Chapter EightChapter Eight

Characterisation Gatsby, Nick

Theme American Dream

Symbolism

Characterization - GatsbyCharacterization - Gatsby Why is Gatsby attracted to Daisy?Why is Gatsby attracted to Daisy? He was attracted to Daisy because of He was attracted to Daisy because of

her wealth and privilege and he her wealth and privilege and he idolized both wealth and Daisy – the idolized both wealth and Daisy – the two are intertwined in his mindtwo 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 thereto be there

Characterization - GatsbyCharacterization - GatsbyHas Gatsby lost or attained Daisy?Has Gatsby lost or attained Daisy?““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 excited must remember…she was very excited this afternoon.”this afternoon.”

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

Characterization - GatsbyCharacterization - GatsbyDiscussion: How do you feel about Discussion: How do you feel about

Gatsby’s inability to accept the truth? Gatsby’s inability to accept the truth?

Is this denial a negative or positive Is this denial a negative or positive aspect of his character? aspect of his character?

What does this denial ultimately What does this denial ultimately bring about?bring about?

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 dreamingaspects of a capacity for visionary dreaming

Like Gatsby, he fundamentally alters the course Like Gatsby, he fundamentally alters the course of his life by attaching symbolic significance to of his life by attaching symbolic significance to something that is, in and of itself, meaningless; something that is, in and of itself, meaningless; for Gatsby, it is Daisy and her green light, for for Gatsby, it is Daisy and her green light, for Wilson, it is the eyes of Dr. T.J. EckleburgWilson, it is the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg

Both men are destroyed by their love for women Both men are destroyed by their love for women who love the brutal Tom Buchanan; both are who love the brutal Tom Buchanan; both are consumed with longing for something greater consumed with longing for something greater than themselvesthan themselves

While Gatsby is a "successful" American dreamer While Gatsby is a "successful" American dreamer (at least insofar as he has realized his dreams of (at least insofar as he has realized 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 dreamer, whose poverty has deprived him of even his ability to hopeeven his ability to hope

Characterization - NickCharacterization - 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 always whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that … because been glad I said that … because I I disapproved of him from beginning to enddisapproved of him from beginning to end.”.”

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

Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch put Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch put together’? together’?

What quality is it that makes him different?What quality is it that 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 Gatsby when he asserts that Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch of them." "worth the whole damn bunch of them."

Despite the ambivalence he feels toward Despite the ambivalence he feels toward Gatsby's criminal past and nouveau riche Gatsby's criminal past and nouveau riche affectations, Nick cannot help but admire affectations, Nick cannot help but admire him for his essential nobility. him for his essential nobility.

Though he disapproved of Gatsby "from Though he disapproved of Gatsby "from beginning to end," Nick is still able to beginning to end," Nick is still able to recognize him as a visionary, a man capable recognize him as a visionary, a man capable of grand passion and great dreams. He of grand passion and great dreams. He represents an ideal that has grown 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, degenerated the pursuit of happiness, degenerated into a quest for mere wealthinto a quest for mere wealth

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

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 symbolize different down how they symbolize 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 that Nick, in his reflections on Gatsby's life, suggests that

Gatsby's great mistake was in loving Daisy: he thus Gatsby's great mistake was in loving Daisy: he thus chose an inferior object upon which to focus his chose an inferior object upon which to focus his almost mystical capacity for dreamingalmost mystical capacity for dreaming

Just as the American Dream itself has degenerated Just as the American Dream itself has degenerated into the crass pursuit of material wealth, Gatsby, too, into the crass pursuit of material wealth, Gatsby, too, strives only for wealth once he has fallen in love with strives only for wealth once he has fallen in love with Daisy, whose trivial, limited imagination can Daisy, whose trivial, limited imagination can conceive of nothing greaterconceive of nothing greater

It is significant that Gatsby is not murdered for his It is significant that Gatsby is not murdered for his criminal connections, but rather for his unswerving criminal connections, but rather for his unswerving devotion to Daisy; it blinds him to all else, even to devotion to Daisy; it blinds him to all else, even to his own safetyhis own safety

As Nick writes, Gatsby thus "[pays] a high price for As Nick writes, Gatsby thus "[pays] a high price for living too long with a single dream." 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 symbolized by the with Tom. This is symbolized 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 symbolized by his way she used to symbolized 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 PoolGatsby's death takes place on the first day Gatsby's death takes place on the first day

of autumn, when a chill has begun to of autumn, when a chill has begun to creep into the aircreep into the air

His decision to use his pool is in defiance His decision to use his pool is in defiance of the change of seasons, and represents of the change of seasons, and represents yet another instance of Gatsby's yet another instance of Gatsby's unwillingness to accept the passage of unwillingness to accept the passage of timetime

The summer is, for him, equivalent to his The summer is, for him, equivalent to his reunion with Daisy; the end of the summer reunion with Daisy; the end of the summer heralds the end of their romanceheralds the end of their romance

Gatsby’s DeathGatsby’s DeathUp 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 he continues to insist that Daisy may still come to him, though it is clear to still come to him, though it is clear to everyone including the reader that everyone including the reader that she is bound inseparably to Tomshe is bound inseparably to Tom

Gatsby's death thus seems almost Gatsby's death thus seems almost inevitable, given that a dreamer inevitable, given that a dreamer cannot exist without his dreams; cannot exist without his dreams; through Daisy's betrayal, he effectively through Daisy's betrayal, he effectively loses his reason for livingloses his reason 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 Godeyes 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 occulistocculist

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 mindstricken 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 what leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is …”a grotesque thing a rose is …”

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

SYMBOLISM – The roseSYMBOLISM – The roseDaisy is grotesque in the same wayDaisy is grotesque in the same wayGatsby 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 loyaltieswith 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 needabandoned Gatsby in his hour of need

SYMBOLISM - HolocaustSYMBOLISM - Holocaust“…“…gardener saw Wilson’s body a little gardener saw Wilson’s body a little

way off in the grass, and the way off in the grass, and the holocaust was completeholocaust was complete””

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