Jay Gatsby- his character

Well it happened, I finally met Jay Gatsby. He is quite an interesting character. I really enjoy the way his character talks and the certain phrases that he has. For example, he always calls Nick “old sport” like four times each paragraph. “Good morning, old sport,” (Fitzgerald 68), “Look here, old sport,” (Fitzgerald 69), “Then came the war, old sport,” (Fitzgerald 70). This is how he begins every conversation when he is talking to Nick. I wonder why…

I have a guess but, I could be wrong. I think that it is just the way that Gatsby talks to people informally. It is just how he shows people that they do not intimidate him. If he always addressed people as Sr. or Miss, then it would appear as if he thinks he is below everyone. By saying “old sport” he is not showing like he thinks he is above anyone, just that he is more experienced than others. Just like when your grandparents call you “sweetie”.

Jay Gatsby is very unique. In the book there are so many rumors about him. One was that he killed a man or that he was a descendant of Von Hindenburg. But, when he goes to get Nick for lunch, he explains to him about how his family is all dead, he came into his wealth, and that he served in war. He is unique because he carries around souvenirs of his, we will call them adventures, in his pocket like chewing gum. But, I guess you have to do that when the whole town thinks you’re are a crazy person! I don’t think Gatsby is crazy, not yet anyway… I really like it so far!   

The Great Gatsby- character voice

Okay, I know that my last post probably left everyone a little confused on my opinion of the book. Actually, I doubt half of you actually even read it. But, I just want to clarify…

I am really enjoying this book. There are definitely a lot of words that I do not know but I feel like it is extending my vocabulary. What I really like about this book is how real the characters feel. Fitzgerald makes the characters seem both real and not. I know, confusing, but it is true. The voices of the characters is old timey, but the conversations they have make them more realistic. For example, “’There’s something funny about a fellow that’ll do a thing like that,’ said the other girl eagerly. ‘He doesn’t want any trouble with anybody.’ ‘Who doesn’t?’ I inquired. ‘Gatsby. Somebody told me----‘” (Fitzgerald 48). They use words like “fellow” and “inquired”. But the fact that the two girls are gossiping makes them seem so real. We hear and participate in gossip all the time.

Once again, I really enjoy the book so far and definitely recommend reading it before we are going to have to read it for school. It is definitely a high reading level book and at least I have time to learn what they are saying. When you read a book for school you are going so fast that it is hard to have time to stop and think!

The Great Gatsby- descriptive writing

           The Great Gatsby is an extremely descriptive book. I am on page 50 and F. Scott Fitzgerald is still introducing the characters. I have not even really met Gatsby himself yet. But, I think that is the point. The narrator of the book, Nick, hardly ever talks. Just listens. You don’t even really know what he looks like. I still really like the book; it is not like what I am used to reading.

Nick describes people in really specific ways. Not just, “the boy had ocean blue eyes”. When he is meeting new people he usually describes each one of them. Like when he describes Catherine, “The sister, Catherine, was a slender, worldly girl of about thirty with a solid sticky bob of red hair and a complexion powdered milky white. Her eyebrows had been plucked and then drawn on again at a more rakish angle but the efforts of nature toward the restoration of the old alignment gave a blurred air to her face. When she moved about there was an incessant clicking as innumerable pottery bracelets jingled up and down her arms” (Fitzgerald 34). Believe it or not, that was not even the whole description. Also, you probably noticed that there are a lot of big, fancy words in the description. That has caused me to actually have to look things up. I know, that is absolutely crazy, right. I actually have to do work. ;)

Starting Gatsby

I just started The Great Gatsby. I know what you are thinking, but just because I am a freshman does not mean I can not read it. I have always thought that schools kind of ruin books for you. I feel so strongly about this that I even did a whole presentation on it for ECA. My plan is to read the book now so that I can actually enjoy it instead of taking notes and quizzes and skimming  the book.
I am only on page 11, but so far I really like the authors writing style. He does not ramble on, but he is also very descriptive. Right now in the Book he is still giving you some insight on the characters and time period. Since I am not that far, I cannot give a great summary of what itisaboutjust yet. But I will keep peddling through the Book and tell roughshod it is actually good or just "school" good!