Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Vivian - The Bluest Eye
1. Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
Claudia: the narrator and the younger adolescent daughter of the MacTeer family, a poor black family.2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
Frieda: older adolescent sister of the MacTeer family. Although Claudia and Frieda might have their disagreements, Frieda had a close relationship with Claudia.
The Breedlove family: Another poor black family that did not live in a home, but a storefront. The family is dysfunctional. Cholly, the father was an alcoholic.
Pecola: 11 year old daughter of the Breedlove family.
Narrator #2: who was not a character in the story, but took a more mature, adult narrative role when the story began to develop on more complicated “adult” issues.
Ugly/Ugliness: Pecola believed that she was ugly. Claudia, as the narrator, identified the Breedloves to be the ugliest.
Blue Eyes: the one thing that Pecola wanted
In The Bluest Eyes, the story is about a dysfunctional family, the Breedloves, where “their poverty was traditional and stultifying, it was not unique. But their ugliness was unique.” Pecola was the focal character in the story.
The story began about Pecola spending a few days at the MacTeer family because Cholly Breedlove burnt down their home. In those few days, Pecola started to bleed between her legs and thought she was dying. Fortunately, Frieda was there to help Pecola through this common but confusing moment of her life. Ms. MacTeer had previously explained to Freida about ministration (menstruation). From this event, Pecola learned that she could get pregnant by somebody that loved her. However, she questioned, “How do you get somebody to love you?”
After constantly being mocked by other children and watching her parents brutally and violently attack each other, “it had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes that held the picture, and knew the sights—if those eyes of hers were different, that is to say beautiful, she herself would be different.”
The Breedloves did not call the mother based on their relationship. They greeted her as ‘Mrs. Breedlove.’ Before she got married, she was known as Pauline Williams. She was crippled from an accident that happened when she was two years old. She was the “ninth of eleven children” where they had comfortable living accommodations in a nice house in Kentucky. Pauline essentially stayed home to take care of all the household chores and the two younger siblings. Due to her disability, she had a “general feeling of separateness and unworthiness. Restricted, as a child, to this cocoon of her family’s spinning, she cultivated quiet and private pleasures.” She met Cholly Breedlove, fell in love and got married. They decided to move “’way up north” – Lorain, Ohio, where there was “supposed to be more jobs and all.”
Cholly Breedlove was abandoned by his mother and father when he “was four days old.” His great aunt raised him and died when Cholly was 13 years old. On the day of his great aunts funeral, he encountered his first sexual experience; two white males interrupted and deeply humiliated him. “He was alone with his own perceptions and appetites.” After marrying Pauling, Cholly was not pleased with her new desires. He “commenced to getting meaner and meaner and wanted to fight me [Pauline] all the time.” Cholly began to drink more and more heavily. Mrs. Breedlove became to breadwinner of the household, but neglected caring for their home. One day, Cholly “staggered home reeling drunk” and sexually forced himself upon Pecola.
Pecola was impregnated by her father. She became an outcast of the entire town and slipped into insanity.
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
What was the purpose of the narrative at the beginning of the story? The narrative begins with a brief description of a happy family living in a green and white house. The author uses simple and short sentences to describe the story, and the lines are adequately spaced in the paragraph.
The narrative is repeated. It starts with a capital letter and continues without punctuation marks. The spaces between the lines are tighter.
The narrative is repeated again. It starts with a capital letter and continues without punctuation marks. All the spaces between the words are removed. The spaces between the lines are more cramped. It becomes very difficult to read.
Was there a purpose on how the author labeled each chapter? Some chapters uses fractions of the narrative, and the text for these chapter labels are all capitalized. Also, the author labeled some chapters –autumn, winter, spring and summer.
Katherine - The Bluest Eye
1.Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
-Shame: Itis the painful feeling of something dishonorable or disgrace caused by oneself or another. In the book Pecola, Frieda and Claudia feel shame for the way they look. They feel dishonorable and disgraced because not even their own family looks at them as they look at a white blond, blue eyed girl. They feel ugly.
-Pecola Breedlove: A black eleven year old girl who becomes friends with Claudia and Frieda Macteer after county officials place her temporarily in their home. Pecola suffers racial harassment from society in numerous times during the novel. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so she can be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children.
-Claudia Macteer: She is the narrator of the story. She is a nine year old black girl that becomes friends with Pecola. She hates white baby dolls because she did not understand why these dolls and white girls would make the people look at them and say 'Awwwwww,' but no one would do that for her.
-Frieda Macteer: A black ten year old girl. She is Claudia's older sister. She defends Pecola when she is getting harassed. Frieda seems to have more knowledge then Pecola and Claudia, she is also the bravest one.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
- In the novel we see the difference between a white girls life and a black girls life during this time. In Pecola's life their is no laugh and plays unlike white girls her age. Pecola and her family were poor and black and stayed in this ugly torn down town because they believed they were ugly. Pecola did not understand why she was treated the way she was. 'Long hours she sat looking in the mirror, trying to discover the secret of the ugliness, the ugliness that made her ignored or despised at school, by teachers and classmates alike'(pg45). Pecola only wanted to fit in and be treated as everyone else, and she believed that if she had blue eyes she would be different and beautiful. Pecola 'each night, without fail prayed for blue eyes. Fervently, for a year she had prayed'(pg46). Pecola is constantly getting racial harassment from society. Once she went to the store to buy candy and she stands right in front of the man behind the counter but he acts as if he does not see her, because for him there is nothing to see. Pecola sees anger and disgust in his eyes, he did not even want to touch her hand to get the money.'Pecola feels the inexplicable shame'(pg 50). Pecola was constantly harassed and called ugly. She desired to have what white children had which was happiness, acceptance and love.
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
- 'Each night, without fail, she prayed for blue eyes'(pg 46). Having blue eyes will only make Pecola different but in wont stop racial harassment, she will still be treated the same. So why does Pecola pray for blue eyes rather then to being white?
-Shame: Itis the painful feeling of something dishonorable or disgrace caused by oneself or another. In the book Pecola, Frieda and Claudia feel shame for the way they look. They feel dishonorable and disgraced because not even their own family looks at them as they look at a white blond, blue eyed girl. They feel ugly.
-Pecola Breedlove: A black eleven year old girl who becomes friends with Claudia and Frieda Macteer after county officials place her temporarily in their home. Pecola suffers racial harassment from society in numerous times during the novel. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so she can be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children.
-Claudia Macteer: She is the narrator of the story. She is a nine year old black girl that becomes friends with Pecola. She hates white baby dolls because she did not understand why these dolls and white girls would make the people look at them and say 'Awwwwww,' but no one would do that for her.
-Frieda Macteer: A black ten year old girl. She is Claudia's older sister. She defends Pecola when she is getting harassed. Frieda seems to have more knowledge then Pecola and Claudia, she is also the bravest one.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
- In the novel we see the difference between a white girls life and a black girls life during this time. In Pecola's life their is no laugh and plays unlike white girls her age. Pecola and her family were poor and black and stayed in this ugly torn down town because they believed they were ugly. Pecola did not understand why she was treated the way she was. 'Long hours she sat looking in the mirror, trying to discover the secret of the ugliness, the ugliness that made her ignored or despised at school, by teachers and classmates alike'(pg45). Pecola only wanted to fit in and be treated as everyone else, and she believed that if she had blue eyes she would be different and beautiful. Pecola 'each night, without fail prayed for blue eyes. Fervently, for a year she had prayed'(pg46). Pecola is constantly getting racial harassment from society. Once she went to the store to buy candy and she stands right in front of the man behind the counter but he acts as if he does not see her, because for him there is nothing to see. Pecola sees anger and disgust in his eyes, he did not even want to touch her hand to get the money.'Pecola feels the inexplicable shame'(pg 50). Pecola was constantly harassed and called ugly. She desired to have what white children had which was happiness, acceptance and love.
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
- 'Each night, without fail, she prayed for blue eyes'(pg 46). Having blue eyes will only make Pecola different but in wont stop racial harassment, she will still be treated the same. So why does Pecola pray for blue eyes rather then to being white?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
John - The Bluest Eye
Vocabulary
"ministratin"- "Menstruating"- regular shedding of uterine lining in reproductive-aged females
Mary Jane- a common type of peanut butter-flavored candy made by NECCO, picturing a little girl on the label.
Marigold- Type of flower in the Daisy family
Mulatto- individual having one black parent and one white one.
Notable Characters
Claudia MacTeer- A main character and a narrator of the story. She is a young school-aged girl, who comes from a family with a mother and a father and an older sister.
Frieda MacTeer- Claudia's slightly older sister
Rosemary Villanucci- a white girl who lives next to Claudia and Frieda
Pecola Breedlove- A girl from the neighborhood who is sent to stay with Claudia and Frieda. At home, her parents constantly fight and her older brother is prone to running away. Above the Breedlove family live three "whores" named China, Poland, and Miss Marie.
Mr. Henry- The man who rents a room in Claudia and Frieda's house
Maureen Pearl- A new, wealthy, and popular girl and the school Claudia and Frieda attend
Geraldine- A self-described "color" woman who keeps a nice home and raises her son, "Junior."
Summary
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison opens with a description of a common family setting involving a girl named Jane finding a playmate, and the very same text is repeated twice more, the last time containing only the letters without spaces. Some continuation of this is used before new sections in the book Following this, there is a background section told by Claudia, about the marigolds not growing and the more significant event of Pecola having been impregnated by her father. "There is really nothing more to say---except why. Bust since why is too difficult to handle, one must take refuge in how" (Morrison 6). This last quotation in the background section may serve as the question which the rest of the book attempts to answer.
The "normal" section of the text begins in autumn, and gives the story a solid setting. Claudia, Frieda, their parents, Rosemary, and Mr. Henry are all introduced. Claudia begins by listing a brutal series of actions she could inflict upon Rosemary for reasons she cannot really explain. Cholly Breedlove is brought up in conversation, giving further background information of him. Pecola is soon introduced, too. She is living with Claudia's family temporarily until certain problems are solved in her house. The first significant action involves Pecola being frightened by what is happening to her, which she soon finds out is menstruation as she is calmed at first by Frieda and then by Mrs. Macteer.
The thought that Claudia, herself, tells the entire story is questionable, especially in the following sections of the book which give detailed descriptions of The Breedloves' house and situations where Claudia was presumably not present. The Breedlove family is described as "poor and black, and….ugly" (Morrison 38). The house is very unkempt and the family dynamic is not particularly functional. Cholly is an alcoholic and Mrs. Breedlove is constantly wishing for her husband's demise to be brought about in some way that does not directly involve her. Pecola finds herself wishing, among other things, for a pretty pair of blue eyes, reflective of the novel's title, and enviously staring at Mary Jane on the candy box. Pecola also visits the ladies who live above her and further tries to find out about love and how and when babies are conceived.
The next section starts winter, and Claudia and Frieda are in school. Claudia introduces the new girl at school, Maureen Pearl, who is "cute," wealthy, and very popular. Consequently, Claudia and Frieda feel they need to find whatever reasons they can to despise her. At first acting nicely toward one another, Claudia, Frieda, and Maureen agree to walk home together and encounter a gang of boys insulting Pecola, before Frieda breaks them up. Maureen is then especially friendly to Pecola, buying her ice-cream, but ultimately instigating a fight by bringing up the subject of seeing a man naked which is taken by the other girls to be an inquisition into the matter the boys were teasing Pecola about, having seen her father sleep naked (this having been noted earlier in the book). After Maureen runs away, screaming "I am cute," Claudia and Frieda continued home where they find Mr. Henry, who greets them and offers them a quarter to go to the store which Maureen and Pecola had just visited and buy ice-cream cones for themselves. After deciding to buy candy instead, Claudia and Frieda return home and see Mr. Henry with the women who live above Pecola's house. When being questioned by the girls, Mr. Henry claims that the women were in a Bible Study group and tells the girls not to tell their mother, which they decide to follow, seeing as their mother would have a fit about most anything unusual.
The next section of this book begins with a description of a very orderly type of lady, the places she is from, the type of man she marries and the life she leads. The specific lady described, Geraldine, holds a clear distinction between the civilized "colored" and the crude "nigger". She has one son called "Junior," who "learned to direct his hatred for his mother to the cat" as well as other things (Morrison 86). Upon seeing Pecola cut through the schoolyard which is next to his house, Junior threatens her and then invites her into his house, promising her a kitten of her own. While clearly trying to bother Pecola by holding the door shut so that she could not leave, Junior is upset in seeing that Pecola takes comfort in petting the cat. He then throws that cat against the wall and blames the whole incident on Pecola when Geraldine comes to question him and throw Pecola out of her house.
Question
Is there a specific theme that Toni Morrison is trying to suggest trough these stories in the book? If so, what is it?
"ministratin"- "Menstruating"- regular shedding of uterine lining in reproductive-aged females
Mary Jane- a common type of peanut butter-flavored candy made by NECCO, picturing a little girl on the label.
Marigold- Type of flower in the Daisy family
Mulatto- individual having one black parent and one white one.
Notable Characters
Claudia MacTeer- A main character and a narrator of the story. She is a young school-aged girl, who comes from a family with a mother and a father and an older sister.
Frieda MacTeer- Claudia's slightly older sister
Rosemary Villanucci- a white girl who lives next to Claudia and Frieda
Pecola Breedlove- A girl from the neighborhood who is sent to stay with Claudia and Frieda. At home, her parents constantly fight and her older brother is prone to running away. Above the Breedlove family live three "whores" named China, Poland, and Miss Marie.
Mr. Henry- The man who rents a room in Claudia and Frieda's house
Maureen Pearl- A new, wealthy, and popular girl and the school Claudia and Frieda attend
Geraldine- A self-described "color" woman who keeps a nice home and raises her son, "Junior."
Summary
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison opens with a description of a common family setting involving a girl named Jane finding a playmate, and the very same text is repeated twice more, the last time containing only the letters without spaces. Some continuation of this is used before new sections in the book Following this, there is a background section told by Claudia, about the marigolds not growing and the more significant event of Pecola having been impregnated by her father. "There is really nothing more to say---except why. Bust since why is too difficult to handle, one must take refuge in how" (Morrison 6). This last quotation in the background section may serve as the question which the rest of the book attempts to answer.
The "normal" section of the text begins in autumn, and gives the story a solid setting. Claudia, Frieda, their parents, Rosemary, and Mr. Henry are all introduced. Claudia begins by listing a brutal series of actions she could inflict upon Rosemary for reasons she cannot really explain. Cholly Breedlove is brought up in conversation, giving further background information of him. Pecola is soon introduced, too. She is living with Claudia's family temporarily until certain problems are solved in her house. The first significant action involves Pecola being frightened by what is happening to her, which she soon finds out is menstruation as she is calmed at first by Frieda and then by Mrs. Macteer.
The thought that Claudia, herself, tells the entire story is questionable, especially in the following sections of the book which give detailed descriptions of The Breedloves' house and situations where Claudia was presumably not present. The Breedlove family is described as "poor and black, and….ugly" (Morrison 38). The house is very unkempt and the family dynamic is not particularly functional. Cholly is an alcoholic and Mrs. Breedlove is constantly wishing for her husband's demise to be brought about in some way that does not directly involve her. Pecola finds herself wishing, among other things, for a pretty pair of blue eyes, reflective of the novel's title, and enviously staring at Mary Jane on the candy box. Pecola also visits the ladies who live above her and further tries to find out about love and how and when babies are conceived.
The next section starts winter, and Claudia and Frieda are in school. Claudia introduces the new girl at school, Maureen Pearl, who is "cute," wealthy, and very popular. Consequently, Claudia and Frieda feel they need to find whatever reasons they can to despise her. At first acting nicely toward one another, Claudia, Frieda, and Maureen agree to walk home together and encounter a gang of boys insulting Pecola, before Frieda breaks them up. Maureen is then especially friendly to Pecola, buying her ice-cream, but ultimately instigating a fight by bringing up the subject of seeing a man naked which is taken by the other girls to be an inquisition into the matter the boys were teasing Pecola about, having seen her father sleep naked (this having been noted earlier in the book). After Maureen runs away, screaming "I am cute," Claudia and Frieda continued home where they find Mr. Henry, who greets them and offers them a quarter to go to the store which Maureen and Pecola had just visited and buy ice-cream cones for themselves. After deciding to buy candy instead, Claudia and Frieda return home and see Mr. Henry with the women who live above Pecola's house. When being questioned by the girls, Mr. Henry claims that the women were in a Bible Study group and tells the girls not to tell their mother, which they decide to follow, seeing as their mother would have a fit about most anything unusual.
The next section of this book begins with a description of a very orderly type of lady, the places she is from, the type of man she marries and the life she leads. The specific lady described, Geraldine, holds a clear distinction between the civilized "colored" and the crude "nigger". She has one son called "Junior," who "learned to direct his hatred for his mother to the cat" as well as other things (Morrison 86). Upon seeing Pecola cut through the schoolyard which is next to his house, Junior threatens her and then invites her into his house, promising her a kitten of her own. While clearly trying to bother Pecola by holding the door shut so that she could not leave, Junior is upset in seeing that Pecola takes comfort in petting the cat. He then throws that cat against the wall and blames the whole incident on Pecola when Geraldine comes to question him and throw Pecola out of her house.
Question
Is there a specific theme that Toni Morrison is trying to suggest trough these stories in the book? If so, what is it?
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Kristen - The Great Gatsby
1.Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
Important characters: Nick, Gatsby, Daisy and Tom.
The characters in the Great Gatsby.
Nick: He is one of the important characters because he leads the story as a narrator, and lets
you know what's happening in the story in the voice of the author.
Gatsby: The most important character in this novel since he is a main character whom the narrator
describe the most and he is at the center of the flow of the story. With his death, the novel ends.
Tom: is one of the important characters as he sits opposite from Gatsby in many ways, and gets
involved indirectly in Gatsby's death.
Daisy: She is also one of important characters in this novel. She is the woman whom Gatsby is in love with. She has a role that throws questions to spectators about what is true love and the responsibility that goes with it.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
Main idea: A poor but intellectually smart guy fell in love with a girl who belongs in wealthy society.
He became rich by accumulating wealth in order to obtain his love back from the girl.
However, by the time he thinks he did, he faces death.
Theme: Is it worthy to pursue a dream, which seems impossible to achieve?
Action: Gatsby fell in love with this rich girl from a brief date.
Gatsby went to war, and his lover married a rich guy named Tom without waiting for Gatsby.
Gatsby moved to West Egg where he can see Daisy's house faraway through his window.
Gatsby became rich and threw luxurious parties all summer with the hope of seeing his lover at
any time.
Gatsby met Daisy and her husband through Nick who is Gatsby's neighbor.
Gatsby regains his love for Daisy.
Daisy accidentally ran over Myrtle who is Tom's mistress while driving Gatsby's car.
Tom told George, who is Myrtle's husband, that the car is owned by Gatsby.
George shot Gatsby.
No one shows up at Gatsby's funeral.
Nick's shows sympathy and insight towards Gatsby.
Tom and Daisy returned from a secret trip after Gatsby's funeral, and act like nothing has ever
happened.
Quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”
“Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby, and after that they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park.”
“It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.”
“When a man gets killed I never like to get mixed up in it in any way I keep out. When I was a young man it was different- if a friend of mine died, no matter how, I stuck with them to the end. You may think that's sentimental, but I mean it- to the bitter end.”
“A little before three the Lutheran minister arrived from Flushing, and I began to look involuntarily out the windows for other cars. So did Gatsby's father...Nobody came.”
“I couldn't forgive or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confused. They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made...”
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
Question:
According to Gatsby, he let Daisy drive his car on their way back to East Egg because Daisy thought driving would calm her down.. As a result, Daisy killed Myrtle, and later Gatsby told Nick that he would say that it was him who drove not Daisy (pg 143). At that point, I thought that Gatsby really loved Daisy since he could end up in prison many years for that.
Here are my two questions:
1. What do you think about Daisy's driving under such a nervous state?
2. Do you really think that Gatsby was ready to go to prison in place of
Daisy?
Important characters: Nick, Gatsby, Daisy and Tom.
The characters in the Great Gatsby.
Nick: He is one of the important characters because he leads the story as a narrator, and lets
you know what's happening in the story in the voice of the author.
Gatsby: The most important character in this novel since he is a main character whom the narrator
describe the most and he is at the center of the flow of the story. With his death, the novel ends.
Tom: is one of the important characters as he sits opposite from Gatsby in many ways, and gets
involved indirectly in Gatsby's death.
Daisy: She is also one of important characters in this novel. She is the woman whom Gatsby is in love with. She has a role that throws questions to spectators about what is true love and the responsibility that goes with it.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
Main idea: A poor but intellectually smart guy fell in love with a girl who belongs in wealthy society.
He became rich by accumulating wealth in order to obtain his love back from the girl.
However, by the time he thinks he did, he faces death.
Theme: Is it worthy to pursue a dream, which seems impossible to achieve?
Action: Gatsby fell in love with this rich girl from a brief date.
Gatsby went to war, and his lover married a rich guy named Tom without waiting for Gatsby.
Gatsby moved to West Egg where he can see Daisy's house faraway through his window.
Gatsby became rich and threw luxurious parties all summer with the hope of seeing his lover at
any time.
Gatsby met Daisy and her husband through Nick who is Gatsby's neighbor.
Gatsby regains his love for Daisy.
Daisy accidentally ran over Myrtle who is Tom's mistress while driving Gatsby's car.
Tom told George, who is Myrtle's husband, that the car is owned by Gatsby.
George shot Gatsby.
No one shows up at Gatsby's funeral.
Nick's shows sympathy and insight towards Gatsby.
Tom and Daisy returned from a secret trip after Gatsby's funeral, and act like nothing has ever
happened.
Quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”
“Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby, and after that they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park.”
“It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.”
“When a man gets killed I never like to get mixed up in it in any way I keep out. When I was a young man it was different- if a friend of mine died, no matter how, I stuck with them to the end. You may think that's sentimental, but I mean it- to the bitter end.”
“A little before three the Lutheran minister arrived from Flushing, and I began to look involuntarily out the windows for other cars. So did Gatsby's father...Nobody came.”
“I couldn't forgive or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confused. They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made...”
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
Question:
According to Gatsby, he let Daisy drive his car on their way back to East Egg because Daisy thought driving would calm her down.. As a result, Daisy killed Myrtle, and later Gatsby told Nick that he would say that it was him who drove not Daisy (pg 143). At that point, I thought that Gatsby really loved Daisy since he could end up in prison many years for that.
Here are my two questions:
1. What do you think about Daisy's driving under such a nervous state?
2. Do you really think that Gatsby was ready to go to prison in place of
Daisy?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
From Lauren - The Great Gatsby
1) Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
Words:
Unhappy – This word is used to describe Tom and Daisy’s condition as in “they weren’t unhappy”
Conspiring – Shows what Tom and Daisy’s conversation would have looked like to an outsider looking in.
Terms:
Natural Intimacy – It describes how Tom and Daisy looked intimate with each other, and that it wasn’t forced intimacy.
Concepts:
Happiness – What does happy mean to the characters and is it important for them to be happy in their relationships?
Characters:
Tom: He is Daisy’s husband. His mistress, Myrtle, just died in a car accident, and he is trying to reconcile things with his wife.
Daisy: Tom’s wife. She was the one who killed Myrtle with a car.
Myrtle: Tom’s mistress.
Gatsby: Loves Daisy even though she is married. He was with Daisy when she killed Myrtle, and still hopes she will leave her husband for him.
2) Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
In chapter 7, Gatsby and Daisy let Tom know that they love each other. Tom and Gatsby argue during the chapter about their love for Daisy. Towards the end, Daisy and Gatsby are driving home and Daisy swerves the car and hits Tom’s mistress Myrtle and kills her.
In the following scene from The Great Gatsby, Tom and Daisy are home, talking about something the reader is not certain about, but it seems as if the are trying to fix the problems they have been having with each other. The scene takes place soon after Daisy kills Myrtle with a car, and Gatsby is waiting outside their home during this conversation to make sure Daisy goes to sleep okay.
“Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table, with a plate of cold fried chicken between them, and two bottles of ale. He was talking intently across the table at her, and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own. Once in a while she looked up at him and nodded in agreement.”
“They weren’t happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or ale – and yet they weren’t unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together.” (Chapter 7, pgs. 144-145)
3) Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
The narrator explains that Tom and Daisy are reconciling their differences during this scene. However, no one truly knows what was actually spoken about between Tom and Daisy.
By reading up to chapter 7:
Do you think Daisy told Tom at the dinner table that she killed Myrtle, and if not, do you think Tom would forgive her if/when he finds out? More importantly, do you think that just because Tom and Daisy “didn’t look unhappy” at the dinner table, it is good enough for them to still be together as husband and wife even though they aren’t ‘happy’?
Monday, September 15, 2008
From Nikki - The Great Gatsby
1. Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
--Jay Gatsby who’s legal name is James Gatz, which he had changed when he was seventeen. When he was young he was poor, and his parents were unsuccessful farm people, though in his mind he didn’t want to accept them as his parents. At seventeen he was a clam-digger and a salmon fisher; he didn’t want to end up like his parents. The truth about Gatsby is revealed in chapter 6.
Dan Cody was 55 years old at the time Gatsby was trying to get his life in order. He helped him out. Cody was known as a product of Nevada silver fields. This made him a many times millionaire. Dan liked to drink and one night he died while he and Gatsby were on ship together. This being said is why Gatsby hardly drinks.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
--In chapter 6 James Gatsby’s real identity is unfolded, and we find out his past. Tom begins to tell Jordan how much he despises Gatsby and that he is running an investingation on him, because he feels everything he has been saying about himself is a lie, and he wants to prove this to Daisy. Along with this in chapter 7, Tom questions how close Daisy and Gatsby really are. He speaks to everyone at the table and states “I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out…” (Fitzgerald 130) Daisy is getting all worked up because she is afraid of what may be said next. As time passes Tom and Gatsby get into an argument as Gatsby states to Tom that Daisy was never in love with him and she never loved him even when they married. He also said that she was in love with him and has been all her life and they have been seeing each other behind Tom’s back for five years. He tells this to Tom and Tom asks Daisy if this is true and she agrees, although when Gatsby tells her to tell Tom she cannot because she actually did love him at a time.
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
--Why do you think that F. Scott Fitzgerald decided to explain Gatsby’s past such as his childhood and the struggles he had, towards the middle to end of the novel? Do you think that putting Gatsby’s past life in chapter6 and chapter 7 was appropriate?
From Eliana - The Great Gatsby
- Important words:
Notoriety- referring to Gatsby; everyone knows him and about him because of the lavish parties that he throws at his mansion for anyone that is interested.
Unpleasantness/Oppressiveness- referring to the aura of Gatsby’s party this time due to Tom’s presence.
Concepts:
Past vs. Present- the chapter starts off and ends with the past and we have the present moment smack in the middle of the chapter. It starts with Gatsby’s past and ends with Daisy and Gatsby’s past as lovers.
Characters:
Gatsby- his real name is James Gatz, he grew up with his parents who were unsuccessful farmers and he changed his name to Jay Gatsby at age 17. He tries very hard in this chapter to impress Daisy, at one of his gracious parties, just like he did five years ago when they were in love.
Tom- shows up with Daisy for the first time at Gatsby’s party, which ruins it for Gatsby because he really wanted to spend a lot of time with her.
- The chapter starts off with Gatsby’s past together with Dan Cody on a yacht. It continues into the present bringing us to one of Gatsby’s parties. This time though, Tom is present which is not what Gatsby had hoped for considering he was trying really hard to astound Daisy. We are taken back into the past to the time when Gatsby and Daisy first kissed. The best quotation that gives the chapter the overall feeling of failing and sadness is “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before” (Fitzgerald, 117). This quote was said by Gatsby referring to the way things were with Daisy five years ago.
- Question: relating to the first few pages of the text in this chapter, why do you think Gatsby changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby?
Monday, September 8, 2008
From Gui Dong Lim - The Great Gatsby (Ch. 1-5)
Words, terms, concepts or characters
Rajah- an Indian or Malay prince or chief
Juxtaposition- the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
Mr. Meyer Wolfsheim- a gambler that fixed the World’s Series in 1919
Summary:
In this chapter we can learn a little more about the mysterious Mr. Gatsby and his relationship with Daisy. The chapter starts with all the names of the guests that attended Mr. Gatsby’s parties since July 5th, 1922. His guests were from both East Egg and West Egg. It kind of shows the different class of people between the two parts of the Egg. East Egg seems more normal people that we see in our lives and West Egg has more of a celebrity type of people, like the State senator and actors and actresses. It seems that he is well liked by everyone that crosses his path, for example, Mr. Wolfsheim said “… a man of fine breeding, there’s the kind of man you’d like to take home and introduce to your mother and sister”.
Mr. Gatsby is from a wealth family from San Francisco and was educated at Oxford. He inherited all the wealth when his family died. He lived in Europe collecting jewels, hunting big game and painting. He did this to forget about something sad that had happened to him. Mr. Gatsby tried to end his life in World War I but instead he got promoted as major and received many awards.
We find out that Mr. Gatsby and Daisy were in love. Eventually they broke up when Mr. Gatsby went to war. After one year Daisy met Tom Buchanan and they got married. She did not want to get married to Tom Buchanan after she had received a letter from Mr. Gatsby, but she was almost forced to marry Tom. We can understand now why she is always mad at Tom. After all those years have passed, Mr. Gatsby buys his house just the opposite side of the Egg where Daisy lives and throws so many parties just to have a chance of see her. He asks Nick’s help to see Daisy again by asking Nick to invite her to his home for tea.
Question for discussion
“I’m the Sheik of Araby.
Your love belongs to me.
At night when you’re asleep
Into your tent I’ll Creep-----“
Who do you think this refers to? Gatsby or Tom or both?
Rajah- an Indian or Malay prince or chief
Juxtaposition- the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
Mr. Meyer Wolfsheim- a gambler that fixed the World’s Series in 1919
Summary:
In this chapter we can learn a little more about the mysterious Mr. Gatsby and his relationship with Daisy. The chapter starts with all the names of the guests that attended Mr. Gatsby’s parties since July 5th, 1922. His guests were from both East Egg and West Egg. It kind of shows the different class of people between the two parts of the Egg. East Egg seems more normal people that we see in our lives and West Egg has more of a celebrity type of people, like the State senator and actors and actresses. It seems that he is well liked by everyone that crosses his path, for example, Mr. Wolfsheim said “… a man of fine breeding, there’s the kind of man you’d like to take home and introduce to your mother and sister”.
Mr. Gatsby is from a wealth family from San Francisco and was educated at Oxford. He inherited all the wealth when his family died. He lived in Europe collecting jewels, hunting big game and painting. He did this to forget about something sad that had happened to him. Mr. Gatsby tried to end his life in World War I but instead he got promoted as major and received many awards.
We find out that Mr. Gatsby and Daisy were in love. Eventually they broke up when Mr. Gatsby went to war. After one year Daisy met Tom Buchanan and they got married. She did not want to get married to Tom Buchanan after she had received a letter from Mr. Gatsby, but she was almost forced to marry Tom. We can understand now why she is always mad at Tom. After all those years have passed, Mr. Gatsby buys his house just the opposite side of the Egg where Daisy lives and throws so many parties just to have a chance of see her. He asks Nick’s help to see Daisy again by asking Nick to invite her to his home for tea.
Question for discussion
“I’m the Sheik of Araby.
Your love belongs to me.
At night when you’re asleep
Into your tent I’ll Creep-----“
Who do you think this refers to? Gatsby or Tom or both?
From Myrna - The Great Gatsby (Ch. 1-5)
1. Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.
The main character is Nick Carraway a veteran of the first world war and currently a seller of bonds. The other characters that are important in this book are Daisy Buchanan a cousin of Nick; Jay Gatsby Nick's next door neighbor who seems to have had a relationship with Daisy and is also a veteran of the war; Tom Buchanan who is married to Daisy; and Jordan Baker a friend of Daisy and possible girlfriend of Nick Carraway.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
There is a triangle, multiple love affairs, between Daisy and Mr. Gatsby who are old lovers torn apart and brought back together 5 years later realizing the both still have feelings for each other. Meanwhile Daisy's husband, Tom, is having an affair with a married woman Myrtle Wilson. Nick and Jordan are beginning to develop feelings for each other. Proofs of these relationship are found on page 33 (about Tom and Myrtle) "'Can't stand them.' She looked at Myrtle and then at Tom. 'What I say is why go on living with them if they can't stand them? If I was them I'd get a divorce and get married to each other right away.'";pg 96 (Gatsby and Daisy) "They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gatsby didn't know me now at all. I looked once more at them and they looked back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life."; and page 58 (Nick and Jordan) "'Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself.' 'I hope I never will' she answered. 'I hate careless people. That's why I like you.' Her gray, sun-stained eyes stared straight ahead, but she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her."
3. Formulate a question for discussion.
What happened between Gatsby and Daisy and why were their engagement called off?
The main character is Nick Carraway a veteran of the first world war and currently a seller of bonds. The other characters that are important in this book are Daisy Buchanan a cousin of Nick; Jay Gatsby Nick's next door neighbor who seems to have had a relationship with Daisy and is also a veteran of the war; Tom Buchanan who is married to Daisy; and Jordan Baker a friend of Daisy and possible girlfriend of Nick Carraway.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.
There is a triangle, multiple love affairs, between Daisy and Mr. Gatsby who are old lovers torn apart and brought back together 5 years later realizing the both still have feelings for each other. Meanwhile Daisy's husband, Tom, is having an affair with a married woman Myrtle Wilson. Nick and Jordan are beginning to develop feelings for each other. Proofs of these relationship are found on page 33 (about Tom and Myrtle) "'Can't stand them.' She looked at Myrtle and then at Tom. 'What I say is why go on living with them if they can't stand them? If I was them I'd get a divorce and get married to each other right away.'";pg 96 (Gatsby and Daisy) "They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gatsby didn't know me now at all. I looked once more at them and they looked back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life."; and page 58 (Nick and Jordan) "'Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself.' 'I hope I never will' she answered. 'I hate careless people. That's why I like you.' Her gray, sun-stained eyes stared straight ahead, but she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her."
3. Formulate a question for discussion.
What happened between Gatsby and Daisy and why were their engagement called off?
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Tomasz - The Great Gatsby (Ch. 1-5)
1. Identify and briefly define important words terms, concepts, or characters.
Nick Carraway: He is the narrator of the story, he went to Yale University, and fought in World War I. After the war, he moved to New York City to pursue a carrier in bonds.
Daisy Buchanan: Nick Carraway cousin, and wife of Tom Buchanan. She dated Jay Gatsby before the war. She knows about her husband affair.
Tom Buchanan: Rich Husband of Daisy Buchanan who went to Yale with Nick Carraway. He has an affair with a woman from New York. He is well built, and very arrogant
Jordan Baker: She is a daisy’s friend who plays golf. Nick meets her for the first time at Buchanan’s house. She develops a close relationship with Nick
Jay Gatsby: A wealthy man who lives next to Nick. Nick dislikes everything Gatsby represents. Gatsby fell in love with daisy before the war, and his feeling remain the same after many years.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall felling or mood of the reading.
One of the themes from the reading was that pursue of monetary wealth does not make you happy. Dishonesty and greed play an important role in this book. Old good merits are a thing of the past. Distrust and suspicions are plentiful throughout the book. A good example of this theme was with a quote “Tom got some woman in New York” said by Jordan Baker
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
Do you think that Gatsby drive to become rich was fueled by the obsession of getting Daisy back? Even if it meant breaking the law along the way?
Nick Carraway: He is the narrator of the story, he went to Yale University, and fought in World War I. After the war, he moved to New York City to pursue a carrier in bonds.
Daisy Buchanan: Nick Carraway cousin, and wife of Tom Buchanan. She dated Jay Gatsby before the war. She knows about her husband affair.
Tom Buchanan: Rich Husband of Daisy Buchanan who went to Yale with Nick Carraway. He has an affair with a woman from New York. He is well built, and very arrogant
Jordan Baker: She is a daisy’s friend who plays golf. Nick meets her for the first time at Buchanan’s house. She develops a close relationship with Nick
Jay Gatsby: A wealthy man who lives next to Nick. Nick dislikes everything Gatsby represents. Gatsby fell in love with daisy before the war, and his feeling remain the same after many years.
2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall felling or mood of the reading.
One of the themes from the reading was that pursue of monetary wealth does not make you happy. Dishonesty and greed play an important role in this book. Old good merits are a thing of the past. Distrust and suspicions are plentiful throughout the book. A good example of this theme was with a quote “Tom got some woman in New York” said by Jordan Baker
3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.
Do you think that Gatsby drive to become rich was fueled by the obsession of getting Daisy back? Even if it meant breaking the law along the way?
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