Monday, February 7, 2011

Chapters 8 and 9 of The Great Gatsby

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby was very interesting. I thought how interesting it was for Gatsby to wait outside Daisy’s house until 4 a.m.; I just thought he was crazy how he stayed there until 4; I would have been long gone before then. Nick suggested to Gatsby that he should just leave and forget about Daisy. That’s almost like telling me to forget about them beautiful Porsches. I just figured that Gatsby wouldn’t go down without a fight for the woman he loves. Gatsby then goes into detail about the first time him and Daisy met. He loved her youth and vitality and idolized her social position, wealth and popularity. This flashback brought up where his made up family past came into being. I just felt that he must of really liked her to change his past to match what she wanted, but I also felt that if she really loved him back, she would love him even if Gatsby was a poor boy. The butler then interrupted the story about draining the pool. Gatsby told him to not drain it because he wanted to use it. I just felt that it was just a relaxing day at the pool until the most traumatic thing happened. Turns out that George went to Tom’s house threatening him for killing his wife. Then Tom tells him that Jay killed her. So, George walks up to Gatsby at the pool and kills Gatsby and then kills himself! I just thought it was so horrible because the death of Myrtle was Daisy’s fault. Overall, I felt that this chapter had a lot of action and trauma in it.


Chapter 9
Chapter 9 of The Great Gatsby was an interesting chapter. I just thought it was so different how Nick told about it 2 years after Gatsby’s funeral happened. I also thought it was so weird how no one would come to his funeral except for his dad. I also felt that his dad just showed up out of nowhere. It does make sense though because of Gatsby’s involvement in illegal activities. When Gatsby’s funeral happens it is raining and very dreary. Only Gatsby’s dad, Nick, and Owl Eyes show up. I just thought it was horrible how no one really cared about Gatsby because he is such a good person. After all this, Nick decides to move back west because everyone is so heartless in the east. Ironically in New York, Nick runs into Tom and refuses to shake his hand. I thought that Tom was such a horrible person for sending George for Gatsby. I just felt that they could have come and paid their respects to Gatsby because he was such a good person. On the last night before Nick left, Nick imagined what the explorers thought of the new world that they found. I thought the ending was good, and really made me think back to what our founding fathers created and ho far it has come since then.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Great Gatsby Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby was really exciting! I just thought it was weird how Gatsby called off all of his parties. I also thought that it was an overreaction to fire all his servants and hire those shady characters connected to Meyer Wolfshiem. On the hottest day of the summer, Nick drove to Daisy and Tom’s house for lunch and was surprised to find Gatsby and Jordan there. I really thought it was weird how Daisy seemed to not care about the baby girl. Later, Daisy asks Gatsby if he wants to go to the city. Tom actually finds that they like each other and decides to go to New York. I just don’t really understand why they had to stop at Wilson’s garage instead of any other place along the highway. Once in NY, the group decides to go to a hotel and rent a suite. There Tom confronts Gatsby and accused Gatsby of running a bootlegging operation and not going to Oxford. Gatsby responded that he isn’t involved with bootlegging and that he went for 5 months. I couldn’t believe when Nick remembered that it was his birthday; I mean who forgets their birthday? I also thought that it didn’t make sense how Tom sent Daisy back with Gatsby. When Tom and everyone else head back home, they come to a fatal accident that killed Myrtle. I just thought it was a coincidence that a yellow coupe hit the car. There are tons of yellow coupes that are around anymore. Overall, I thought this chapter was the most exciting chapter, and this chapter is probably going to lead to something way worse.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Great Gatsby Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of The Great Gatsby was a good chapter. You know that you are popular when a reporter goes to your house all the way from New York. In this chapter, the true past of Jay Gatsby is finally revealed! I thought it was going to be more interesting than it actually was; I was expecting that he actually was son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. Mr. Gatsby was actually born as James Gatz and from North Dakota. I just thought it was so interesting that he came from there; Nick then tells how Gatsby moved up to the shores of Lake Superior to fish and dig for clams. I just thought it was so ironic how there was a yacht that Jay decided to warn, and find out that the owner, Dan Cody, kept him and took him all around the continent. I thought that it was also horrible when Cody’s mistress didn’t allow Gatsby to have his $25,000! Tom also arrives to visit Gatsby. I just thought that Gatsby was uneasy. Daisy also decides to go to one of Gatsby’s Saturday parties. Tom comes to keep an eye on Daisy, and he even tries to convince her that Jay actually is a bootlegger. I just thought that was really Tom’s jealousy speaking, and I also believe that Tom was trying to defend his marriage to Daisy by coming. After the party, Gatsby talks to Nick how Daisy wasn’t happy. Nick tells him that the past can’t be relived, but Gatsby says otherwise. I just wonder how Nick actually knew what happened when Gatsby and Daisy first kissed. Other than that, I found this chapter to be a step in the right direction toward Gatsby’s story how he got rich.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Chapters 3,4,5 of Great Gatsby

Chapter 3

I thought Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby was interesting. I mean who doesn’t like to party, but this kind of takes on a whole new meaning. How many times were you invited to a party with an entire symphony orchestra, or been to a house where most people drive Rolls-Royces? Back to what my point was, this is more of a ball than a party! As in prior chapters, Gatsby was believed to be many things; in this case, they thought he was a spy for Germany in WWI. I mean who would do that, especially if they were on the American side? I kind of thought it was a coincidence that Gatsby was in the 7th Infantry and Nick was in the 9th Machine Gun Battalion, and actually saw each other. I also wonder how they survived “The Great War, The War to End All Wars?” I know that the USA wasn’t really involved, but they still suffered many casualties. The only thing that confused me is why Gatsby calls Nick “old sport, ” I mean where did he get that nickname from? While looking for Gatsby, Nick and his buddy Jordan Baker wondered into a library finding a very strange man. He was telling how all the books had information. I just thought that guy had a little too much to drink that night. Overall, I thought this chapter was interesting, and had many things going on at one time which kind of ties back to the roaring 20s.

Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby was an awkward chapter in this novel. As always, people had many stories about Gatsby, in this case, he was thought to be the nephew of Von Hindenburg (second president of German republic, overthrown by Hitler) and second cousin of the devil. I just thought that was weird; how can you be cousin to the devil anyway? From the way it looks, throughout the rest of the book, people are, probably, going to have ridiculous stories about Gatsby. For about two pages, the narrator listed all the families that lived on East and West Egg. I didn’t really get why this was in the book; I didn’t really seem like something important to the text. Then, Nick was invited to lunch with Gatsby. As they are driving to the city, Gatsby told about his past. I thought it was good that Nick finally got the truth. Gatsby said that he was part of a wealthy family in the Midwest, San Francisco actually, and went to Oxford in England. Because his family died, Gatsby came into huge amounts of wealth. Gatsby’s story kind of sounds farfetched, to me, because Nick meets Meyer Wolfshiem sounds like a crime lord. Gatsby also talked about being in WWI, and trying to die! I just thought that was so weird, usually you try to survive instead of dying. Also, Gatsby loved Daisy before he went to war. She just married Tom because Gatsby was gone. Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy to tea so he can finally talk to her. Overall, this chapter gave lots of background info that is building up to the novels climax.
Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby was kind of interesting. I thought it was weird how Gatsby’s house was lit up like a Christmas tree but with no one home. I also thought it was awkward how Gatsby seemed nervous trying to make Nick go along with his plan to see Daisy again. When Nick goes with Gatsby’s plan, he is overjoyed and offers him many things. I thought it was weird how Nick was offended when Gatsby offered money to set up the meeting. The only thing that matters is that Nick will arrange the meeting. I thought it was ironic when it was raining on the day of the meeting. Gatsby became nervous, and Daisy arrived; somehow Jay disappeared until a little later. I thought it was funny when Jay knocked over the clock. At first, both of them felt awkward, so Nick decided to leave Jay and Daisy alone for a half hour and came back to them both happy as can be. I thought it was also ironic when the clouds broke and the rain stopped when both of them were happy. After that, Gatsby invited Nick and Daisy over to his mansion. I thought it was kind of awkward how Jay told Daisy how he always looked at the green light at the end of her dock thinking about their future. I also think it has another meaning, I thought the green light also represents the “American dream.” Overall, I thought this chapter was a good chapter where love triumphs over all.

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Why I Don't Like Sharing My Writing

I really don't like sharing my writing because sometimes my writing doesn't sound the way it should. I still do think sharing my writing is a good idea because everyone can input what I could improve on and make my writing even better than it already was. The thing I fear is everyone making fun of the way I write or the way my essay sounds. However, I do know that it is for the best and can make my entire essay better, and maybe, and get me an A or B+ on my essay which would really be nice. I still think my fear is just nothing because my essay could be the best in the class.

Monday, January 10, 2011

The Cold Makes Me Want To.....

The cold makes me want to play video games, in specific, NFS Hot Pursuit. I love how I can drive where ever I want to on the game. I also love the PORSCHES, LAMBOS, and Koenigsegg car on it. Anyway, the cold also makes me want to do homework because I have nothing better to do outside. However, when there is snow on the ground, I love to ride my bike through the elements and go whereever I want to, as long as there is snow.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Free Write

I felt that I did a good job when it came down to my writing in the Fredrick Douglas essay. I do, however, want to improve on writing my thesis statement, and just getting my thoughts down onto paper. When it comes down to it, writing a thesis statement, for me, is the most challenging part of writing an essay. Whenever I try to write one, it turns out very weak; My essay also turns out not great because of the way my thoughts are organized. I usually end up doing a okay job in writing, but when it comes down to writing things down it sometimes ends up all jumbled up and just not the way it was in my head. What I really need to nail on my next essay is the thesis statement, and get my thoughts out onto paper much better than on the Fredrick Douglass essay.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

The Awakening Response

The Awakening was a great book that described what women were going through in the late 1890s. The book started out on Grand Isle down by New Orleans. The main character, Edna, was talking to another person, Robert. Edna talked about  how the ocean remind her of the Kentucky bluegrass fields; Robert talked about striking it rich in Mexico. I thought it was interesting how the book started off this way. Later, Edna is relaxing when her husband tells her that the kids have a fever. I really thought it was different how she didn't even respond to what he said. I believe that is when Edna started thinking for herself other than other people. The author even shows that when Edna moves from their elegant palace to a pigeon house across the street, for she wanted a small place just to get away from reality. I really thought that it was kind of good for her to think of herself. But soon, Robert returns and Edna falls in love with him and actually begins to dislike her husband. I thought it was cool how she found a new love. I thought that the end was very weird though. I really don't understand why she drove herself to suicide.