Chapter 2€¢ Decline/Corruption of the American Dream. ... • Dream of going west ... • Work...

CHAPTER 2

Have you ever been envious of someone? Or wanted something that your parents

wouldn’t buy for you? Did you do anything to try to get it? Describe how that felt.

Warm-Up: 3/19/18

Reminders

• Today: Ch 2

• Tomorrow: Ch 3 through pg 49

• Wed & Thurs: Block schedule for ACT paperwork

• Fri: Ch 1 – 3 Quiz

• (I’ll give you an updated schedule tomorrow)

East Egg & West Egg

We need to add details to this map!

• Each group is responsible for 1 piece.

• Complete your sheet• Use the page numbers to put together details

• Draw a picture to represent the character/setting

• When ready, we'll add it to the map

The Valley of Ashes

• Read the description of The Valley of Ashes (pg 23 – 24)• What is the dominating color here?

• What feeling do you get from this place?

• What kind of people (social class, attitude, etc.) probably live here?

The Valley of Ashes

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Color = Grey

• Society = struggling Middle Class• Decline/Corruption of the

American Dream

The Italian Child

• Look when they leave the Valley (pg 26)• What time of year is it? What does this holiday represent for our country?

• The "torpedoes" are fireworks. What does it suggest that an Italian child is the one preparing to celebrate? At this point in our history, who is excited for the future?

• What does it suggest that this child is alone in the bleak surroundings? What is he standing near? What does it represent? Will his hopes be realized?

The Italian Child

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Fireworks = 4th of July• Dream of Independence

• Train tracks = journey• Dream of going west

• Only lingering hope = immigrants & children

The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleberg

• Read the description of Eckleberg's eyes (pg 23 – 24)• What does it mean someone "set them there to fatten his practice"? What

was he hoping the sign with the eyes would do?

• What does it mean that the owner "sank down himself into eternal blindness or forgot them and moved away"? Why would the owner have left?

• If these eyes "look out of no face", what literary device do they fit?

• If that's the case, connect to Nietzsche's "God is Dead" parable. What do the eyes represent for the Valley of Ashes?

• If the people in the story are going to recognize this problem, who do they need to warn them?

The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Disembodied Face = God• Watching & Warning

• Need a Prophet to bring knowledge

• Don’t know if people will listen (Like “God is Dead”)

George B. Wilson

• Observe Myrtle's husband, Wilson (pg 24 – 26)• What is his profession? What social class is he?

• What color is Wilson's home? What marks the boundary outside? What do these colors suggest?

• What color are Wilson's eyes?

• How does he look at Tom and Nick when they enter his shop? Why?

• Tom claims "He's so dumb he doesn't know he's alive". Is that true? What does it mean to truly be alive? Who seems closer to that truth?

George B. Wilson

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Work for American Dream, but faded• Yellow house, white picket

fence

• Browns & Greys• Blue eyes

Myrtle Wilson

• Look for descriptions of Myrtle's appearance and attitudes (pg 25 – 28)• What is her physical appearance?

• What colors is she wearing? What color cab does she pick?

• What does it suggest that she picks a mutt and can't tell the difference from a purebred?

• Look at how everyone interacts with each other at the party (pg 31 – 32)• By dismissing the dress compliment and rolling her eyes at the servant, what is

Myrtle doing? What is she pretending to be?

Myrtle Wilson

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Plump body, dark hair, shrill voice

• Wears Brown

• Gets a brown mutt dog

• Tries to act fancy, but gives herself away as Middle Class

NYC Apartment Party

• Look at the description of Myrtle, the apartment, & her friends (pg 29 – 30)• How is the apartment decorated? How does this compare to the previous

houses we've seen?

• What do the friends do for a living? What seems to be their skill level in these areas? How do they compare to others we've met?

• How do Tom and Nick seem to feel about these people?

• What is Nick's mental state in this section?• How does that affect his narration?

NYC Apartment Party

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Ugly, crowded decoration

• Where Tom meets with Myrtle• Nick & Tom judge Myrtle’s

friends

• Filled with smoke haze & alcohol

Another side of Tom

• Look what Catherine says to Nick about Myrtle & Tom (pg 33)• Why does Catherine say Tom and Myrtle can’t get married? Is this true?

• Do we have any evidence that Tom has asked for a divorce? Is somebody in an old money family likely to get a divorce?

• What happens between Tom and Myrtle (pg 37)?• What does Tom do to Myrtle?

• What is his reason for doing this? Why doesn’t Myrtle have a right to say Daisy’s name?

• What does this action reveal about Tom? Remember he was called “hulking”?

Another side of Tom

(Picture)

(Detail bullet points)

• Tom has lied about why he can’t divorce Daisy

• Tom hits Myrtle & breaks her nose• Because she isn’t worthy of

saying Daisy’s name

• Also, Tom’s a jerk

For Tuesday

• Read to the end of pg 49

• NOTES! (Will be checked on Friday)• Pay attention to the different rumors about Gatsby

• Also notice the style and attitudes of everybody at the party