Fitzgerald,+F.+Scott

Sue,
This has been EXTREMELY difficult to read!!!! Why one ¶? Why not divided? A lot of simple sentences, although your premises overall are sound. 27/30

====Summary In 1922, Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate moves to the New York. He lives on the West Egg, where the nouveau riche live. Unlike the West Egg, its counterpart, the East Egg is all about social connections and aristocracy. Nick lives next door to Gatsby, the owner of a mansion know for throwing lavish parties. Nick travels over to the East Egg one night, to have dinner with his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom. Tom Buchanan is an athletic and arrogant man. That night, Nick meets Daisy’s friend, Jordan Baker. Nick returns home and sees Gatsby looking across the water at a green light. One day, Tom takes Nick to George Wilson’s garage. Near the garage, there is a billboard of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes. It turns out, Tom is having an affair with Wilson’s wife, Myrtle. Tom buy Myrtle a puppy. All three travel to Tom and Myrtle’s apartment. After a couple round of drinks, everybody is **Tipsy**. Nick decides to leave and return to Long Island soon. Myrtle mentions Daisy, which irritates Tom. Tom punches Myrtle in the face and breaks her nose. Gatsby invites Nick to one of his parties, Nick and Jordan meet a guy named Owl Eyes. Nick notices that Gatsby does not mingle much and watches over his guests instead. Jordan has a talk with Gatsby, which she exclaims is “extraordinary”. Gatsby and Nick go for lunch. On the way their, the police pull Gatsby’s car over. However, Gatsby shows the policemen a card and he is set free to go. Gatsby tells Nick that he went to Oxford. Nick meets Meyer Wolfshiem, who claims he was the one who fixed the 1919 World Series. Nick gets a feel that Wolfshiem and Gatsby have criminal connections. Nick later finds out from Jordan that Gatsby is in love with Daisy. Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy over for tea, so she will be forced to see Gatsby. Nick agrees, which over joys Gatsby. Gatsby asks Nick to take part in his money making business, Nick refuses. Gatsby offers to have Nick’s grass cut. Finally, Gatsby and Daisy meet. The situation is very awkward and Gatsby almost knocks over Nick’s clock. However, after having time alone, the awkwardness has diminished. Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick for a tour of his house. Daisy starts to cry after seeing Gatsby’s shirts. Gatsby and Daisy seem to have forgotten about nick’s presence. Nick walks out, leaving the two alone. There are many rumors speculating about Gatsby’s early life, Nick tells the true story. Gatsby was born as a middle-class nobody by the name of James Gatz. Gatsby worked for Dan Cody and changed his name to Jay Gatsby. Nick goes over to Gatsby’s house and surprisingly finds Tom there. Gatsby tells Tom that he knows Daisy, Tom becomes suspicious of Gatsby. Later on, Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby’s parties. Tom only attends to keep and eye on Daisy. Tom tells Daisy that Gatsby is a bootlegger. Both leave the party in a bad mood. Gatsby fires a majority of his servants to prevent any “Gatsby & Daisy” gossip. On the hottest summer day, Nick, Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and Jordan decided to go into the city. Gatsby and Daisy ride together in Tom’s car. Tom, Nick, and Jordan ride in Gatsby’s car. Tom stops at Wilson’s garage for gas. Wilson has found out about his wife’s affair and plans to mover her to the West. The group goes to a hotel, where Tom confronts Gatsby about attending Oxford and running a bootlegging business. Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy loves him. Tom tells Gatsby that he and Daisy have a special history together. Tom sends Daisy away with Gatsby, to prove his point. On the way back, Tom, Nick, and Jordan encounter a car accident. Myrtle has been hit by Daisy. However, Tom believes Gatsby is responsible. Back home, Nick finds Gatsby watching over Daisy hiding in outside in the bushes. Nick finds out that Wilson has left to track down Myrtle’s killer/lover. Wilson tracks down Gatsby swimming in his pool and shoots him. Wilson then proceeds to shoot himself. Nick rushes to Gatsby’s house, finding him floating in his pool, dead. A funeral is held for Gatsby, very few attend. Nick meets Gatsby’s father, who tells him about the true Gatsby. Nick is disgusted by Wolfshiem and the others that did not attend. **Nick ponders thoughts in his mind - red** about Gatsby’s dream, as he sits staring at the green dock light for the last time. **Nick:** Nick perceived the American Dream as acquiring wealth. Living on the West Egg, Nick is a nouveau riche or “new rich”. He has just recently become wealthy. Unlike the others, Nick is honest. Nick even refuses Gatsby offer of taking up a business offer. Nick stood more as an observer watching everyone else try to achieve their dreams. Nick realizes in the end that one can not achieve their American Dream by being dishonest and blind. Gatsby: Gatsby perceived the American Dream as finding one’s true love by means of wealth. Like many others who have goals, Gatsby’s goal was Daisy. Gatsby believed he could win Daisy back and both could live a happy future together. Gatsby spent most of his adult life acquiring wealth which he would use to entice Daisy. Unfortunately, he dies in such efforts. Gatsby was in a way blinded by love. He did not realize in the end that his dream was over. On the other hand, Nick did realize that Gatsby’s dream was over. Daisy: Daisy perceived the American Dream as living a life of wealth. Throughout the story, Daisy was selfish. For example, she did not even seem to have interest in her own child. Her daughter is with a nurse most of the time. Daisy did not even acknowledge Gatsby of working, basically his whole life, to be with her again. It was extremely low of Daisy to brush Gatsby off like a speck of dust and not even attend his funeral. In the end, Daisy follows money instead of true love and goes off with Tom again. Tom: Tom perceived the American Dream as having wealth and power. Tom was a very supercilious man. Tom used his money to his pleasure. For example, he was rich enough to rent out an apartment for him and Myrtle. Tom enjoyed having Daisy with him but also having fun with Myrtle on the side. Wilson: Wilson perceived the American Dream as working hard for his money. Wilson who owned a run-down garage and borrowed a friend’s suit for his wedding, was not caught up in the aristocratic social life. Wilson was true to his wife Myrtle and was devastated by her death. I think //The Great Gatsby// is considered a great American classic because Fitzgerald was able to capture the idea of America and the American Dream as a whole during the 1920’s. Fitzgerald was able to capture common American issues and concepts in his story which many can relate with. The American Dream stating that hard work and perseverance will lead to wealth was examined and questioned in //The Greath Gatsby//. Although the story was about Gatsby and his goal of winning back Daisy, there is a much deeper meaning to the story. I think he captures American issues through the characters. Fitzgerald portrays people in the 1920’s to be blinded by wealth and having no moral values. For example, Tom who is married to Daisy, had an affair with Myrtle. Daisy who was the main cause for Gatsby’s death did not even attend his funeral. Nick who knows about all the issues, not once takes the initiative to speak up. Jordan lies and was caught cheating at her first tournament. Another issue that was addressed was, the __doggedness__ to achieve ones goals some possess. Although **perseverance** can be a positive trait, it can also be negative. For example, Gatsby who was firm on winning Daisy over, went the extent of acquiring his wealth through illegal means. __Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream is destined to fail, if not achieved by moral and truthful ways.__====