How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 8 of the Great Gatsby?
How Does Fitzgerald Tell The Story In Chapter 8 Of The Great Gatsby?
In the beginning of the chapter, we are made aware of Nick’s discomfort and anxious attitude regarding Gatsby and what is to become of him, suggesting that he should get away for a week, but naturally, Gatsby refuses. He then goes onto describe the way that he and Daisy had first met and their relationship that had ensued, before Gatsby proposes he and Nick use the swimming pool for the first and last time that summer; Nick has work to attend, and so declines his offer to leave, but not before paying him the only compliment he gave to him. Towards the middle of the chapter, we are given an insight into George’s life just after Myrtle’s death, who realised he had nobody to go to and was desperate to know who had done such a thing to his wife, eventually coming to the conclusion that it must have been Jay Gatsby. We then meet the climax at the end of the chapter as Wilson not only murders Gatsby, while he waited for Daisy’s phone call, but also himself.
Fitzgerald writes the chapter, as in the entire novel, through the persona of Nick, in a first-hand narrative. This aids in the telling of the entire story, in this chapter in particular, because Nick’s true devotion and loyalty to Gatsby as a friend, is evident in the respectful way and non-descript depiction of Gatsby’s death- “The chauffeur… heard the shots”. In comparison to the description of Myrtle’s gruesome death in the previous chapter; “her left breast was swinging loose like a flap”; it can be argued that Nick’s self- conscious narrative may actually be quite biased, choosing to withhold information from the reader and, contradicting the way he claimed not to be judgemental in chapter 1, by deciding which characters deserve to be respected and free to die with their dignity intact, despite each of their individual mistakes.
Despite Fitzgerald writing the chapter with aspects of tragedy, I do not believe the form of the chapter can be
In the beginning of the chapter, we are made aware of Nick’s discomfort and anxious attitude regarding Gatsby and what is to become of him, suggesting that he should get away for a week, but naturally, Gatsby refuses. He then goes onto describe the way that he and Daisy had first met and their relationship that had ensued, before Gatsby proposes he and Nick use the swimming pool for the first and last time that summer; Nick has work to attend, and so declines his offer to leave, but not before paying him the only compliment he gave to him. Towards the middle of the chapter, we are given an insight into George’s life just after Myrtle’s death, who realised he had nobody to go to and was desperate to know who had done such a thing to his wife, eventually coming to the conclusion that it must have been Jay Gatsby. We then meet the climax at the end of the chapter as Wilson not only murders Gatsby, while he waited for Daisy’s phone call, but also himself.
Fitzgerald writes the chapter, as in the entire novel, through the persona of Nick, in a first-hand narrative. This aids in the telling of the entire story, in this chapter in particular, because Nick’s true devotion and loyalty to Gatsby as a friend, is evident in the respectful way and non-descript depiction of Gatsby’s death- “The chauffeur… heard the shots”. In comparison to the description of Myrtle’s gruesome death in the previous chapter; “her left breast was swinging loose like a flap”; it can be argued that Nick’s self- conscious narrative may actually be quite biased, choosing to withhold information from the reader and, contradicting the way he claimed not to be judgemental in chapter 1, by deciding which characters deserve to be respected and free to die with their dignity intact, despite each of their individual mistakes.
Despite Fitzgerald writing the chapter with aspects of tragedy, I do not believe the form of the chapter can be