Kelso High School
English Department
The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Chapter Five
Characterisation
Gatsby, Daisy,
Nick
Style
Theme
American Upper
Class
Structure
Symbolism
Weather, Clock,
Mansion,
Kilspringer
Structure – Pivotal Chapter
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This is the pivotal chapter of the novel
Previously, Gatsby’s reunion with Daisy has
existed only in PROSPECT
However, from Chapter 5 on the plot shifts to
focus on the romance between Gatsby and
Daisy
In addition, this chapter introduces the theme
of the past’s significance to the future
Characterisation - Nick
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“I’m going to call up Daisy tomorrow and
invite her over here to tea…What day would
suit you?”
Nick is happy to act as a go-between to
facilitate the relationship between Gatsby
and Daisy
Discussion: What does this suggest about
his morals? Is he as honest as he professes?
Characterisation - Nick
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Indeed, Nick’s reliability as a narrator is
again called into question.
Discuss the way in which the following quote
when he is writing about Gatsby conveys
this:“like an ecstatic patron of recurrent light”
Characterisation - Nick
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Nick is transforming Gatsby into a mythical
figure.
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Does this add to or detract from his reliability
as a narrator?
Characterisation - Daisy
Characterisation - Daisy
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Daisy’s normally glib character is
immediately apparent when Nick calls her to
invite her for tea :‘Who is “Tom”?’ she asked innocently.
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However, at this stage she does not know
that Gatsby is involved in the arrangements
Characterisation - Daisy
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However, it is clear by her reaction that she gets a
shock when she first meets Gatsby
Analyse the following quote to explain why it reveals
an awkwardness between the two
“From the living room I heard a sort of choking
murmur and part of a laugh…Daisy’s voice on a
clear artificial note…a pause; it endured
horribly…..Daisy who was sitting frightened but
graceful, on the edge of a stiff chair”
Characterisation - Daisy
However, as time passes, it is clear that
Daisy relaxes:‘I’m glad, Jay.’ Her throat, full of aching,
grieving beauty, told only of her unexpected
joy.”
Discussion
Why is Daisy’s sincerity particularly striking to
the reader?
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Characterisation - Daisy
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However, which aspects of Daisy’s character
are highlighted by the following quotes:“I think he revalued everything in his
house according to the measure of response
it drew from her well-loved eyes”
Characterisation - Daisy
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“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. ‘It makes
me sad because I’ve never seen such – such
beautiful shirts before.’
Characterisation - Daisy
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Consider: - Is this the more honest Daisy? Is
she genuinely moved?
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Yes, she is overjoyed at his success, but it is
clearly apparent that she is moved by
materialistic things
Characterisation - Daisy
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Does this indicate to the reader that she falls
short of the ideal version lodged in Gatsby’s
heart and imagination?
Characterisation - Daisy
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This idea is reinforced by Nick:“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.”
Characterisation - Gatsby
Characterisation - Gatsby
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It is immediately apparent that Gatsby is
extremely nervous about meeting Daisy
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Read the following quote and identify the
various phrases which convey this:-
Characterisation - Gatsby
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“An hour later the front door opened
nervously…He was pale and there were dark
signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes…’Is
everything alright’ he asked
immediately….’What grass?’ he inquired
blankly. ‘Oh, the grass in the yard.’ He looked
out the window at it, but, judging from his
expression, I don’t believe he saw a thing.”
Characterisation - Gatsby
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In wishing to resume his relationship with
Daisy, Gatsby envisages his future in terms
of an event that is irretrievably in the past
Characterisation - Gatsby
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Consider the following quote:“This is a terrible mistake,’ he said, shaking
his head from side to side, ‘a terrible, terrible
mistake.’
We have the idea that this is the real Gatsby.
His theatrical qualities fall away and for once
his responses appear genuine. He appears
love-struck and awkward
Characterisation - Gatsby
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Indeed, Gatsby is portrayed as a love struck
teenager –
“He literally glowed….He smiled like a
weather man, like an ecstatic patron of
recurrent light”
Characterisation - Gatsby
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“Once he nearly toppled down a flight of
stairs” successfully conveys the effect Daisy
has on Gatsby
“When I try to-” illustrates the intensity of his
feelings for Daisy. He is rendered
speechless just by her brushing her hair.
Words are inadequate to express what he
feels for Daisy
Symbolism - Weather
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When Gatsby and Daisy first meet the
weather matches their mood. The rain adds
depression and melancholy to the scene
However, as their love reawakens and hope
emerges for the possibility of a future
relationship, the sun comes out :“ the sun shone again….twinkle bells of
sunshine”
Symbolism - Weather
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The improvement in the weather is
representative of the improvement in
Gatsby’s mood and in Gatsby’s life now that
he has been reunited with Daisy
Symbolism - Clock
Symbolism - Clock
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“Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt
dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon
he turned and caught it with trembling fingers, and
set it back in place”
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His nervousness about how Daisy’s attitude to him
may have changed causes him to knock over Nick’s
clock. This symbolises the clumsiness of his
attempts to stop time and retrieve the past
Symbolism - Gatsby’s House
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“Inside we wandered through Marie
Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration
Salons…swathed in rose and lavender
silk…through dressing rooms and poolrooms
and bathrooms with sunken baths”
Gatsby’s mansion is not a home, but simply
an extravagant prop in his attempt to woo
Daisy
Symbolism - Kilspringer
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‘Kilspringer plays the piano…. ‘I don’t hardly
play at all”
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There is no sense of friendship between
Gatsby and his lodger. They do not even
refer to each other using first names. This
suggests that he is just another prop in the
Gatsby show
Symbolism - Kilspringer
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“Doing liver exercises on the floor”
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Symbolic of the over indulgent lives of the
American Upper classes. These were
exercises designed to compensate for the
over consumption of alcohol
Well-done!!!!