The Great Gatsby: Chapter 8

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Goals today: 20th Dec 

Reminder: hand in your editorial on Thursday hardcopy (typed) 

Characterisation of Nick 

Chapter 8 and the (failure of) the American Dream 

Use of symbolism to support that theme in chapter 8 

Gatsby's death 

What is the significance of this image to your reading of chapter 8? 

Expand the kernel sentence

Kernel: Gatsby dies

When? : ....................................................................................

Where?:....................................................................................

How?:.......................................................................................

Why?: ......................................................................................

Expanded sentence (start with when):............................................. ....................................................................................................................

Characterisation Nick 

“They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that … because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.” pg 146 – 147 ​

Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch put together’? What quality is it that makes him different?​

Is Gatsby ‘worth the whole damn bunch put together’? What quality is it that makes him different?​

The loss of The American Dream 

Gatsby is a symbol for America in the 1920s. The American Dream has, in the pursuit of happiness, degenerated into a quest for mere wealth.​

Gatsby’s powerful dream of happiness with Daisy has become the motivation for lavish excess and criminal activities. ​

Consider the following characters in the novel. For each one note down how they symbolise different elements of the American Dream.​

Gatsby

Daisy

Tom

Jordan

SYMBOLISM – Weather ​

pathetic fallacy ​

“The night had made a sharp difference in the weather and there was an autumn flavour in the air.” pg 146 ​

The ‘fire’ has gone out of Gatsby’s life with Daisy’s decision to remain with Tom. This is symbolised by the cooling weather and autumn slowly creeping in.​

SYMBOLISM – The swimming pool​

‘I’ve never used that pool all summer?’ pg 146 ​

In some ways Gatsby is clinging on to the hope that Daisy will love him the way she used to symbolised by his insistence on swimming in the pool as though it were still summer.​

Important – both his downfall in Chapter 7 and his death in this chapter result from his stark refusal to accept what he cannot control – the passage of time​

SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J Eckleburg​

“But you can’t fool God!... Doctor T.J.Eckleburg …God sees everything,’ repeated Wilson.” pg 152​

George takes this to be the all-seeing eyes of God.​

He mistakenly believes that Myrtle’s lover must have been her killer and must be punished by “God”.​

SYMBOLISM – Eyes of Dr T J Eckleburg​

BUT remember that these eyes are blind – they are the advert for an opticians/oculist 

The connection between these eyes and ‘God’ exists only in Wilson’s grief-stricken mind.​

How important has been the idea of eyes/seeing within the novel? Give examples ​

Symbolism - the rose 

“He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is …” pg 153 ​

The rose has been a symbol of beauty and love for centuries, but Nick says the symbol of a rose has become grotesque, so has become repulsive, ugly or distorted. 

Symbolism - the Rose 

Daisy is grotesque in the same way. Gatsby has made her beautiful and the object of his dream but in reality, she is an idle, bored and rich young woman with no moral strength or loyalties.​

 How do you now feel about Daisy? Consider that she has abandoned Gatsby in his hour of need.​

SYMBOLISM - Holocaust​

“…gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete” pg 154​

Indicates the wholesale destruction of Gatsby’s life, of his dream and his love for Daisy.​

Also indicates the destruction of Wilson’s life, his dream and of his world.​

Holocaust = destruction or slaughter on a mass scale

Death of Gatsby 

Look again at the oblique (indirect) description of Gatsby’s death. pg 154

1. How far do you think that it is a ‘fitting’ end for the character?  

2. Why do you think that Fitzgerald illustrated Gatsby’s death with the butler hearing a ‘few shots’? 

3.  Why do you think that Fitzgerald chose to portray Gatsby’s death the way he did?  

Classwork/homework

Complete the assignment in Teams => Term 2 +> The Great Gatsby => chapter 8