Gatsby 1

 Chapter 1

Setting

Page 6: “Their house was even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay. The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sun-dials and brick walls and burning gardens---finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run. The front was broken by a line of French windows, glowing now with reflected gold and wide open to the warm windy afternoon,...”

Page 16: “I followed Daisy around a chain of connecting verandas to the porch in front. In its deep gloom we sat down side by side on a wicker settee.”

Page 7: “Now he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.”

Page 8: “...two young women...They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering…”

Page 8: “‘I’m p-paralyzed with happiness.’ She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see. That was a way she had.” 

Page 9: “At any rate, Miss Baker’s lips fluttered, she nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and then quickly tipped her head back again…”

Page 12: “‘I hate that word hulking,’ objected Tom crossly, ‘even in kidding.’ ‘Hulking,’ insisted Daisy.”

(Tension between Tom and Daisy, non-caring atmosphere)

Chapter 2

Setting

Page 29: “The apartment was on the top floor---a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath. The living-room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapes-tried furniture entirely too large for it, so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles.”

Page 29: “I have been drunk just twice in my life, and the second time was that afternoon; so everything that happened has a dim, hazy cast over it…”

(Hazy atmosphere)

Page 30: “The sister, Catherine, was a slender, worldly girl of about thirty, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, and a complexion powdered milky white...When she moved about there was an incessant clicking as innumerable pottery bracelets jingled up and down upon her arms.”

Page 30: “Mr. McKee was a pale, feminine man from the flat below…His wife was shrill, languid, handsome, and horrible.”

Page 37: “Sometime toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy’s name...Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.

(Violence)

Chapter 3

Setting and Atmosphere

Page 5: “...it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming-pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden.”

Page 40: “By seven o’clock...the air is alive with chatter and laughter, and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other’s names.”

Page 45: “A stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles…”

Page 45: “...He waved his hand toward the bookshelves. ‘About that. As a matter of fact you needn’t bother to ascertain. I ascertained. They’re real.’ ‘The books?’ He nodded…”

Page 43: “...two girls in twin yellow dresses, who stopped at the foot of the steps.”

Page 43: “‘You don’t know who we are,’ said one of the girls in yellow, ‘but we met you here about a month ago.’ ‘You’ve dyed your hair since then,’ remarked Jordan, and I started, but the girls had moved casually on…”

(An atmosphere of quick banter)

If I had to attend one of the parties, I would want to go to Gatsby’s in Chapter 3. I would rather go to that party over the other two because I would be able to meet Mr. Gatsby. On Page 48: “He smiled understandingly---much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” So I would want to be able to see this man and witness his aura for myself. And maybe I could learn a thing or two from him. Although, there is a huge downside to his party which is that since it's so big and the people are just having a good time moving around and sharing remarks that means there won’t be any significant relationships. I will most likely also be alone and lonely most of the time at the party so at those points, the other parties would be better. Daisy’s Party would have been bad to go to due to the tension between Daisy and Tom. But I would also not feel very welcome there due to them not caring about my visit in the beginning. The last goodbye was heartwarming however. Myrtle’s Party would have been hazy due to the alcohol so it would be pointless and near the end, Tom breaks Mrs. Wilson’s nose so I would hate being near that guy.