Post by thethoughtpolice on Sept 27, 2011 13:23:35 GMT
-To keep up the appearance that Gatsby is part of 'old money' society, Gatsby hired a large orchestra,
"no thin five-piece affair, but a whole pitful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolo, and low and high drums."
This shows how Gatsby wants to show off his wealth by hiring a ridiculously large orchestra for a party. The use of 'and' emphasis's the different components of the band and just how large it is.
-The library,
"Absolutely real - have pages and everything. I thought they'd be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact, they're absolutely real."
This shows that Gatsby's library is pristine and not used.The library is there to give the impression that Gatsby is intellectual - however, since the books aren't used it shows that they are there to give a certain appearance. Since the books are real, it shows that Gatsby likes to do things properly.
-This showy behavior is almost expected in wealthy society.
-The fact that it is expected to have this impressive facade it shows that the wealthy lead a fake life of lies.
-The library is there for ornamental value.
-Gatsby hosts parties regularly, but his guests don't really know him.
-There are many rumors about about Gatsby floating around the party - for example, one girl thinks he has killed a man and another girl thinks he is a German spy.
-However, these stories contradict each other,
-Gatsby served in the American army
-someone in Germany apparently grew up with him.
-The guests expect Gatsby to lead some double life. This is because Gatsby never wants to offend anyone.
"He doesn't want trouble with anybody."
-eg, sends a new dress to a girl who ripped her dress at one of his previous parties.
-Gatsby's parties are high price but a little tacky - lights like a Christmas tree, over the top,
-Gatsby puts a lot of money into his parties but no one can really appreciate it as no one really knows the real Gatsby.
-Gatsby is withdrawn from the party, he stands and looks approvingly over the crowd - almost theatrical
-No strings attached with guests - Gatsby keeps an eye on the party without joining it
-Gatsby keeps himself to himself, no one really knows him, likes to keep his distance from his parties.
-'Vacuous laughter' - not connecting with each other, adds to fakeness of the wealthy
-Nick feels his morality slipping away as he drinks more and settles into the swing of the party/wealthy society.
-We start to see Gatsby as a lonely figure
-We expect Gatsby to have a big personality to go with his big parties
-When we meet Gatsby he appears to be very human and has a lifestyle built on lies
- We have not yet experienced Gatsby's greatness.
Gastby's parties imitate a theatrical and osentaious atmosphere illustatrated in several ways. Hiring of expensive entertainment such as an orchestra and choir is a bit over the top for a 'house party' portarying Gatsby's wealth, however, also contrastingly coming across as cheap. The guests are full of fake enthausiasm:
"vascuous bursts of laughter rose"
Depicting a sense of emotionless gestures. The guests barely know one another let alone the host himself.
Gatsby's mysteriousness leads to gossip. Unrealistic therories such as him being a spy or a murderer and passed from mouth to ear along. These naive thoughts are created by Gatsby's imitations brought by his wealth. His 'high gothic library' illustrates to others his intellect mind and superior class but this is obviously a myth created by Gatsby's thrive to meet others superior expectations of him and his lifestyle:
"He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on it's shelf, muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse"
Comparing each book to an individual brick in a wall suggests that they are perfectly arranged and set to balance. This depicts that the books are never removed from the shelf and are likely to have never been read. They are present in Gatsby's home for ornamental value to portray intelligence when really his intellect mind is a myth.
In reality Gatsby is not much the way he is portrayed to be. Mistaken by Nick as a guest at his own party and not the host we are illustared an ordinary upper class male no different; nothing better than the next guy. Wanting no trouble or hassle he does what he feels as right and responsible yet is sometimes deemed too generous:
"When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address - inside of a week I got a package from Croirer's with a new evening gown in it."
It would appear that his generosity is taken advantage of by some knowing "a few words in the right key and it was theirs". The 'Great' Gatsby wants to live the life the way he is expected too, using wealth to imitate the lifestyle.
"A sudden emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great doors, emdowing with complete isolation the figure of the host, who stood on the porch, his hand up in a formal gesture of farewell."
The paradox of 'emptiness flowing' is effective because it mirrors the emptiness of Gatsby, or what people know about him. This also mirrors his loneliness. Perhaps the emptiness could be attached to the guests because they were vacuous.
The party only happens to fulfil his house as it was built for entertainment. There needs to be people there to add humanity. Without people it is a shell. This represents how Gatsby is trying to use people to bring some happiness just as the house needs people to do its hob.
Nick feels the need to explain to the reader that life to him is not all about parties because otherwise we would think his life was shallow. He shows he has an honest, hard working life and proves to us that he is not going to have a proper affair without ending his relationship with his girlfriend back home but he is becoming attracted to the lifestyle of the more decadent figures he has met. He imagines that he was 'hurrying towards gaiety.' He is attracted to this happy, pleasure seeking life. He says, " I began to like New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night, and the satisfaction that the constant flicker of men and women and machines gives to the restless eye."
Nick finds New York somewhat edgey, sexy, risque and he wants to be part of it to some degree even though he knows there is a lack of morality. Nick is not going to abandon himself to the decadent lifestyle but is pointing out how being part of it can tempt you into it.
In the novel the theme of corruption of the wealthy is portrayed by the elaborate facades many of the rich hide behind. Gatsby holds regular great glamorous parties which are ridiculously ostentatious and are really only for theatrical appearances. The effort he has put into these parties is a way of replicating the over polite mannerisms of the people with inherited money. Gatsby hired an orchestra for his party but it was "No thin five-piece affair, but a whole pit-full of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolos and low and high drums." The copious over use of the word and here indicates the unbelievable amount of components for this orchestra and how they are not really needed for this kind of occasion but are used as an indication of Gatsby's wealth. Furthermore he owns a "High Gothic library carved and panelled with carved English oak." He has never actually used the library for reading it is merely there for aesthetics and to illustrate an intelligent image of him. "Absolutely real - have pages and everything. I thought they would be a nice durable cardboard." The books being real shows how Gatsby doesn't do things by halves and also indicate his wealth once again. Also, the fact the guest thought the books would be cardboard shows that putting up an impressive facade is the norm for the wealthy - even expected and perhaps hiding behind all these pretentious theatrics is just another way Gatsby is trying to fit in and replicate those with established wealth.
There always seems to be floods of people at Gatsby's parties yet he seems to know none of them on a close, personal level. This leads to many conflicting and absurd rumours about him and adds to the mystic that already surrounds him. One girl is convinced he is a German spy and this is backed up by someone who said they grew up with him in Germany . However there are also rumours indicating that he fought in the American army. The fact that Gatsby seems incredibly reluctant to offend anyone leads to this impression that he leads some kind of secret , dangerous double life. The over the top politeness such as buying a girl who ripped her dress a new one and chauffeuring people around also add to his high class status. However this image is ruined slightly by the sheer over the top decadence which is obviously high price but has come out as a little tacky like an over-decorated Christmas tree.
Gatsby the man differs greatly from the myth, He is very reserved and introverted where as the overly ostentatious nature of his parties portray the image of a social extravert. With this comes a bit of loneliness which makes him appear more human and breaks down the his flashy facade to show that he, in reality, lives a life of lies. Up to this point in the novel the reader has not as of yet experienced Gatsby's greatness.
Gatsby - the Myth
Before we meet Gatsby, we hear several rumours about him from guests at the party.
"Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once."
Coupled with the fact that everybody who Nick questioned Gatsbys whereabouts denied knowing where he was, it's obvious that nobody who attends his parties actually knows him. So instead they make up rumours to fill in the things they don't know.
Gatsby - the Man
When we actually meet Gatsby, he's very different to what we expect after Nick's narration and his description by other characters. Gatsby seems separate from his guests, rather than constantly mingling he watches over other people.
"Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes."
In the way that he talks to Nick, as if he is making a business contact and cataloging their relationship rather than making a friend, it gives us an insight into how lonely his life must be.
Theatrical
The party in Gatsby's Mansion is descriped like it's more like a theatre production rather than a party. Gatsby is making sure everything is just like it shoud be during the party which suggests it's more like a performance. Gatsby looks over everything with "approving eyes" which shows he's trying to make sure everything is just right and is as much like a sophiscated party as it can. Also, Nick says Gatsby is "picking his words with care" which further shows he's putting on an act. More evidence of a huge performance is the huge orchastra which is completely over the top and fancy. However, the west egg guests themselves aren't fancy so this makes the elaborate production even more evident.
Gatsby is constantly trying to impress his guests and in doing so creates a completely false front for himself, impressing his guests with elaborate parties and material things. His library furthers this idea as although Gatsby owns a vast collection of books all of them are untouched and unread;
'If one book was removed then the whole library was liable to collapse.'
The library looks perfect and all the books are simply for show; for Gatsby to demonstrate his wealth and his intelligence. Gatsby acts overly familiar towards Nick; Gatsby invites Nick out on his hydroplane when they have only just met. Another example of Gatsby's eagerness to form friendships through possessions is when he buys one of his guests a new dress after she rips her own one at one of his parties. This also creates the impression that Gatsby tends to shy away from confrontation;
'He doesn't want any trouble with anybody,'
Gatsby is constantly friendly towards Nick, treating him like a close friend despite the fact that they hardly know each other. These all combine to create the idea of Gatsby's life being like a theatre production.
Gatsby is surrounded by rumours and as none of his guests truly seem to know him they are willing to constantly gossip about him. Gatsby's lack of relationships with his guests means that no one has even the vaguest idea of what he is like and this leaves him open to speculation;
'I'll bet he killed a man.'
The constant gossip following Gatsby's every move emphasises the lack of true relationships between Gatsby and his many guests and in turn adds to the mystery surrounding him.
Gatsby's large and elaborate parties create the idea that he will be a loud, friendly man who is constantly socialising. However the true Gatsby is completely the opposite, he seems to be a withdrawn, quiet man. This is furthered as we notice Gatsby appears to prefer to keep his guests at arms length;
'Standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes.'
Instead of joining and conversing with his guests he prefers to survey his parties from a distance. Also, his chauffeur deals with somewhat close to all the interactions with his guests. These points further emphasise Gatsby's lack of true relationships. Instead, Gatsby seems to be lonely as his parties seem to be treated as a circus show and his guests only make an appearance for his materialistic possessions and ornamental value.
"no thin five-piece affair, but a whole pitful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolo, and low and high drums."
This shows how Gatsby wants to show off his wealth by hiring a ridiculously large orchestra for a party. The use of 'and' emphasis's the different components of the band and just how large it is.
-The library,
"Absolutely real - have pages and everything. I thought they'd be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact, they're absolutely real."
This shows that Gatsby's library is pristine and not used.The library is there to give the impression that Gatsby is intellectual - however, since the books aren't used it shows that they are there to give a certain appearance. Since the books are real, it shows that Gatsby likes to do things properly.
-This showy behavior is almost expected in wealthy society.
-The fact that it is expected to have this impressive facade it shows that the wealthy lead a fake life of lies.
-The library is there for ornamental value.
-Gatsby hosts parties regularly, but his guests don't really know him.
-There are many rumors about about Gatsby floating around the party - for example, one girl thinks he has killed a man and another girl thinks he is a German spy.
-However, these stories contradict each other,
-Gatsby served in the American army
-someone in Germany apparently grew up with him.
-The guests expect Gatsby to lead some double life. This is because Gatsby never wants to offend anyone.
"He doesn't want trouble with anybody."
-eg, sends a new dress to a girl who ripped her dress at one of his previous parties.
-Gatsby's parties are high price but a little tacky - lights like a Christmas tree, over the top,
-Gatsby puts a lot of money into his parties but no one can really appreciate it as no one really knows the real Gatsby.
-Gatsby is withdrawn from the party, he stands and looks approvingly over the crowd - almost theatrical
-No strings attached with guests - Gatsby keeps an eye on the party without joining it
-Gatsby keeps himself to himself, no one really knows him, likes to keep his distance from his parties.
-'Vacuous laughter' - not connecting with each other, adds to fakeness of the wealthy
-Nick feels his morality slipping away as he drinks more and settles into the swing of the party/wealthy society.
-We start to see Gatsby as a lonely figure
-We expect Gatsby to have a big personality to go with his big parties
-When we meet Gatsby he appears to be very human and has a lifestyle built on lies
- We have not yet experienced Gatsby's greatness.
Gastby's parties imitate a theatrical and osentaious atmosphere illustatrated in several ways. Hiring of expensive entertainment such as an orchestra and choir is a bit over the top for a 'house party' portarying Gatsby's wealth, however, also contrastingly coming across as cheap. The guests are full of fake enthausiasm:
"vascuous bursts of laughter rose"
Depicting a sense of emotionless gestures. The guests barely know one another let alone the host himself.
Gatsby's mysteriousness leads to gossip. Unrealistic therories such as him being a spy or a murderer and passed from mouth to ear along. These naive thoughts are created by Gatsby's imitations brought by his wealth. His 'high gothic library' illustrates to others his intellect mind and superior class but this is obviously a myth created by Gatsby's thrive to meet others superior expectations of him and his lifestyle:
"He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on it's shelf, muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse"
Comparing each book to an individual brick in a wall suggests that they are perfectly arranged and set to balance. This depicts that the books are never removed from the shelf and are likely to have never been read. They are present in Gatsby's home for ornamental value to portray intelligence when really his intellect mind is a myth.
In reality Gatsby is not much the way he is portrayed to be. Mistaken by Nick as a guest at his own party and not the host we are illustared an ordinary upper class male no different; nothing better than the next guy. Wanting no trouble or hassle he does what he feels as right and responsible yet is sometimes deemed too generous:
"When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address - inside of a week I got a package from Croirer's with a new evening gown in it."
It would appear that his generosity is taken advantage of by some knowing "a few words in the right key and it was theirs". The 'Great' Gatsby wants to live the life the way he is expected too, using wealth to imitate the lifestyle.
"A sudden emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great doors, emdowing with complete isolation the figure of the host, who stood on the porch, his hand up in a formal gesture of farewell."
The paradox of 'emptiness flowing' is effective because it mirrors the emptiness of Gatsby, or what people know about him. This also mirrors his loneliness. Perhaps the emptiness could be attached to the guests because they were vacuous.
The party only happens to fulfil his house as it was built for entertainment. There needs to be people there to add humanity. Without people it is a shell. This represents how Gatsby is trying to use people to bring some happiness just as the house needs people to do its hob.
Nick feels the need to explain to the reader that life to him is not all about parties because otherwise we would think his life was shallow. He shows he has an honest, hard working life and proves to us that he is not going to have a proper affair without ending his relationship with his girlfriend back home but he is becoming attracted to the lifestyle of the more decadent figures he has met. He imagines that he was 'hurrying towards gaiety.' He is attracted to this happy, pleasure seeking life. He says, " I began to like New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night, and the satisfaction that the constant flicker of men and women and machines gives to the restless eye."
Nick finds New York somewhat edgey, sexy, risque and he wants to be part of it to some degree even though he knows there is a lack of morality. Nick is not going to abandon himself to the decadent lifestyle but is pointing out how being part of it can tempt you into it.
In the novel the theme of corruption of the wealthy is portrayed by the elaborate facades many of the rich hide behind. Gatsby holds regular great glamorous parties which are ridiculously ostentatious and are really only for theatrical appearances. The effort he has put into these parties is a way of replicating the over polite mannerisms of the people with inherited money. Gatsby hired an orchestra for his party but it was "No thin five-piece affair, but a whole pit-full of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolos and low and high drums." The copious over use of the word and here indicates the unbelievable amount of components for this orchestra and how they are not really needed for this kind of occasion but are used as an indication of Gatsby's wealth. Furthermore he owns a "High Gothic library carved and panelled with carved English oak." He has never actually used the library for reading it is merely there for aesthetics and to illustrate an intelligent image of him. "Absolutely real - have pages and everything. I thought they would be a nice durable cardboard." The books being real shows how Gatsby doesn't do things by halves and also indicate his wealth once again. Also, the fact the guest thought the books would be cardboard shows that putting up an impressive facade is the norm for the wealthy - even expected and perhaps hiding behind all these pretentious theatrics is just another way Gatsby is trying to fit in and replicate those with established wealth.
There always seems to be floods of people at Gatsby's parties yet he seems to know none of them on a close, personal level. This leads to many conflicting and absurd rumours about him and adds to the mystic that already surrounds him. One girl is convinced he is a German spy and this is backed up by someone who said they grew up with him in Germany . However there are also rumours indicating that he fought in the American army. The fact that Gatsby seems incredibly reluctant to offend anyone leads to this impression that he leads some kind of secret , dangerous double life. The over the top politeness such as buying a girl who ripped her dress a new one and chauffeuring people around also add to his high class status. However this image is ruined slightly by the sheer over the top decadence which is obviously high price but has come out as a little tacky like an over-decorated Christmas tree.
Gatsby the man differs greatly from the myth, He is very reserved and introverted where as the overly ostentatious nature of his parties portray the image of a social extravert. With this comes a bit of loneliness which makes him appear more human and breaks down the his flashy facade to show that he, in reality, lives a life of lies. Up to this point in the novel the reader has not as of yet experienced Gatsby's greatness.
Gatsby - the Myth
Before we meet Gatsby, we hear several rumours about him from guests at the party.
"Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once."
Coupled with the fact that everybody who Nick questioned Gatsbys whereabouts denied knowing where he was, it's obvious that nobody who attends his parties actually knows him. So instead they make up rumours to fill in the things they don't know.
Gatsby - the Man
When we actually meet Gatsby, he's very different to what we expect after Nick's narration and his description by other characters. Gatsby seems separate from his guests, rather than constantly mingling he watches over other people.
"Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes."
In the way that he talks to Nick, as if he is making a business contact and cataloging their relationship rather than making a friend, it gives us an insight into how lonely his life must be.
Theatrical
The party in Gatsby's Mansion is descriped like it's more like a theatre production rather than a party. Gatsby is making sure everything is just like it shoud be during the party which suggests it's more like a performance. Gatsby looks over everything with "approving eyes" which shows he's trying to make sure everything is just right and is as much like a sophiscated party as it can. Also, Nick says Gatsby is "picking his words with care" which further shows he's putting on an act. More evidence of a huge performance is the huge orchastra which is completely over the top and fancy. However, the west egg guests themselves aren't fancy so this makes the elaborate production even more evident.
Gatsby is constantly trying to impress his guests and in doing so creates a completely false front for himself, impressing his guests with elaborate parties and material things. His library furthers this idea as although Gatsby owns a vast collection of books all of them are untouched and unread;
'If one book was removed then the whole library was liable to collapse.'
The library looks perfect and all the books are simply for show; for Gatsby to demonstrate his wealth and his intelligence. Gatsby acts overly familiar towards Nick; Gatsby invites Nick out on his hydroplane when they have only just met. Another example of Gatsby's eagerness to form friendships through possessions is when he buys one of his guests a new dress after she rips her own one at one of his parties. This also creates the impression that Gatsby tends to shy away from confrontation;
'He doesn't want any trouble with anybody,'
Gatsby is constantly friendly towards Nick, treating him like a close friend despite the fact that they hardly know each other. These all combine to create the idea of Gatsby's life being like a theatre production.
Gatsby is surrounded by rumours and as none of his guests truly seem to know him they are willing to constantly gossip about him. Gatsby's lack of relationships with his guests means that no one has even the vaguest idea of what he is like and this leaves him open to speculation;
'I'll bet he killed a man.'
The constant gossip following Gatsby's every move emphasises the lack of true relationships between Gatsby and his many guests and in turn adds to the mystery surrounding him.
Gatsby's large and elaborate parties create the idea that he will be a loud, friendly man who is constantly socialising. However the true Gatsby is completely the opposite, he seems to be a withdrawn, quiet man. This is furthered as we notice Gatsby appears to prefer to keep his guests at arms length;
'Standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes.'
Instead of joining and conversing with his guests he prefers to survey his parties from a distance. Also, his chauffeur deals with somewhat close to all the interactions with his guests. These points further emphasise Gatsby's lack of true relationships. Instead, Gatsby seems to be lonely as his parties seem to be treated as a circus show and his guests only make an appearance for his materialistic possessions and ornamental value.