On these couple of pages Tom and Gatsby have their fight. I find it quite amusing that Fitzgerald is simply placing one word next to another, just as I am doing currently, yet he manages to paint a picture. You can hear Gatsby's voice yelling at Tom that Daisy loves him more. You can see Tom raring to just punch Gatsby in the face and wanting to run away with his girl. You are there, and practically nothing can pull you out. 

Fitzgerald uses short sentences, without much other than the speech, to keep you in the scene. I think if he put 'and then Tom walked over to Daisy' or whatever, it would break the mood. The way he has written it, with mostly dialogue, is smart because then you can have creativity of your own! I don't know what colour Toms clothes are, or what Gatsby's shoes may be, but because I am there sitting with Nick, I'm not focussing on the clothing, or mediocre things, but the conversation at hand. I can sit in the room and feel the heat and the sweat pouring down my back. I can feel my muscles that have gone rigid in fear of the fight. I am there, and nothing else matters. Fitzgerald is a brilliant writer. I truly advise reading this novel and any others that he has written! 

'There was a faint, barely perceptible movement of the water as the fresh flow from one end urged its way toward the rain at the other. With little ripples that were hardly the shadows of waves, the laden mattress moved irregularly down the pool. A small gust of wind that scarcely corrugated the surface was enough to disturb its accidental course with its accidental burden. The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of a transit, a thin red circle in the water.'



Gatsby's death. I think at first I didn't understand this paragraph because I didn't want to. Gatsby is dead. A poor, innocent man has died, all because of his love for one woman. He did not deserve to die. When I read this I stopped and didn't truly understand. To overcome this particular conundrum I reread from the previous paragraph, where it spoke of the shots. It was then that the reality hit me; Gatsby was dead, and that was his blood. I think, if Fitzgerald is anything like me, he didn't want to write the word DEAD. The word which would end Gatsby's existence for eternity. 

Chapter 7:
The chapter begins with Mr. Gatsby being secretive and in hiding. He fires all his staff so that Daisy can come in secrecy. Also, because of the heat, they go into town. Daisy reveals her love to Gatsby in a matter of words and actions and Tom disapproves. As the temperature rises, so does the tempers. Gatsby and Tom yell at each other over Daisy and everything is an awkward mess. Also, Myrtle is killed by Daisy accidentally driving into her. Tom sees her and reacts as if he never knew her. He also plants the idea in Mr. Wilsons head that it was Gatsby, full well knowing that Mr.Wilson would seek revenge. 

Chapter 8:
Chapter 8 speaks of Gatsby not wanting to leave Daisy alone. He guards her, outside her house. Nick goes in to investigate, but all is well between Tom and Daisy. Gatsby speaks of his love that would never die for Daisy. Also, Mr.Wilson begins his hunt for Gatsby. By the end of the chapter Mr.Wilson finds Gatsby and shoots him, literally, in the back. 

Chapter 9:
Chapter 9 is about the funeral. Nick can find no-one that will come to Gatsby's funeral, despite the many faces which appeared at all his extravagant parties. Even people that worked alongside Gatsby are avoiding it. Even Daisy, despite apparently loving him once, flees away with Tom. The only people that attend it are Nick and Gatsby's father - Mr.Gatz, who affectionately calls Gatsby, Jimmy. 

'The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of transit, a thin red circle in the water.'

Gatsby is dead!? Why did he have to die? Why couldn't Tom, the deserving one, die? Why couldn't Daisy, the person that couldn't make her mind over who she loved, die? Gatsby was a good person! All he did in his life was because of his love for Daisy! His entire existence, his wealth, everything was for her! And he died? What if he hadn't died? What if Mr. Wilson realised it was Tom who was having the affair with Myrtle. What would have happened? Would Daisy go with Gatsby again? Would they live happily? Even if Tom did die instead, I wouldn't want Daisy and Gatsby to be together. Daisy is motivated by money, nothing else. She doesn't deserve Gatsby. Gatsby was someone insane with love, Tom was just insane, and Mr. Wilson, was grieving. Mr. Wilson shouldn't have shot himself either. He just loved Myrtle and was trying to cope with his loss. Why Gatsby? This made me sadder than I thought it would! Gatsby was a good man. I think he shouldn't have died. I might rewrite that chapter for my own happiness! 

'"Ah!" she cried, "you look so cool."                                                             
Their eyes met, and they stared together at each other, along in space. With an effort she glanced down at the table.                                                                                       "You always look so cool," '

These few simple words, so meaningless in any other context, are woven together to create a love story like none other. So often in the book Fitzgerald writes of Gatsby and Daisy's love for each other. How touching he writes it, yet, so plain and simple. So clean cut, almost detached from the story. Maybe I'm just being a hopeless romantic and reading (excuse the pun) way too much into the story. Although, I'm right. Maybe Fitzgerald wanted us to read the passage and go; ' Their love for each other is almost indescribable, yet Fitzgerald has done it again'. Its a lucid fact for all to see. Finally Tom has been exposed to their deep love. A love that has always been beneath the surface, just been buried by a small interference - Tom. How can Daisy love two people at once? She seems to love Tom, watching him as he leaves a room, on edge in his absence, but she evidently loves Gatsby too! Perhaps it's because one love is forbidden, the other is expected.  All I know is that Fitzgerald has managed to perplex, enthral, and amaze me once more.

On this page Daisy's child is mentioned the most it has all the way through. So far, she hasn't had any great significance to the storyline, nor has she affected either Nick or Gatsby in any major way. I simply do not understand why Fitzgerald would put it in! Maybe he included the child (who we don't even know the name of except for 'Come here, Pammy' on the same page), to plant the idea that maybe that was the sole reason for Daisy marrying Tom. Maybe they had a fling and had to get married because of Daisy's pregnancy! I just see this character as unimportant and useless to the story, therefore, why include it?

On this page, the reporter comes and Gatsby reveals how he became Jay Gatsby, from James Gatz. When first reading this, I thought that the reporters name was James Gatz and that it was talking about all his various accomplishments. Upon further deliberation, and rereading the paragraph I then thought that James Gatz was an acquaintance of Gatsby, but that didn't make sense when it used Gatsby's name. Finally, when I focused and read the passages, I came to the slightly embarrassing conclusion that it was talking about Gatsby the whole time. Although, I guess, its not that bad, seeing as it did use another name for him!

'...how her mother had found her packing her bag one winter night to go to Ne York and say good-bye to a soldier who was going overseas'

Suppose he didn't go overseas. Would the story have turned out the same? I think that it may have, to be truly honest. My reasons are as follows:

Firstly, Daisy's parents weren't all that keen on Gatsby and Daisy's relationship (it says 'she wasn't on speaking terms with her family for weeks' (page 73)). With that point, Daisy, being so influential, may have eventually been persuaded to change her mind on Gatsby. Or, on the contrary, Gatsby could have persuaded her to come with him. It depends on how she truly felt. We find later on that her love of money can override her love of men, so maybe she would have gone for Tom, considering he was the richer man at the time! Maybe it's because all I know is the story that Fitzgerald wrote, the way he wrote it, not otherwise, so therefore I do not want to stray from it. Who knows? It's quite enticing, how something simple (such as Gatsby leaving) could affect the whole story!

' "I wouldn't ask too much of her,' I ventured. You can't repeat the past."                                                                                                   "Can't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!" ' 

I think Gatsby's vain hope of the past repeating itself, and that things could change just like so, is a hope we have all once shared. Personally, I know I used to wish that my parents didn't divorce. That things could have stayed as they were. In hindsight I see that maybe things wouldn't have been picture perfect if they hadn't. The fighting would have continued and neither would be truly happy. Sure, I would have a Dad and Mum would have a husband, but true happiness wouldn't follow along as easily. In the same way, Gatsby just assumes Daisy can switch off her love for Tom and turn to him just as easily and therefore that they will live in an euphoric existence. I think he, as all of us do, doesn't think of what that would entail. Tom would be furious and so Tom would either kill Gatsby or Tom would have to die. That would be sheer terror and create havoc whichever scenario happened. Daisy's child would grow up without her biological father. These things that may seem minor details to Gatsby but would definitely degrade the brilliance of having the person back. Gatsby, and all those that have experienced this, viewed things with a slightly blurred vision. Those that have gone through this can view it in hindsight and draw an alternate view from it!

Chapter 4:

Gatsby takes Nick on a car ride out to lunch and talks about himself. Apparently all the rumours (Gatsby being in the army, coming from Oxford, and everything in between) were actually true, as Nick found out when Gatsby went through his life events. His story seems undeniably true, even with pieces of evidence, like a sign showing his days in the army, and photographs from his days at Oxford. Gatsby drives like a madman and so therefore gets pulled over. Because of his high class, and everyone knowing about him though, the police let him off. At lunch Nick meets Mr. Wolfshiem, a Jewish gambler who had fixed the World's Series in 1919. Also, we go back in time to when Jordan first saw Daisy and Gatsby together. They had been in an evident love, but Jordan only realised that the man in uniform had been Gatsby when she later met him at his parties. Jordan also talks of how, when the soldier (Gatsby) leaves, Daisy is affected, but then quickly joins up with Tom and is quickly engaged. Also, it is revealed that Gatsby living opposite Daisy's house is not actually a coincidence, but Gatsby's fine thinking. Also, Nick finally kisses Jordan.

Chapter 5:

Chapter 5 begins with Gatsby anxious at if Nick talked to Jordan about having Daisy over. Daisy is invited to Nick's house, unaware that Gatsby will be there too. Gatsby is a body of nerves, not coping with the concept of seeing his one love for the first time in 5 years. Gatsby also takes both of them (Nick has to come to break the awkwardness) over to his house. He flings his extravagant clothing around and looks at things through Daisy's eyes, fascinated by the things she also found fascinating. Finally, by the end of the chapter, after breaking clocks, sweating, and running out in the rain, Gatsby and Daisy have settled back into their mutual love for one another and stare into each other's eyes like no-one else is worth their time.

Chapter 6:

We learn of how James Gatz became Jay Gatsby in Chapter 6. A reporter comes, wanting to hear anything Gatsby has to tell him. Jay created himself from bottom up, completely removing himself from James Gatz. He met Dan Cody who was in on a ship going by, and sailed with him for the next three years, until Dan mysteriously died. Dan taught Jay how to dress, talk and act like a gentleman.

Also in the chapter, Tom, a man called Sloane and a beautiful woman visit Gatsby. Gatsby revealed to Tom that he knew Daisy, and therefore Tom, being protective, had to take Daisy to Gatsby's next party. Daisy did not enjoy the party at all and Gatsby noticed. Gatsby also talks about how he wants to repeat the past with Daisy. He is adamant that that will happen!