Sunday, June 6, 2010

Dan Codyyy

Jay Gatsby's real name is James Gatz, he decided to change his name when he was 17 it was also the time that began his career. Dan Cody was a huge part of Gatsby's life. James Gatz had been walking along the beach in a "torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants," but Jay Gatsby that interacted with Cody on that day. Dan Cody's yacht dropped anchor on the "insidious flat" on Lake Superior. When Gatsby saw this, he borrowed a rowboat, and pulled out to where Cody was on the water and warned him that the "wind might catch him and break him up in half an hour." Cody came from the Nevada silver fields, of the Yukon. The transactions in Montana copper made Cody a millionaire. Cody was softminded, and naive, and many young women took advantage of this. One woman in particular, Ella Kaye, a newspaper woman, took advantage of him. Over the next few years, Gatsby was steward, mate, skipper, secretary and even jailer for Dan Cody, and was very trusted by him. Through all of this, Dan Cody had an insatiable thirst for alcohol and drank continuously. Upon the return of Ella Kaye one night in Boston, Dan Cody "inhospitably died." Dan Cody influenced Gatsby in many ways; most importantly, watching Cody's excessive drinking, made Gatsby drink very little. A portrait of Cody hangs on Gatsby's wall.



Dan Cody left $25,000 to Jay. After Dan died he gave everything he had to his wife so the material inheritance was lost, but Gatsby had gained experience from this older man who had molded him into an eloquent gentleman and taught him to break free of his homely Middle Western existence.











Thursday, June 3, 2010

East Egg vs. West Egg

East Egg is where Tom and Daisy live, the more wealthy place compared to the West Egg it is known as "old money". The East Egg is where the people who have always had money lived they are more snobby, selfish, and consumed with themselves. Tom, Daisy, and Jordan are all examples of this, they are materialistic and don't understand the value of having to earn their money. The east symbolizes fashionable life, "modern society, and sophisticated living where "anything can happen".West Egg is where Gatsby moves too, it is known as "new money". Which symbolizes people who have just come into a large amount of money and want to show it off by buying extravagant houses or throwing massive parties. The people who live there are often hard working people who have worked to earn there money or who have just inherited a lot of money. Gatsby is an example of this he comes into a lot of money and shows it off by having elaborate parties all the time to show it off.

"I lived at West Egg the- well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister between them. " (pg 5) " " Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable east egg glittered along the water.." (pg 5)

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=7733

The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Mafia/Gangsters


Al Capone is the best known gangster in America and the greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. He was a leader in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city.


He was the most famous mobster in the 1920's




Gangsters are the most talked about crime family. Gangsters are feared and hated.

The stories that surround men like Al Capone and "Bugs" Moran, were discovered in the 1920's because they went against prohibition.




Gatsby worked as a illegal alcohol seller. Like most gangsters in the 20's.



http://www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/famous-gangsters.html

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Old vs. New Money



Old vs. New money describe the two different kinds of upper class people. Old money are people who have always had money and lived in the upper class most or all of their lives. They tend to be more selfish because they don't know what it's like to have to earn money.Daisy and Tom Buchanan resemble the group "old money", Daisy is always consumed in the materialistic things like when she hits myrtle she doesn't stop to see if she's okay, she is only worried about the consequences. These people associated in the "old money" group are selfish, shallow, and lack values. Jordan Baker is a perfect example of this in the book, she is consumed with herself, she makes a comment saying people should be careful of her when shes driving.




The "New Money" group of people are ones who came into a lot of money or worked hard for their money in a short amount of time. Gatsby is an example of this by how got his money from inheriting some and some from his business deals. Although we find out later in the book that Gatsby got his money from bootlegging he still has values. None the Less The people of West Egg have more values out of the two groups but still are greedy, superficial, and spend excessively. Even though the two have some difference they still have the same thing in common the love for money.


http://www.bookrags.com./essay-2006/5/23/94857/9061

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The Great Gatsby Film Versions


the 1974 great gatsby film was directed by jack clayton. The movie is a great remake o the original novel. The film stars Robert Redford as Gatsby & Mia Farrow as Daisy. The film won Oscars in 1975 for best costume design and best original musical score. People felt the film didn't have much emotional depth because the book it was based off of was so great.



Another version of this movie/book was on A&E Television Network. This version stars Toby Stephens as Gatsby and Mira Sorvino as Daisy. This movie version is almost exactly the same as the other one, but this one is newer and was made in 2000. This movie was very entertaining.




Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Green Light

"You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock."
-pg 92


In the Great Gatsby "The Green Light" symbolizes Green for hope and for Gatsby's hope to meet with daisy once again. It is one of the most important symbols in the Novel. Gatsby has always longed to be with Daisy again. "Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished foreer. Compare to the great distance tht had seperated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock" (Pg 93) In this quote from the novel it explains how Gatsby finally gets to meet with Daisy again after all those years. He would stare off accross the bay staring at the green light hoping for her to see her again and he finally got too.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott fitzgerald












Thursday, May 20, 2010

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott had a rough life with troublesome love, but he wrote great books because of this.


He wrote many books such as The Great Gatsby. (This book was his most popular.). Another great book he wrote was This Side of Paradise. These two books refer to his own life especially This Side of Paradise.. Amory Blaine the protagonist of the book and it he was based on this character.


F. Scott's full name is Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896. In June 1918 Fitzgerald was assigned to Camp Sheridan, near Montgomery, Alabama. There he fell in love with an eighteen-year-old named Zelda Sayre, (in the book she played Daisy.) the youngest daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court judge. The romance intensified Fitzgeralds hopes for the success of his novel, but he was shot down. The war ended just before he was to be sent overseas... after his discharge in 1919 he went to New York City to get his fortune in order to marry. Unwilling to wait while Fitzgerald succeeded in the advertisement business and unwilling to live on his small salary, Zelda Sayre broke their engagement.





http://www.readprint.com/author-37/F-Scott-Fitzgerald-books