Thoughts on the Great Gatsby.

'I'm right across from you',very obvious to say- use of language throughout this chapter remains descriptive and also has imagery.

- Nervous Gaiety?  - why would this be said to decribes how the character feels- how can a person be nervous about being joyful and why?

• nick almost feeds tension into the story in how it's told, he controls the narrative, how its told and there you could argue creates the layers in how the story unexpectably evolves inthe end.

Main Narrative points
- Materialism
-Use of time
-Colour
-Emotion
-Repetition
-Dialogue
-Dramatic moments tension arises.

Form
use of personifiication - Cars are expectant and sulky
use of telephones to tel the story - a way of structuring the dialogue through conversations
Use of futer dramatic moments
Nick iis crafting the story acting as the novelist building, setting up the narrative and the way we read it.
Fitzgerald as a writer states delicately what and how love seems to be an important part of the story.
Hyperboles - use of exaggration not to be take literally.

The great Gatsby Chapter Four

Chapter Four

·         How to portray The great Gatsby

-         Chapter Four

·         Why would Gatsby be the type of character to throw lavish Parties? But wants discretion with the type of work he does as we later found out though the story as it unfolds.

Thoughts – this would be the type of question I would ask myself, as to why Gatsby has a contradicting and contrasting personality. Gatsby is a quiet person and yet manages to throw the most lavish parties within his big extravagant mansion; thereby society’s entire elite make an appearance. There are such contradicting sides to Gatsby as Fitzgerald portrays him as a quiet character in the way he also achieved his success in dodgy dealings.

Q. But then how long can that go on when you let everyone who you don’t know into your house – making assumptions and speculating about the type of person you are or where you come from – which brings the point of wanting secrecy come with a lot of discrete dealings I.e. – not drawing attention to yourself- so why would you risk all of that is another question I would ask myself.

·         Nick didn’t expect Gatsby to ever make an appearance to him in particular.

·         I suppose you could argue that he always remained a mysterious person people gave him the reputation of being quiet a respectable “Rich” man, even though behind his back people are talking about him and judging him without knowing him

·         ‘Good Morning, Old sport. You’re having lunch with me today and I thought we’d ride up together’

·         The fact that Gatsby approached Nick, surprises him when Gatsby asks nick about ‘how nick finds him?’ I find it very interesting and unexpected as a man with that much to his name and status would not ask anybody what they think about him – he wouldn’t even care – This is the part where I really find Gatsby interesting as it is again unexpected.

·         ‘What’s your opinion of me anyhow? ‘Well, I’m going to tell you something about my life’, he interrupted’. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea of me from all these stories you here’.

·         Q. why does Gatsby want Nick in particular not to have any wrong impressions of him? At this point there seems to be a sort of ‘proving’ if you will not just to Nick but to society as well that he is genuinely the person he presents himself to be.

The Great Gatsby - Chapter Three.....

Chapter Three

·         Starts with the sound and imagery of a picturesque Setting.

·         Describing the Guests as ‘Driving’ seems to me as they are swarming towards Gatsby Metaphorically speaking.

·         Again Materialism – Motorboats, Roll Royce, servants- ‘An extra gardener – ‘Toiled all day with mops and scrubbing Brushes- Repairing the ravages of the night before’ – makes Gatsby’s character seems so powerful – wants everything to always look up to standard.

·         Get a sense of time – the schedules everything to its own time/day.

·         Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived – Every Monday these same oranges and lemons left- pulped halves. – as sense of how engrossed Gatsby is to every detail of finery as is Nick in the way he observes Gatsby  and the way the happenings are in his household.

·         ‘By 7’oclock the orchestra arrived etc. – again sound, the extravagance of a big band – showing power in the ability to order such a band.

·         The glamour and splendour painting a picture of materialism a description of sound ‘the air is alive with chatter and laughter.

·         Scenery – meetings between women who never knew each other’s names – seems like the place to be to meet societies Elite.

·         Nick again coming across as being very attentive with the goings on of Gatsby’s house.

Questions to ask myself

·        Why is Nick so Attentive and observant about a person he doesn’t even know about, why does it matter to him, and yet it seems that the ones that do come and visit Gatsby in the interim of the story, he knows only a bit about them yet does not go into much detail, but focuses ONLY on Gatsby, Even though Nick is the narrator of the play who you would also assume to be the protagonist of the  play, in relation to the title of the Book, I would actually argue and say the Character of Gatsby as essential as he is in the whole play, as it is about him and his lifestyle, I would say that he is the true Protagonist if the play

Continuation of Chapter Three

·         Nick becomes somewhat elated that he is personally invited to Gatsby’s party

·         Also even though they are thought to be societies elite their conduct within the party wasn’t. ‘Once they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after conducted themselves according to the rules of behaviour associated with an amusement park’ –Which contrasts with how society’ elite is supposed to act.

·         By Gatsby Saying ‘Little Party’ he tries to shadow the fact that isn’t that but a big party.

·         All the guests especially are interested and curious about the character of Gatsby!? , Which I find really amusing as it shows how human curiosity can play on the mind, making people assume, curious etc.

·         Description of Gats by as a character comes to light, even though they know nothing about him I find this part very intriguing to read.

·         Word of mouth – Facts – Insinuations – Assumptions etc.

·         This chapter seems to be the chapter that introduces Gatsby ‘ Man of the hour’

·         A sense of wanting to impress – Nick in particular – as Nick looks at the collection of books within Gatsby’s library – ‘They’re absolutely real. Pages and – Here! Lemme show you!

·         Scenery again ends with - describing that there was dancing now on the canvas in the garden.

The Great Gatsby Chapter Two....

Chapter Two

·         At the start of chapter two a scenery is set ‘The valley of ashes’ a morbid setting far from the Fashionable palaces of East Egg, which sets the contrast between glamour and a ‘certain desolate area of land’ as Nick so describes it.

·         You also get how the contrast starts to make the reader aware of the descriptive surrounding narrated by Nick.

·         The starting of chapter two is just very morbid, with the use of colour to describe his surroundings, you get to see how everything changes from being in ‘Deep Summer’ in Chapter One to how everything seems grey, ‘a fantastic farm, where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens’.

·         Everything suddenly changes in mood.

·         ‘The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’, which Nick emphasises within the story and object personified, he makes the sign board seem so real in the way he described it, as if the eyes are always watching everybody, but that he gives it human significance – ‘ But His Eyes’.

·         The point where we find that Tom has a mistress – which tells us that wealth alone doesn’t make person happy.

·         Tom’s mistress is the wife of a mechanic, which is an important factor as it shows how materialism easily fits in- a person easily impressed by riches. Mechanics would have at that time had to scrape by and not afford that which Tom possesses.

·         But that even in being with the mechanics wife he is still has carries his dominating character - ‘No he doesn’t,’ said Tom coldly. ‘And if you feel that way about it, maybe I’d better sell it somewhere else after all.’

·         you also get the sense that myrtle as a women has authority over her husband when she orders him,- as women of that time would get servants to do it for them if well off, or they’d do the chores in the house themselves if not so well off –‘Get some chairs, why don’t you, so somebody can sit down’. ‘Oh sure,’ agreed Wilson hurriedly.’

·         Also contradictory to the events happening where he says ‘He’s so dumb he doesn’t even know he’s alive.’ And yet even after saying that he still ‘Waited for her down the road and out of sight.’

·         We also get the feeling that Myrtle seems to have power in the sense that she gets whatever she desires in chapter Two as she becomes the one who decides what she wants.

The Great Gatsby Chapter one....

The Great Gatsby

·         The book starts with the opening of reflection, the start of descriptive imagery.

·         - Seems to be thinking of the past, informing us of his childhood, Nick as we come0to find out throughout the book becomes the first voice of the whole story the narrator telling us the incidents within the story.

·         There is also that distinctive divide between the rich and the poor, which is very detailed in the way its described I.e. West Egg- Being the poorer side, East Egg – Being the richer side of the two -‘Across the courtesy Bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water’.

·         A show of Materialism again very descriptive in that there is segregation, wealth

·         The character of Nick very quiet observant.

·         Chapter One generally focuses on the imagery of story which find Nick narrating to the readers, mainly about his father though, which suggests the string paternal link between them but also what type of man his description of his father, suggesting what type of character Nick has evolved to become through the course of the book.

·         There is the fascination with judging the characters of people within the book yet at first he started with advice from his father years ago ‘Whenever you feel like criticising anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’. But having said that he ‘reserves all judgement’, it comes to question the people he comes across with throughout the book.

·         The Starting of Phase one in the section of the book begins with descriptive imagery again Nick describing the type of family he came from and how highly sought within society they were.

·         In order to fit into the norms of society he had to become something everybody else was that he knew, - ‘So I decided to go east and learn the Bond business. Everybody I knew was in the Bond business’.

·         Also that Time is an essential component in this section of the story Nick is always using time ‘Spring of twenty-two, Graduating from New Haven in 1915’.

·         But one begins to wonder him talking about the Prominence of his family and yet moves into a ‘Weather-beaten cardboard bungalow at eighty a Month’?

·         How Nick compares himself to the people he comes across with, their wealth and his, houses, money- again description of materialism, superficiality of society and the glamour people ignorantly would show off in society.

You almost get the feeling that Nick the character feels sorry for himself that he hasn’t attained all that which he admires the most, the worldly possessions which he doesn’t have that people of his age have, and example being Toms, daisy’s husband and Nick’s cousin.- ‘It was hard to realise that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that’.

Get a sense of the rich having some underlying power over the poor, showing Toms’ authority and dominance when he first meets Nick

-‘Now, don’t think my opinion on these matters Is final,’ he seemed to say, ‘just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are’.

Use of words linked to Toms Character – A national figure, physical accomplishments, powerful.

His use of character description is also a way of telling the story, and the description of character voices – ‘his voice, a gruff husky tenor’

Imagery creating the scenery of the story -

Act Four - The scenes Throughout of Much Ado About Nothing....

Act 4 Scene One

The climax of the whole story where Claudio rejects Hero at the Alter.
He also thinks that Hero is anything but innocent, not trusting her or the tears she begins to shed.

Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness.

- There, Leonato, take her back again.

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;

She's but the sign and semblance of her honour.

Behold how like a maid she blushes here!

Can cunning sin cover itself withal!

Comes not that blood as modest evidence

To witness simple Virtue? Would you not swear,

All you that see her, that she were a maid,

By the exterior shows? But she is none:

She knows the heat of a luxurious bed;

Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.

Claudio still bitter but pouring out his heart with the intended love he so wanted to shower on Hero as his wife.

He then continues to slander her name accusing her of indecency

Thoughts

This makes you wonder if he ever loved her at all to doubt her sincerity and the fact that she still remains untouched by any man. - This goes back to blaming the ones you so dearly love, but also pertaining to the stereotypical views of always blaming the woman for everything. Why he remains accusing her and not fnding out which was the man that supposedly committed the sin with her (Borachio).

He is enraged, and in his anger al the emotions flow, feeling deceived, heart broken, cheated, blinded by the rage he so entirely feels taking over him as he gives his long speech.

In stanza 29 the speech seems to also be pre-conceived as Hero is not allowed to utter a word in her defence, ( showing how men have the upper hand at stating all that it is they want to,without listening to the voices of the women during those times- showing a sense of authority, and the power men had to exert that power if prompted to.), This however changes when the roles are reversed with Beatrice and Benedict

In being more powerful than Don John, Don Pedro seem to act in his esteem, haveing power in the fact that his status is of more importance than his brother, this seeming like the case in the views of Don John.

The other thought is that maybe by dismissing Hero, Claudio regains some of the authority he's probably lost hanging on the word of Don Pedro, always staying with him (as a trusted friend should). And so he oes dismiss her but uses words of poetry to state his affection for Hero in romantic verse, but also in that they also seem wicked and forthright.



But the thing i find interesting is why didn't he confront Hero before the wedding. Hw waited till the wedding day itself - by then he had out a of thought into what he wanted to say to her in front of everybody. In my view i think that as he loved her so much, he wanted the hurt he felt, at thinking she committed some kind of sin, she should feel a hurt much worse, hence slandering her name in front of the people she loved an the people she doesn't even know.

 - His views were instigated by people around him.

But then this gives evident signs of a 'Dip' within the comedy, where at first Claudio is so very much liked by the audience, but who now remains a little bit hated for his outburst towards the innocent Hero(even though he doesn't know she is)

His outburst cause a 'Death' in a relationship between Hero and Leonato and Claudio himself and Hero, though it's not the actual outcome he wanted, as Don John wanted Leonato dead, he still got n outcome to satisfy himself with.

She brings shame to herself and her family even though she did nothing, but the slander was enough to cause their family name to get tarnished as well as the legacy their family might have held within society( Again we see that the Hierarchy have some pride and dignity to uphold in the views of society and their status).

Leonato

'Death is the fairest cover for her shame'

He obviously wants her dead bringing such amount of shae to his family is too much to bear, so with her death, that might bring him solace enough for this slander to subside.

This also happens to bring about the change in Roles, the roles reversal, where Beatrice feels that if Benedicts claims of love are true, he should do her some justice by killing Claudio to avenge the "death" of her cousin Hero.( The turn, seems to be where Beatrice has the power to use the love of Benedict to her advantage - she has the upper hand now in the play, which is very dignifying for a woman in her position to have) but the fact remains that she also uses the the intense emotion she's developed the overwhelming and angry feelings at the amount of slander and embarrassment her family's faced. In that instance, she wants revenge in its totality, 'the Death of her cousin = The death of the enemy that cause her death'.



Act Three of Much Ado About Nothing....

Act Three Scene One - The Orchard

There is also clever wordplay between Beatrice and Benedict.
The plan to make Beatrice fall for Beneick is under way
The plan to make them fall for each other has worked as they've fallen for it.( Another Jesty yet light conspiracy between the Characters, that also carries the development of the play as it carries on between the characters.
There is the mix of some Dramatic Irony, were the readers know more about the play that the Characters within the play, in obvious sense that Shakepeare has completed the purposes of the story he wishes to depict.
Trickery towards Beatrice loving Benedict is put into play, She falls for it.

"what fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?

Stand i condemned for pride and scorn so much?

Contempt, farewell!And maiden pride, adiue!

No glory ive behind the back of such.

And, Benedick, love on; i will requite thee,

Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.

If thou dost love,my kindness shall incite thee

To bind our loves up in a holy band:

For others say thou dost desrve, and I

Believe it better than reportingly".

Onto Act Three Scene 2

Claudio is elated about his upcoming marraige to his love - Hero

This is also the Scene where the climax takes place and Don John seeing an opening adds fuels to the flames, he approaches his brother - Claudio innocent in this matter, and by using their Don Pedro and his trusted friend, thier friendship remains the key to unlocking the chaos that awaits in the development of the play.

With the stage set and chaos commencing in the heart of claudio, it starting seeping out. The Clown Characters - The Idiots, are introduced to the play.- Dogeberry and Verges.

But then again they are also the key to unravelling the plots set by Don John and his evil minions as we find out later on within the course of the play. They have already captured Borachio and Conrade and have tortured them into telling them all that those two conspired with their master.

Act Three Scene Four and Five

The loved up Hero begins preparations for her up wedding day safely in the room, unaware that beforehand the plan devised by Don John has played the trick on her bethrothed husband Claudio.

this is another instance where the audience experiences Dramatic Irony, where they know the development of emotions of the characters and Claudio's plan to embarass Hero at the alter on their Wedding Day but leaving the characters unaware of this fact.

The audience should also by this point of the play sense the building tension, and this being more evident when the two - Verges and Dogeberry fail to state what it was they wished to tell Leonato, which was the reason they went to his house in the first place.