The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Analysis
The Great Gatsby Chapter Summary & Analysis
Mr. Laundry & Mrs. Johnstone
Vladislav Levitin
22nd of January 2014
Characters
Jay Gatsby
Nick Caraway
Tom Buchanan
Daisy Buchanan
Jordan Baker
Meyer Wolfsheim
Themes and Literary Devices
Main Theme: The American Dream
Themes
The Roaring Twenties
Inner Class Difference: New Money, Old Money
American Dream
The Is No Price To True Love
Past and Future
Literary Devices
Flashbacks
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
Stereotype
Characterization
Summary
The chapter begins with Nick - the narrator describing the affluent guests who attended Gatsby’s parties during the summer and the fact that not a single of them, knew anything about the host. Nick observes several drunken women at Gatsby’s lawn, gossiping about the …show more content…
Nick’s description of Gatsby 's guest’s shows the different roles and classes of the society, during 1922. Nick outlines how they are all just using Gatsby for his hospitality and wealth. The author achieves this theme through Nick’s list the guests who attended the parties: “Chester Beckers and the Leeches, and a man named Bunsen” (p.39 1993 edition) and the fact that none of the guests knew anything about the host. They arrived at Gatsby’s mansion with the intention to enjoy their time, consume alcohol and display their wealth, thereby portraying the main concept of the fast paced life of the Roaring Twenties.
At the beginning of the chapter, the author foreshadows Gatsby’s connection to the criminal world by the chatter of the young ladies at the party. The rumors about Gatsby that are overheard from them: “He is a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man who had found that he was a nephew to Von Hindenburg” (p.39 1993 edition), cause the reader to be suspicious of Gatsby’s character and provide an indication that he is not a “clean” person. The rumors reveal a minor element of Gatsby’s identity and the immoral way he gained his wealth, giving a sign to the reader of what to expect further in the …show more content…
Throughout the conversation Nick suspects that the rumors he had previously heard from the young ladies “he’s a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man…) (p. 39 1993 edition) are true and that Gatsby is involved in organized crime. In the chapter, Wolfsheim serves as symbol to represent the “Criminal Element”. The way that Fitzgerald describes the visual characteristics of Wolfsheim “A small, flat nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness” (p.44-45 1993 edition), generates a stereotype of the Jewish nation. During the 1920s, Jews were characterized for their greed, wealth and physical attributes of a miniature body build & a large nose. Fitzgerald applies the stereotype to describe Wolfsheim as a symbol for Crime and
Mr. Laundry & Mrs. Johnstone
Vladislav Levitin
22nd of January 2014
Characters
Jay Gatsby
Nick Caraway
Tom Buchanan
Daisy Buchanan
Jordan Baker
Meyer Wolfsheim
Themes and Literary Devices
Main Theme: The American Dream
Themes
The Roaring Twenties
Inner Class Difference: New Money, Old Money
American Dream
The Is No Price To True Love
Past and Future
Literary Devices
Flashbacks
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
Stereotype
Characterization
Summary
The chapter begins with Nick - the narrator describing the affluent guests who attended Gatsby’s parties during the summer and the fact that not a single of them, knew anything about the host. Nick observes several drunken women at Gatsby’s lawn, gossiping about the …show more content…
Nick’s description of Gatsby 's guest’s shows the different roles and classes of the society, during 1922. Nick outlines how they are all just using Gatsby for his hospitality and wealth. The author achieves this theme through Nick’s list the guests who attended the parties: “Chester Beckers and the Leeches, and a man named Bunsen” (p.39 1993 edition) and the fact that none of the guests knew anything about the host. They arrived at Gatsby’s mansion with the intention to enjoy their time, consume alcohol and display their wealth, thereby portraying the main concept of the fast paced life of the Roaring Twenties.
At the beginning of the chapter, the author foreshadows Gatsby’s connection to the criminal world by the chatter of the young ladies at the party. The rumors about Gatsby that are overheard from them: “He is a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man who had found that he was a nephew to Von Hindenburg” (p.39 1993 edition), cause the reader to be suspicious of Gatsby’s character and provide an indication that he is not a “clean” person. The rumors reveal a minor element of Gatsby’s identity and the immoral way he gained his wealth, giving a sign to the reader of what to expect further in the …show more content…
Throughout the conversation Nick suspects that the rumors he had previously heard from the young ladies “he’s a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man…) (p. 39 1993 edition) are true and that Gatsby is involved in organized crime. In the chapter, Wolfsheim serves as symbol to represent the “Criminal Element”. The way that Fitzgerald describes the visual characteristics of Wolfsheim “A small, flat nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness” (p.44-45 1993 edition), generates a stereotype of the Jewish nation. During the 1920s, Jews were characterized for their greed, wealth and physical attributes of a miniature body build & a large nose. Fitzgerald applies the stereotype to describe Wolfsheim as a symbol for Crime and