An Analysis of The Great Gatsby
Chapter 1 Analysis – The Great Gatsby
What words or phrases suggest that Nick is initially optimistic about going East?
As Nick travels East his views on his surroundings contrast considerably to those he observed as he was travelling through the west, where he lives. As he enters the East his initial description uses words such as ‘Fashionable’ and ‘Cheerful’ which is a deep juxtaposition to the words used to describe the West i.e. ‘superficial’ or ‘bizarre’. His optimism in travelling East is expressed as he describes the ‘East Egg glittered along the water’ this shows how he sees it across the water as a place of wonder and amazement and that all the lights and colour attract him to it and pull him which is why he is initially so optimistic about going there. America in the 1920’s was described as part of the ‘Jazz age ‘and even though they separated themselves from Europe to avoid a class system there is a very definite divide between the West and East egg. As Nick lives in the West egg which is seen as the ‘less fashionable’ of the two, which runs on new money, with lots of ‘colossal’ mansions ‘squeezed’ together, Nick is, as predicted excited about entering the East egg which is considerably richer and better established.
How well do you think Nick fits with those around him? Explain your answer.
From my point of view Nick does not fit with those around him upon his visit to the East egg. Tom, Daisy and Jordan are very self involved even when around each other and they don’t have a particular interest in Nick however he is very interested in them. They interrupt him and each other regularly for example ‘“this Mr Gatsby you speak of is my neighbour-” I began’ or ‘“...great, big, hulking physical specimen of a-” I hate that word hulking” objected Tom crossly. ‘Nick is very different to this as he is good at listening and is very intrigued by those around him as this new experience in the east egg is so different to that of the West. However Tom and
What words or phrases suggest that Nick is initially optimistic about going East?
As Nick travels East his views on his surroundings contrast considerably to those he observed as he was travelling through the west, where he lives. As he enters the East his initial description uses words such as ‘Fashionable’ and ‘Cheerful’ which is a deep juxtaposition to the words used to describe the West i.e. ‘superficial’ or ‘bizarre’. His optimism in travelling East is expressed as he describes the ‘East Egg glittered along the water’ this shows how he sees it across the water as a place of wonder and amazement and that all the lights and colour attract him to it and pull him which is why he is initially so optimistic about going there. America in the 1920’s was described as part of the ‘Jazz age ‘and even though they separated themselves from Europe to avoid a class system there is a very definite divide between the West and East egg. As Nick lives in the West egg which is seen as the ‘less fashionable’ of the two, which runs on new money, with lots of ‘colossal’ mansions ‘squeezed’ together, Nick is, as predicted excited about entering the East egg which is considerably richer and better established.
How well do you think Nick fits with those around him? Explain your answer.
From my point of view Nick does not fit with those around him upon his visit to the East egg. Tom, Daisy and Jordan are very self involved even when around each other and they don’t have a particular interest in Nick however he is very interested in them. They interrupt him and each other regularly for example ‘“this Mr Gatsby you speak of is my neighbour-” I began’ or ‘“...great, big, hulking physical specimen of a-” I hate that word hulking” objected Tom crossly. ‘Nick is very different to this as he is good at listening and is very intrigued by those around him as this new experience in the east egg is so different to that of the West. However Tom and