is bound indissolubly to Tom. Gatsby's is bound indissolubly to Tom. Gatsby's death thus seems almost inevitable, death thus seems almost inevitable, given that a dreamer cannot exist given that a dreamer cannot exist without his dreams; through Daisy's without his dreams; through Daisy's betrayal, he effectively loses his reason betrayal, he effectively loses his reason for living. for living.

SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J EckleburgEckleburg

““but you can’t fool God!... Doctor but you can’t fool God!... Doctor T.J.Eckleburg …God sees everything,’ T.J.Eckleburg …God sees everything,’ repeated Wilson.”repeated Wilson.”

George takes this to be the all seeing George takes this to be the all seeing eyes of God.eyes of God.

He mistakenly believes that Myrtle’s He mistakenly believes that Myrtle’s lover must have been her killer and lover must have been her killer and must be punished by “God”.must be punished by “God”.

SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J EckleburgEckleburg

BUT remember that these eyes are BUT remember that these eyes are blind – they are the advert for an blind – they are the advert for an opticians.opticians.

The connection between these eyes The connection between these eyes and ‘God’ exists only in Wilson’s grief and ‘God’ exists only in Wilson’s grief stricken mind.stricken mind.

Discussion – How important has been Discussion – How important has been the idea of eyes/seeing within the the idea of eyes/seeing within the novel?novel?

SYMBOLISM – The roseSYMBOLISM – The rose

““He must have looked up at an He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is …”what a grotesque thing a rose is …”

The rose has been a symbol of The rose has been a symbol of beauty for centuries, but Nick says beauty for centuries, but Nick says that they are not inherently beautiful that they are not inherently beautiful and people only view them as and people only view them as beautiful because they choose to.beautiful because they choose to.

SYMBOLISM – The roseSYMBOLISM – The rose

Daisy is grotesque in the same way. Daisy is grotesque in the same way. Gatsby has made her beautiful and the Gatsby has made her beautiful and the object of his dream but in reality she is object of his dream but in reality she is an idle, bored and rich young woman an idle, bored and rich young woman with no moral strength or loyalties.with no moral strength or loyalties.

Discussion: How does the reader now Discussion: How does the reader now feel about Daisy? Consider that she has feel about Daisy? Consider that she has abandoned Gatsby in his hour of need.abandoned Gatsby in his hour of need.

SYMBOLISM - HolocaustSYMBOLISM - Holocaust

“…“…gardener saw Wilson’s body a gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete”holocaust was complete”

Indicates the whole sale destruction Indicates the whole sale destruction of his Gatsby’s life, of his dream and of his Gatsby’s life, of his dream and his love for Daisy.his love for Daisy.

Also indicates the destruction of Also indicates the destruction of Wilson’s life, his dream and of his Wilson’s life, his dream and of his world.world.

WilsonWilson Wilson seems to be Gatsby's grim double in Wilson seems to be Gatsby's grim double in

Chapter VIII, and represents the more menacing Chapter VIII, and represents the more menacing aspects of a capacity for visionary dreaming. Like aspects of a capacity for visionary dreaming. Like Gatsby, he fundamentally alters the course of his Gatsby, he fundamentally alters the course of his life by attaching symbolic significance to life by attaching symbolic significance to something that is, in and of itself, meaningless; for something that is, in and of itself, meaningless; for Gatsby, it is Daisy and her green light, for Wilson, Gatsby, it is Daisy and her green light, for Wilson, it is the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. Both men are it is the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. Both men are destroyed by their love for women who love the destroyed by their love for women who love the brutal Tom Buchanan; both are consumed with brutal Tom Buchanan; both are consumed with longing for something greater than themselves. longing for something greater than themselves. While Gatsby is a "successful" American dreamer While Gatsby is a "successful" American dreamer (at least insofar as he has realised his dreams of (at least insofar as he has realised his dreams of wealth), Wilson exemplifies the fate of the failed wealth), Wilson exemplifies the fate of the failed dreamer, whose poverty has deprived him of even dreamer, whose poverty has deprived him of even his ability to hope. his ability to hope.

Gatsby’s DeathGatsby’s Death

Gatsby's death takes place on the first Gatsby's death takes place on the first day of autumn, when a chill has begun day of autumn, when a chill has begun to creep into the air. His decision to use to creep into the air. His decision to use his pool is in defiance of the change of his pool is in defiance of the change of seasons, and represents yet another seasons, and represents yet another instance of Gatsby's unwillingness to instance of Gatsby's unwillingness to accept the passage of time. The accept the passage of time. The summer is, for him, equivalent to his summer is, for him, equivalent to his reunion with Daisy; the end of the reunion with Daisy; the end of the summer heralds the end of their summer heralds the end of their romance.romance.

Well-done!!!!Well-done!!!!