Reading Journal - Chapter 1 - The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Chapter One 

 

• Nick Carraway is introduced.
  • Narrator of the story.
  • At first he seems "reserved of all judgement" and he's definitely well educated - "I graduated from New Haven" (Yale). 
  • He was a soldier in the "Great War" and "enjoyed the raid". 
  • He appears very hung up on the physicality of people. 
  • He seems to describe his cousin with underlying sexual tones - "thrilling voice," "bright passionate mouth," "'You make me feel uncivilized, Daisy.'"
  • He appears to be quite emotionally detached.
  • He's not as innocent minded as he seems - "a cruel body" "slender, small-breasted girl."
  • He works on Wall Street in the Bond business for a small firm that he's obviously passionate about - "'Never heard of them.' He remarked decisively. This annoyed me."
  • Jealous of/admires Tom Buchanan - "...my own generation was wealthy enough to do that."  
  •  Seems to have a dull persona and doesn't have an original thought about himself.
  •  Exaggerates often - over excited by everything?
  • Thinks rather low of himself - "I'm not even faintly a rose."
  • You know little about him as a person - maybe even to the extent of how much you know Gatsby at this point. 
  • Seems quite childlike. He's quite a blank slate until we meet the other people.
   
•  Gatsby is introduced.
  • Titular character.
  • Has only been seen distantly by this point.
  • He "represented everything for which I (Nick) have an unaffected scorn." - still Nick liked him.
  • At the very end of the chapter, he "stretched out his arms towards the dark water" and appeared to be "trembling."
  • Ghost-like "he had vanished." 
  • Staring at a "green light" across the water - allegory for hope and wanting.
  • "Turned out alright in the end." - interesting.
    
   
•  Tom Buchanan is introduced.
  •  Married to Daisy.
  • First seen with his "legs apart on the front porch" - power and dominance.
  • Cheating on Daisy (who is aware) with "'...some woman in New York.'" 
  • Large, strong and intimidating man. "Two shining arrogant eyes" "great pack of muscles" "gruff husky tenor"
  • Enjoys football "some irrecoverable football game." 
  • Doesn't seem incredibly fussed over his child - interrupts Daisy while she is bragging about her.
   
• Daisy is introduced.
  • Wealth is described through her Settings.
  • Dopey and seems quite childlike - maybe because he husband is cheating on her.
  • Hopes her daughter is a "beautiful fool" so she doesn't get her heart broken like hers was by Tom.
  • Seems to hide her emotions from everyone and only opens up slightly to Nick in this chapter.
   
• Jordan Baker is introduced.
  • "Slender" woman who Nick "enjoys looking at"
  •  She's a model as Nick has seen many "rotogravure pictures" of her around town.
  • She's quiet - when she first speaks she shocks everyone including herself.
  • Seems to know the gossip and knows a lot of things. She's also aware of who Gatsby is indicating that she's an important character in the future.
   
• Setting
  •  East coast of 1920s America.
  •  "East of New York"
  • "Twenty miles from the city a pair of enormous eggs... separated only by a courtesy bay... the great wet barnyard of Long Island South."
  • Nick and Gatsby lived in West Egg - Nick lives surrounded by millionaires. 
  • The setting helps to establish how wealthy the Buchanans are. 
• Time passes - indicated by "deep summer".
• Assonance - "crimson room bloomed".