The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Question #1Question #1

Gatsby’s actions in preparing for Gatsby’s actions in preparing for Daisy’s arrival seem both flamboyant Daisy’s arrival seem both flamboyant and absurd. What does he do? Why?and absurd. What does he do? Why?

He has the lawn cut – sends a He has the lawn cut – sends a truckload of flowers.truckload of flowers.

Everything has to be perfect for his Everything has to be perfect for his reunion with Daisy.reunion with Daisy.

Question #2Question #2

Discuss Gatsby’s actions once Daisy Discuss Gatsby’s actions once Daisy arrives. arrives.

He is stiff and formal at first.He is stiff and formal at first.How do we know that he is nervous?How do we know that he is nervous?His movements are awkward.His movements are awkward.How does he try to impress her?How does he try to impress her?He tries to impress her with his He tries to impress her with his

possessions.possessions.

Question #3AQuestion #3A

Toward the end of the chapter, Nick Toward the end of the chapter, Nick attempts to explain “the expression attempts to explain “the expression of bewilderment that had come back of bewilderment that had come back into Gatsby’s face.” What into Gatsby’s face.” What explanation does Nick give?explanation does Nick give?

He has been living with the fantasy He has been living with the fantasy of Daisy for so long that he doesn’t of Daisy for so long that he doesn’t know how to react to the reality of know how to react to the reality of her.her.

Question 3BQuestion 3B

Why, in his opinion, is Daisy not at Why, in his opinion, is Daisy not at fault?fault?

Nick thinks that no one could live up Nick thinks that no one could live up to Gatsby’s expectations.to Gatsby’s expectations.

Question #4Question #4 Describe Daisy’s Describe Daisy’s

reactions during the reactions during the course of her meeting course of her meeting with Gatsby.with Gatsby.

At first they are both At first they are both awkward and awkward and embarrassed.embarrassed.

Daisy cries, then laughs.Daisy cries, then laughs. They become more They become more

comfortable around comfortable around each other.each other.

Daisy cries again when Daisy cries again when she sees the shirts. Her she sees the shirts. Her emotions are a roller emotions are a roller coaster.coaster.

Question #5Question #5

Has Nick been affected by the Has Nick been affected by the meeting between Daisy and Gatsby? meeting between Daisy and Gatsby? In what way?In what way?

He now understands the magnitude He now understands the magnitude of Gatsby’s dream.of Gatsby’s dream.

He admires Gatsby and wants him to He admires Gatsby and wants him to succeed.succeed.

PlotPlot

In the opening of the chapter, Nick In the opening of the chapter, Nick arrives home and finds Gatsby walking arrives home and finds Gatsby walking across the lawn.across the lawn.

He invites Nick to Coney Island and He invites Nick to Coney Island and then suggests a swim in the pool.then suggests a swim in the pool.

Nick agrees to invite Daisy.Nick agrees to invite Daisy.Gatsby wants a few days to get ready.Gatsby wants a few days to get ready.Gatsby offers Nick a “little business on Gatsby offers Nick a “little business on

the side,” but Nick turns him down.the side,” but Nick turns him down.

The Big DayThe Big Day

RainRainGatsby is so nervous he can hardly Gatsby is so nervous he can hardly

function.function.He hasn’t slept, and he is very pale.He hasn’t slept, and he is very pale.He is terrified that if Daisy agrees to He is terrified that if Daisy agrees to

renew their relationship, it won’t be renew their relationship, it won’t be the same.the same.

The Big DayThe Big Day

Daisy arrives dying to know why Nick Daisy arrives dying to know why Nick has invited her over.has invited her over.

Gatsby goes out back and walks Gatsby goes out back and walks around to the front door.around to the front door.

He is as pale as death standing in a He is as pale as death standing in a puddle.puddle.

His paleness and the rain reinforce His paleness and the rain reinforce our sense of his fear, his insecurity, our sense of his fear, his insecurity, and his gloom.and his gloom.

The Big DayThe Big Day

Gatsby goes into the living room, Gatsby goes into the living room, leaving Nick in the hall with us to leaving Nick in the hall with us to imagine what the first moment was imagine what the first moment was like.like.

Gatsby is so nervous he knocks over Gatsby is so nervous he knocks over Nick’s clock and then catches it. This Nick’s clock and then catches it. This has been critiqued to mean he is has been critiqued to mean he is attempting to “stop time.”attempting to “stop time.”

SymbolismSymbolism

They muddle through tea and Nick goes They muddle through tea and Nick goes off and leaves them alone for half an off and leaves them alone for half an hour and when he returns the sun is hour and when he returns the sun is shining.shining.

Gatsby and Daisy are now happy.Gatsby and Daisy are now happy.Fitzgerald uses “glowed,” “well-being,” Fitzgerald uses “glowed,” “well-being,”

“radiated,” and “exultation” to describe “radiated,” and “exultation” to describe Gatsby, which suggests he has come Gatsby, which suggests he has come alive again. He has rediscovered his alive again. He has rediscovered his dream.dream.

EpigraphEpigraph

““Then wear the gold hat, if that will Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;move her;

If you can bounce high, bounce for her If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,too,

Till she cry ‘ Lover, gold-hatted, high-Till she cry ‘ Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,bouncing lover,

I must have you!”I must have you!”

Thomas Parke D’InvilliersThomas Parke D’Invilliers

EpigraphEpigraph

Gatsby has symbolically worn the Gatsby has symbolically worn the “gold hat.”“gold hat.”

Gatsby has “bounced high” Gatsby has “bounced high” accumulating possessions for this accumulating possessions for this moment, so that when Daisy sees moment, so that when Daisy sees them she will cry out, like the lover in them she will cry out, like the lover in the poem, “I must have you.”the poem, “I must have you.”

He has accumulated great He has accumulated great possessions and wealth.possessions and wealth.

ShirtsShirts

Gatsby overwhelms Gatsby overwhelms Daisy with signs of his Daisy with signs of his affection and when he affection and when he takes his shirts, takes his shirts, ordered from England, ordered from England, out of his cabinet and out of his cabinet and throws them on the throws them on the bed, she bends her bed, she bends her head into the shirts head into the shirts and begins to cry.and begins to cry.

The shirts symbolize The shirts symbolize Gatsby’s extraordinary Gatsby’s extraordinary dedication to his dedication to his dream.dream.

The Green LightThe Green Light

In the final scene Gatsby tells Daisy In the final scene Gatsby tells Daisy about watching the green light at the about watching the green light at the end of the dock.end of the dock.

It has become the symbol of his It has become the symbol of his dream for a long time.dream for a long time.

Gatsby has believed that once he has Gatsby has believed that once he has Daisy he will be completely happy. Daisy he will be completely happy. He now has her, and the light is just He now has her, and the light is just a light again.a light again.

Final SceneFinal Scene

Nick leaves at dusk.Nick leaves at dusk.Klipspringer, “the boarder,” comes Klipspringer, “the boarder,” comes

from his room to play the piano. from his room to play the piano. (“Ain’t We Got Fun?)(“Ain’t We Got Fun?)