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Kelso High School

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Title: Kelso High School


1
Kelso High School
  • English Department

2
The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3
Chapter Three


Characterisation Gatsby, Jordan,
Nick Style Theme
Perception
versus Reality
Structure Symbolism
Cars, Owl Eyes
4
Structure - Delayed Introduction of
Gatsby
  • In the first two chapters of the novel the reader
    has
  • i) seen Gatsby from a distance
  • ii) heard other characters
    talk
  • about him
  • iii) heard Nicks thoughts on
    him
  • Yet, we have not met him
  • Discussion why has Fitzgerald structured the
    opening chapters in this way?

5
Structure Delayed Introduction of Gatsby
  • Chapter Three is devoted to an introduction of
    Gatsby and the lavish showy world he inhabits
  • Yet, Gatsbys introduction is further delayed
  • Sometimes they came and went without having
    met Gatsby at all

6
Structure/Style Repetition of Conjecture about
Gatsby
  • Somebody told me.
  • Somebody told me they thought he killed a man
    once
  • Its more that he was a German spy during the
    war
  • The repetition of the conjecture about Gatsby
    further adds to his mystery

7
Style - Mystery created around the character of
Gatsby
  • When we do eventually meet him-
  • Im Gatsby, he said suddenly.
  • What! I exclaimed. Oh, I beg your
    pardon.
  • Yet our first proper meeting with him further
    adds to the mystery. The low profile he
    maintains is out of place with his lavish
    expenditure

8
Style Mysterious like atmosphere created around
Gatsby
  • Repetition of Old sport further adds to the
    mystery of Gatsby as it makes him sound more
    English
  • Jordans words create further mystery Ive
    just heard the most amazing thing, she
    whispered.it was simply amazing, she repeated
    abstractedly

9
Style - title The Great Gatsby
10
Style The Great Gatsby - title
  • The title is reminiscent of a vaudeville billing
    or the name of a magician like The Great
    Houdini
  • Is this to emphasise the theatrical and perhaps
    illusion like qualities of Gatsbys life?
  • This is further conveyed by-

11
Style - Dreamlike quality of proceedings
  • the fact that throughout this chapter description
    is used to create a dreamlike atmosphere-
  • In his garden men and girls came and
  • went like moths
  • A tray of cocktails floated at us through
    the
  • twilight
  • Again an air of illusion is successfully created

12
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • Does this perhaps suggest that there is something
    illusionary about Gatsby himself?

13
Characterisation - Gatsby
14
Characterisation Gatsby
  • Not only is an air of mystery created around
    Gatsby
  • He is also portrayed as being almost like royalty
    signed Jay Gatsby in a majestic hand
  • He is portrayed as doing everything to excess

15
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • Discussion
  • Explain the way in which the following quotes
    suggest excess-
  • the orchestra had arrived, no thin five
    piece affair but a whole pitful of oboes and
    trombones and saxophones and viols and

16
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • the cars from New York are parked five deep in
    the drive
  • At least once a fortnight a corp of caterers
  • Enough coloured lights to make a Christmas tree
    of Gatsbys enormous garden

17
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • Yet, Fitzgerald clearly creates an air of
    isolation around Gatsby
  • standing alone on the marble steps and
    looking from one group to another
  • Sometimes they came and went without having
    met Gatsby at all

18
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • Think back to previous chapters
  • Discussion
  • In what other ways has Gatsbys isolation
    been conveyed?

19
Characterisation - Gatsby
  • The repetition of the business calls early in the
    morning perhaps suggests underworld business
    connections
  • Discussion
  • Why is this idea reinforced by the calls
    coming from Chicago?

20
Characterisation - Nick
  • Again Nicks reliability as a narrator is
    questioned
  • Discussion
  • Explain why the following quotes make us
    question Nicks reliability-

21
Nicks reliability as a narrator
  • I had taken two finger bowls of champagne, and
    the scene had changed before my eyes into
    something significant, elemental and profound
  • 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

22
Nicks reliability as a narrator
  • Read the following-
  • Reading over what I have written so far, I
    see I have given the impression that the events
    of three nights several weeks apart were all that
    absorbed me
  • Here he reminds us that he is the writer as well
    as the narrator. Events have therefore been
    filtered and recollected by him. Is he reliable?

23
Nicks reliability as a narrator
  • Read the following-
  • I even had a short affair with a girl who
    lived in Jersey Citybut her brother began
    throwing mean looks in my direction
  • Why?
  • Nick is supposed to be honest and reliable. Is
    this a warning? Does he only tell us what he
    wants us to know?

24
Nicks reliability as a narrator
  • Consider the final sentence of the chapter -
  • Every one suspects himself of at least one
    of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine I am
    one of the few honest people that I have ever
    known
  • Discussion
  • In what ways is this sentence given
    significance?

25
Nicks reliability as a narrator
  • Yet, if he is so honest, why is he attracted to
    Jordan - I felt a sort of tender curiosityfor
    a moment I thought I loved her
  • He acknowledges that she is dishonest a
    suggestion that she moved her ball from a bad
    lie
  • Yet, It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in
    a woman is a thing you never blame deeply

26
Nick characterisation
  • Nick is undoubtedly lonely-
  • Consider his description of New York
    forms leaned together in the taxis as they
    waited, and voices sang, and there was laughter
    from unheard jokes and imagining that I too, was
    hurrying towards gaiety and sharing their
    intimate excitement, I wished them well

27
Nick characterisation
  • This extract clearly conveys Nicks loneliness.
    He is merely reporting the situation, he is not
    part of it
  • Most of the time I worked - Nicks loneliness
    is further emphasised by the fact that his life
    is far different from those of Gatsby and the
    other characters

28
Characterisation - Jordan
  • Discussion
  • Consider the following quotes. For each
    explain why they again suggest a negative
    impression of Jordan-
  • she responded absently as I came up
  • she was incurably dishonest

29
Symbolism - Cars
  • His Rolls Royce became an omnibus
  • Cars represent the wealth of America, but Gatsby
    is not happy with a Ford motor car most
    Americans who could afford a car had one.
    Remember the connotations of a Rolls Royce
    great wealth and social privilege

30
Symbolism Owl Eyes
  • Absolutely real have pages and
    everything.they are absolutely realIt fooled
    me
  • Owl Eyes is surprised to discover that the books
    are real and not just empty covers and cases.
    Does this suggest that the people of West Egg and
    East Egg are ornate covers too? Does their
    outward show of opulence cover up their inner
    corruption and moral decay?

31
Symbolism - Owl Eyes
  • Does this tie in with the theme of Perception
    versus Reality?
  • The party is an elaborate theatrical production.
    People do not even really like each other East
    Egg condescending to West Egg. Does Owl Eyes
    perhaps suggest that Gatsbys whole life is
    merely a show?
  • Discussion
  • Any thoughts on the name Owl Eyes?

32
Theme Perception versus Reality
  • The behaviour of the American Upper classes
    suggests that their wealth covers up their vulgar
    behaviour-
  • They conducted themselves according to the
    rules of behaviour associated with an amusement
    park

33
Theme Perception versus Reality
  • Most of the remaining women were now having
    fights with men said to be their husbands
  • Lavish appearances cover less positive realities
  • This ties in with the idea of DISTORTED VISION

34
Theme - Perception versus Reality
  • Discussion
  • Briefly list the examples of DISTORTED VISION
    or examples within the novel so far when
    Perception differs drastically from Reality
  • What could this suggest about Gatsby himself?

35
Well-done!!!!
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