Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Great Gatsby fishbowl #2: third hour

Hmmm...not going to lie.  We're off to a rough start with this text.  Let's see if we can step up our game today.

Here are some things I'm looking for from you.

1.  That you are participating.  Aim for at least 3-5 thoughtful posts during discussion, throughout discussion.  At least.  My folks who are dormant will begin writing 1 page essay responses to the reading next class.

2.  Please proofread your work.  


3.  For EVERY question you ask and EVERY response you make, provide a quote that contextualizing that question or comment.  Be sure that you don't just throw it out there for your reading to infer why you're using it, but rather, makes its relevance clear by discussing that quote.  


Here are a couple great examples from your classmates to model your posts after.


Zoe asked, "On page 33 Catherine Myrtle's sister is whispering to Nick the details of Tom's and Myrtle's relationship. Tom has come up with such an elaborate lie about Daisy being Catholic so he can not divorce her. How come Tom has created such an elaborate lie not to leave Daisy when he "loves" Myrtle?"


And Sam asked, "On page 33 "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." Why is there a reoccurring theme of unhappy marriages? Is it the time that's preventing them from getting a divorce or is there something bigger going on?

58 comments:


  1. Does Gatsby think that he is above others in society? Why does he call them old sport?
    pg 65
    “old sport”

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    1. I think Gatsby does use his wealth to be placed higher in society. For example when he gets pulled over by the police man on page 73 and 74. All he has to do is show the policeman a white card and he lets him go. I think the policeman lets him go because the policeman believes he is higher up in society.

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    2. I think he does think that he is above most others in the society because he has so much money and doesn't know what to do with all of it. Like in chapter 3 at the party when they talk about how elegant his house was and how nice the party was.

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    3. Thank you for the clarification and help boys

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  2. On Pg.66
    “Once I wrote down on the empty spaces of a time-table the names of those who came to Gatsby’s house that summer.”

    What is nick’s reasoning for making a list of people that come to Gatsby’s party? It does not seem like Gatsby cares who comes anyways.

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    1. Since Nick is knew to this group and lifestyle I think he is trying to learn who everyone is and join the group

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    2. I believe that Nick is truly curious about who Gatsby is and what he's about and I think he wants to get to that answer through figuring out who he hangs around and who comes to these extravagant events even though no one knew him it still says something about his character.
      On page.61 "But I cans till rad the gray names, and they will give you a better impression than my generalities of those who accepted Gatsby's hospitality and paid him the subtle tribute of knowing nothing at whatever about him."

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    3. I would say that Nick has an inner curiosity to find out why these people come here and more importantly why do they come if they are going to talk bad about Gatsby? Nick might be wondering why does Gatsby allow these people to come and why are the actual invited people important to him. The list itself is a rather reflection that allows Nick to see who comes and maybe why they do. Gatsby does know about the stories that go around and still has these parties.On P. 69 he talks about getting the real truth out yet he does nothing about it. This is a second question of why does Gatsby all this to continue?

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  3. On page 50,"I wondered if the fact that he was not drinking helped to set him off from his guests, for it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased." He assumes that not drinking helped set him from his guests but this may not be the case. He shouldn't assume things.

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    1. But it does set him apart from his guests, he does actually want to be involved with his guests. It all an elaborate ruse to get Daisy's attention.

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    2. Gatsby’s fame and perception revolve entirely around speculation When in fact his only source of fame is his parties.
      pg 61
      “He is a bootlegger” said the young ladies, “One time he killed a man who found out he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil.”

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    3. On page 78, Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby wants him to invite Daisy over for tea, so she can see Gatsby's house. Why do you think that Gatsby doesn't just ask daisy over himself?

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  4. On page 69 you see that Gatsby does care about other people think of him yet he doesn't go and talk to the people when a party is going on. He portrays that he does care when he talks to Nick. "I don't want you to get a wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear." Gatsby knows about the lies that are being told and does nothing about it. Why does he not go and set thing straight? Is he afraid or does he not care of what others think of him?

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    1. I think he has a combination of both fright and that he doesn't care. I feel like he's scared to set things straight just because how he is.

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    2. I think that he just knows that once word spreads, it is difficult to change it. He seems as though peoples opinions of him are irreverent, because he is above the common person.

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    3. I think Gatsby only cares about opinion the people he cares about such as Daisy and Nick. At most of the Parties he throws, most of the people he doesn't know

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  5. " It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a women is a thing you never blame deeply-I was casually sorry, and then I forgot." On page 58 he explains that dishonesty is much bigger then they think. How big do you think honesty really is to them?

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  6. Taking a white card from his wallet he waved it before the
    man’s eyes.
    ‘Right you are,’ agreed the policeman, tipping his cap.
    P. 73

    Why do you think the cop lets him go when he shows him this white card?

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    Replies
    1. Same as earlier Brendan, the police man believes he is higher in society.

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    2. The source of his power is really mysterious. I wonder if Gatsby is a trustworthy character?
      Pg 68
      “Taking a white card from his wallet he waved it before the mans Eyes”
      “Right you are “ agreed the policeman

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  7. Do you think that Gatsby is one of those people who are magnificent liars and made up his entire life just to make people look up to him and feel like he has the most desirable life?
    On page.65 "He hurried the phrase "educated at Oxford", or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it had bothered him before."

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    1. It makes you wonder what kind of person he actually is and what kind of influence he has...

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    2. I say that Gatsby is the type of person who wants to make other people interested in his personal life. I would deduct that he yearns for the attention of people, but is too ashamed of his real life that has already passed. The quote on page 65, "educated at Oxford," brings up that he says he's well educated, but he struggles with this as if he was coming up with a lie on the spot. I say that he basically years for the attention of others.

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    3. I think that he did not make this up. Somewhere in the book he pulled out pictures of himself Oxford. I think that he might have choked on this memory because it reminded him about Daisy or a bad event that happened back then.

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  8. On page 76 " Gratulate me, she muttered. Never had a drink before, but oh how I do enjoy it." If Daisy was actually "in love" with Jay Gatsby why did she force herself to marry Tom?

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    1. I think that based on our discussion from chapters 1 and 2, she married Tom for the money.

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    2. But why? She already came from a family of money there was no reason for her to marry into more money.

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  9. Do you think he is trying to make a huge point when he says,"Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." on page 59?

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    1. I think he is because he's saying that everyone else around him is a liar and that he is and could be the only one in this society to tell the truth.

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    2. I disagree I think he's basically trying to say that the truth is whatever you make it. He's the one of the few honest people he knows because he has made his on truth

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  10. I believe that Mr. Wolfsheim is a very scary man who has many different connections to things he really shouldn't have such as fixing the 1919 world series. What do you think about him?
    On page.69 "After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness."

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  11. On Page 71. When Gatsby talk about all his success.
    When Gatsby talks about all the success in his life does that make him feel more powerful than Nick? Does he choose to hang out with less successful people so he has power?

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. It's a respect thing.

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    3. I think he doesn't really care who he hangs out with as long as he is known as one of the most well known and powerful people there

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  12. On page 80 "Unlike Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, I had no girl whose disembodied face floated along dark cornices and blinding signs..." Do you think watching these relationships fall apart has made Nick a more jaded person about falling in love?

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    1. I think Nick has been changed by this. He seems a little more quiet and shy now rather than how he was in the beginning. His personality had definitely changed throughout the book.

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    2. I think Nick was an already jaded person about love but I definitely feel like this didn't help at all. He could be more optimistic and open instead of over analyzing everything and anything.

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  13. Great discussion so far team.

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  14. Daisy seems like the type of person who is extremely well known and she used that to her advantage because it got her what she wanted. I also think she attracted the attention of many people including Gatsby but didn't realize the opportunities she had and has now wasted them.
    On page.75 "The officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking, in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at some time, and because it seemed romantic to me I have remembered the incident ever since."

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  15. Felipe asked,

    On page 47, Nick realizes that Gatsby and him were in the war together and sparks a relationship with Gatsby. Then on page 61, Nick gathers the lists of all the people who attended Gatsby’s party because many of them were powerful and wealthy people. Do you believe Nick is trying to form a relationship with Gatsby because of their ties in the war or because of Gatsby’s reputation?

    I think Nick is trying to form a relationship with Gatsby because he knows how Gatsby is and that his reputation is known all over.

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    1. I agree, that also might be a reason why Gatsby calls him "Old Sport." This might make their relationship that much stronger

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    2. I agree with Brendan. I think Nick is trying to form a relationship with Gatsby because he is wealthly and fun to hang with. I do think Gatsby wants to be friends too. Because he does go get him for lunch for example.

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    3. I view the term old sport as condesending

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  16. “The books?” he nodded. “Absolutely real-have pages and everything I thought that they'd be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact they are absolutely real.” 45

    Does he think that Gatsby was a fake person and would not have an education and would have decorative books instead?

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  17. On page 70 Gatsby bring up a rather dark scene when it comes to the topic of going to war to take his own life. "...I tried very hard to die but I seemed to bear an enchanted life." What does this make you wonder about how Gatsby thinks his life worth? Does he think that he is not worthy of a life?

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    1. I feel that Daisy might be the reason why he wants to hang on to his life. I think the parties are scene as a reason to find Daisy.

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  18. “I like to come” lucille said. “I never care what I do so I always have a good time.” 43

    Austin

    Do they really want to meet Gatsby or are they their only for the party??
    Christion

    They only want to experience the luxury.

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    1. I think most of Gatsby's guest are there just for the party. They could care less about the host. It is somewhere they can go to have a good time and not worry about anything.

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    2. There are all there for the mystery of Gatsby. Not just for the party but for the chance to meet the great Gatsby

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  19. On page 77 "The next April Daisy had her little girl..." based off of the timeline, is it possible that Gatsby is the father of Daisy's daughter?

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    1. I think its a possibility, but its doubtful. I would assume that if Gatsby had a child with Daisy, he would make a more valiant effort to be a part of their life.

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  20. Foster wants the last post

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  21. I think that the inner circle people had some really good insights and thoughts today. It made me think about a lot of new things. It was easier to answer questions with quotes provided

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  22. I agree with brendan I thought that this was much better this week.

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  23. On page 70, " Then he went out on the sidewalk, and they shot him three times in his full belly and drove away." Do you think that Gatsby was involved with gangs, the mob, or other groups like this? Could this possibly be a reason for his success?

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    1. I don't think he was. If he was I think he would have a lot more trouble living the life he is and I think that there would always be some people trying to kill him.

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