The Great Gatsby Dialectical Journal

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“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

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(P)- Is the character, or their family wealthy? Are they economically wealthy or simply happy and have humble roots? The era of the novel was a time when there were many affluent American individuals who lived very extravagant lives. I wonder if this will be the case for our main character and if so, how the plot will play out.
2) “My family have been prominent, well-to-do people in this Middle Western city for three generations.”
3
(CL)- The character confirms my previous prediction. As stated, the family is prominent and prosperous and has been so for several generations. This social status …show more content…

He is a part of the life in the east, and he is also watching it from afar. While he is at the party with these people, he also observing them and considering their perspective. He finds himself “enchanted” and “repelled” by the lifestyle of those he finds in the East.
6) “Instead of rambling, this party had preserved a dignified homogeneity, and assumed to itself the function of representing the staid nobility of the countryside- East Egg condescending to West Egg, and carefully on guard against its spectroscopic gayety.”
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A- This passage displays incredibly unique and extraordinary diction. Overall, it is commenting on how the many people there are very similar in the social status. The people together at this party only represent one aspect of the social spectrum. However, by including such elaborate vocabulary, Fitzgerald forces the reader to further understand Nick’s perspective. Such vocabulary use is assuredly used by a well educated and well spoken individual. This allows us to infer that Nick may not be that different from his party …show more content…

What has happened that has led him to this mindset? Is he truly an honest man or is this simply his own perception of himself?
8) “Meyer Wolfsheim? No, he’s a gambler.” Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: “He’s the man who fixed the World’s Series back in 1919.”
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C- I am a massive baseball fan, and I immediately connected to this quote since it is referring to a major piece of baseball history. The 1919 World Series fixing is a major moment in the history of pro baseball and would be recognized by most baseball fans. In addition, the inclusion of this detail certainly gives me a bit of perspective on the time period we are working with here.
9) “Daisy’s face was smeared with tears, and when I came in she jumped up and began wiping at it with her handkerchief before a mirror. But there was a change in Gatsby that was simply confounding. He literally glowed; without a word or gesture of exultation a new well being radiated from him and filled the little room.”

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