Oct 31 In Class 5b The Great Gatsby: Questions Chapters 4 – 6 Directions: Within your Critical Perspective group, discuss and write down your groups’ responses to the following questions below. If you have been keeping a character/theme chart, they will be very useful in answering many of the questions. 1. Historical a. Which of the characters best represents the: a) past, b) present, and c) the future. Give a brief explanation for your responses. You must think about the past relative to the setting of the novel—approximately 1925. b. List any similes, metaphors, and/or similes that best exemplify the character in question a. c. Go back to the list of themes in In Class 5a/b. Which of the themes have you noticed appearing thus far in the novel? Give two examples of the theme manifesting itself in the novel. Remain in your critical perspective group. Choose four questions to answer. Some questions may be a better fit for your critical perspective than others. 1. From your critical approach, why does Gatsby feel the need to tell Nick about his background at the beginning of chapter 4? 2. Why does Gatsby feel the need to have Jordan speak to Nick on “this matter”? 3. Chapter 4 contains many contradictions and irony. There are two common types of irony in literature—verbal and situational. Verbal irony is one says what they do not mean. For example, if one of your friends says, “Let’s go to the beach” on a rainy day, and another friend says, “Yeah, what a great idea; we can enjoy the sunshine!” Situational irony occurs in Gatsby. Near the end of chapter 3, we found out that Jordan had been accused of cheating in golf, which is a taboo. However, a few pages into chapter 4, Jordan is “sitting up very straight on a straight chair,” suggesting that Jordan is an upright person. Why are there contradictions in the specific chapter—when we learn about the history between Daisy and Gatsby? 4. What are you learning about Nick’s character in chapter 4? 5. Why is Gatsby’s house lit up at “like the world’s fair” at the beginning of chapter 5? Remember to answer from your critical perspective. 6. What is Nick’s relationship to Daisy? What is Nick’s relationship to Nick? What is Nick’s initial role in the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy? What moral issues involved in chapter 5? 7. Skim through the first few pages of chapter 5—up until Daisy sees Gatsby soaking wet. a. Briefly describe the environment of Nick’s house. b. What is the time of day? c. Does rain affect the scene in any way? What does water symbolize? d. What might Nick’s house represent in this scene? What evidence do you have for your conclusion? 8. Look up Immanuel Kant on the internet. Why should Nick think of Kant at this point in the novel? What is the significance of Kant? Return to your Big Group. Read through all 9 of the questions, and then choose any five (5) questions to answer. Each answer should be at least four sentences long. Make sure the first sentence of your answer directly addresses the question. Each person should contribute their perspective to the discussion subsequent response. 1. What is your definition of wealth? Is there such an idea as being spiritually wealthy? a. Spiritual wealth suggests that an individual has substance and a soul. Do any of the characters have a soul? What is the evidence for your answer? 2. Readers seem to know very little about Gatsby’s past until he tells Nick his story. Do you believe Gatsby? Why or why not? Is it important to know his past? a. Do not write an answer for the following question, only think about it: Are there any significant figures in your life that you do not know his/her past? Does his/her story share any similarities with Gatsby’s past? As you read through the book, keep this question in mind. 3. Wolfshiem is a gambler. What are some images or ideas that gamblers represent? How are gamblers perceived by society? What type of morals do gamblers have? What are your impressions of a person who hangs out with gamblers? 4. Are there any double-standards in this novel? That is to say, the characters say one thing, but do just the opposite? Explain what these double-standards tell you about the character’s morals? Throughout the novel, there are images of double-standards. For example, East Egg (fashionable, old money) vs. West Egg (less fashionable, newer money); valley of ashes (hint of death) between New York City and the Eggs (life); and now in chapter 4, while driving with Gatsby, Nick notices Port Roosevelt and ocean-going ships along slum lined streets lined with saloons. Why do you suppose there are so many images of opposites, including the double-standards? 5. Near the end of chapter 5, Jordan tells Nick a little bit about the history of Daisy and Gatsby. Did this conversation shed any light on the relationship between Daisy and Jordan? 6. How are women treated in the novel thus far? Towards the end of chapter 5, as Nick is leaving Gatsby’s house, he notes that “the expression of bewilderment had come back to Gatsby’s face… There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through any fault of her own but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.” Does this say anything about the relationship between men and women in general? In other words, is it possible that men (and even women) might wish for something, and when it happens, it isn’t quite as good as one thought? If this is true, then consider what the green light means in the next question. 7. Is there a connection between the green light and the “green cards” that Daisy mentions she’s giving out? 8. The horseback riding scene with Nick, Tom, Gatsby, and the Sloane’s shows the differences between old money and new money. a. Describe why this scene has been interpreted as showing the differences between old money and new money. b. Who is the woman that accompanies Sloane? 9. After answering the horseback riding scene, pay close attention to the last section of chapter 6. You will learn a lot about Nick, Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby. Recall when you first met all four of them in chapter 1. Are they still the same as when you first met them? How has each person changed?