THE GREAT GATSBY - WEEK 9 - CHAPTER 8

THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald starts Chapter 8 off brilliantly. There's nothing like foreshadowing and imagery (metaphor) to get things started.

-Nick feels like he must warn Gatsby about something. (Foreshadowing)

-The metaphorical imagery of Daisy coming to the window and turning the light off. The relationship is over.

It is here that Gatsby's story comes out that we read in chapter 6. The transformation of James Gatz to Jay Gatsby comes to light. From here he goes on to tell the story of how he and Daisy met. She is his "Holy Grail" pursuit in life. His ticket to the lifestyle he desired. Falling in love along the way wasn't the plan.

After going to war, going to Oxford, and coming home to find he lost Daisy, we see Gatsby stretch out his hand as if to hold onto a piece of her, to grab the air as he leaves town. But what does he hold in that grasp? Nothing but emptiness. Suddenly, that stretch out of his arms makes sense the night that Nick first sees him. His reach towards the house where Daisy resides.

So now, as Nick leaves to go to work, he gives Gatsby the only compliment he ever did. "They're a rotten bunch. You're worth the whole **** bunch put together." We know something is going to happen, and the fact that Nick knew he said this to Gatsby brought him comfort later, a bit of closure. As Nick leaves, Gatsby decides to take a swim for the first time that summer.

Meanwhile, George goes off his rocker. You gotta love Fitzgerald's use of the eyes here and George's escape.

Back to Gatsby - as he floats around his pool, the world takes on a different appearance to Gatsby. He lived for one pursuit, one dream and now it's gone. The world now is "frightening leaves, a grotesque rose, etc." Then the shots are heard. A murder/suicide has occurred as Gatsby is dead in the pool and George Wilson is dead in the grass.