Advanced Ellis 1st 9 weeks
Notes - The Great Gatsby
9/22-23
Chapter 4
Vocabulary:
Evasion (65): dodging, trying to escape something
Sinister (65): evil, unfavorable
Juxtaposition (71): putting two things side by side in order to compare or contrast
Denizen (73): an inhabitant
Notes:
*The most important things out of Ch. 4 are that we see Gatsby’s act and we learn Daisy’s story
-People use Gatsby
Description of car = very flashy and ridiculous  perfect for Gatsby
-Gatsby’s Act:
- “We hadn’t reached West Egg Village before Gatsby began leaving his elegant
sentences….caramel-colored suit.” (64) The real Gatsby. He can’t hide his true self. He’s
letting go.
-has artifacts as proof…like he planned on telling this story
- “His correctness grew on him as we neared the city.” (68) He puts on an act when he is around
certain people. This time he is going to the city, so he needs to be the rich and elegant Jay Gatsby.
-Daisy’s story begins on p. 74
-We learn that she was once in love with Gatsby, he was in the army, her parents wouldn’t let her be
with him (not from the “right” family), and she ends up marrying Tom.
-“She was effectually prevented, but she wasn’t on speaking terms with her family for several
weeks.” (75) Her family doesn’t let her be with Gatsby. She is mad at them for this. (it shows
how much she cares about Gatsby)
-“[Tom] gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” (76)
- She marries Tom who has the $, name, and reputation.
- Who is the letter from? (Gatsby…she loves him, doesn’t want to marry Tom)
- Daisy drinks before her wedding because she is unhappy that she will have to marry Tom.
-“The girl who was with him…Hotel.” (77) --Tom is unfaithful from the beginning.
- Gatsby bought house b/c Daisy lives across the bay
Chapter 5
Vocabulary:
Defunct (86): dead, no longer existing
Obstinate (88): stubborn
Disheveled (91): in disorder or disarray
Notes:
Gatsby and Daisy finally meet!
-Gatsby dresses in colors of money (silver and gold) to show his wealth (84)
- begins awkwardly, Nick leaves for about 30 minutes, when he comes back in Daisy is crying and
Gatsby is glowing.
-They have talked and she still cares about him.
- Gatsby wants to show Daisy his houseto prove that he can take care of her now and impress
her.
- “He hadn’t once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house
according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes.” (91) His love for
Daisy. He cares so much about her that he agrees with everything she thinks. He measures his
worth thru her eyes.
Advanced Ellis 1st 9 weeks
“Suddenly, with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the
shirts and began to cry stormily. ‘They’re such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed, her voice muffled in
the thick folds.” (92)  he has these nice clothes=he’s successful. She’s happy for him but sad
about how things have turned out. Also, American materialism!!! (Fitz. pointing out how
materialistic Am. Society can be)
Anticlimactic
-(when an event/outcome is strikingly less important than expected)
-“Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished
forever […] Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by
one.” (93)  the symbol loses meaning = he has gotten to the dream. Is it all he thought it would be?
-“Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short
of his dreams—not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone
beyond her, beyond everything.” (95)
- the actual meeting is a let down because he has built it up so much. Now he is disenchanted (to
no longer be under an illusion/enchantment). Spent all that time trying to get his dream, but now
that he has it, it isn’t quite what he expected. Too much build up!
Metaphor
-“—that voice was a deathless song.” (96) = you will always hear it
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