The Great Gatsby, Chapters 1-2
The first chapter of our summer reading selection transports us back to the pre-depression 1920’s – a time of decadence and elitism. Our narrator, Nick Carraway, seems caught between two worlds – that of the “old money” aristocracy and the nouveau riche. Nick seems the perfect voice for this story, as he seems to have no real place of his own, leaving him able to maneuver between the two cultures with ease.
We are first introduced to Nick’s cousin Daisy and her friend Jordan. The women are presented in all white, an indication of purity and compassion. We learn quickly, however, that the reality of these characters is in stark contrast with the vision they present to the world. In contrast, the character of Tom Buchanan is unable to hide the vileness of his character. Tom is a large, brooding man who violently forces his unenlightened views on the world. Although we are introduced to Gatsby only briefly at this stage of the book, we immediately sense that despite his wealth his personality and world views are in stark contrast with those of his neighbors across the bay.
Many of us are revisiting this novel, having read it at an earlier time in our lives. As you make your way through this first chapter, do you find yourself viewing the characters differently than you did the first time you read the book? What symbolism do you see portrayed in relation to the characters and the society of the time?
-Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
The selection of books for the book club has been so interesting. I have enjoyed all of them even if I have forgotten on occasion to check in. ( I wish somehow a reminder could be sent.
This selection surprised me. But I think it is always good to have a change up and reading the classics is a good suggestion. I don’t remember ever reading Great Gatsby in the past although I am familiar with it. Whenever I read the classics as an older adult I get so much more out of them. (A couple of years ago I spent the summer reading Steinbeck….what a treat!) I think we expect too much out of young students by assigning these books to them. So many books I read in high school I disliked until I read them again as an adult.
This book can be very depressing to read if looked at on a single layer. When looking into the layers and putting it into the perspective of the time there is so much more to it I don’t know if a reader can get through all of the layers. It will be interesting to see what everyone gets out of it.
Susan, we’re so glad that you are joining us again! I appreciate your comments about our book club selections. We try to mix things up so that we have something that appeals to everyone. I also think it is good to read something that you normally wouldn’t consider. You never know what you might discover!
I love this selection, especially as a summer reading book. I’m living in California now, but I grew up on the east coast and spent a few vacations in various places on Long Island. My favorite image from the first chapter is Nick entering the living room of his friend’s home and hearing the “whip and snap of the curtains” from the wind off the ocean. There really is nothing like a beach vacation where you can open the windows wide and let the breeze flow through the house. I also had a thought about how I grew up in a place much like West Egg, sandwiched between an Ivy League town and a smaller town with a prestigious all boys boarding school. My middle class house stood, like Nick’s, in the shadow of a much larger Gatsby like mansion. While we often played with the kids in that family, we really never broke into their world completely. Looking back, it was a very interesting way to grow up. I look forward to reading further.
I am really excited about this book club selection. F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of my favorite authors. I remember reading The Great Gatsby in high school. While I loved literature even then, I wasn’t too impressed with it. Now, as an adult, I read his novels with a completely different outlook and appreciation. P.S. Fitzgerald wrote a short story called The Diamond as Big as the Ritz. I highly recommend it.
When I first read this novel, I remember loving the mysteriousness of Jay Gatsby, and I still find myself loving that about him. I hate that Fitzgerald delays the introdction of the character until the third chapter, but it is an obviously effective way to get the reader’s attention and to keep that initial mystery about Jay Gatsby alive.
I think that the biggest symbol found in the first two chapters of the novel is that of the valley of ashes between West Egg and New York. The ash creates a dirty cloud that blocks vision. The rich refuse to see the plight of the poor on the other side of that cloud. It’s very key to the rest of the novel, I think.