The Great Gatsby: Chapter 8
Symbolism
Discussion Questions
Connections to the Past
Character Development: Nick Carraway
- Finally breaks Nick away from Jordan
- Nick identifies Gatsby's main attraction for Daisy, which is her money and luxurious lifestyle
- Gatsby loves wealth and Daisy which makes the two things synonymous
- Nick says Gatsby is better than all of them- shows withholding judgement
- Changes from a neutral bystander to a man on Gatsby’s side
- Begins to feel for Gatsby, seeing he is a tormented man.
- Loses his connection with Jordan, because of the car accident.
- See page 84 for an example of Nick's change in opinion- he says Gatsby is “acting like a little boy.”
- Pool: Gatsby’s want and dream of luxury, which he never obtains (“you know, old sport, I’ve never used that pool all summer” Page 133)
- Fallen leaves: fall is a time of death and decay, and Gatsby later dies; symbolizes Gatsby never reaching his version of the American Dream.
- Fall (the season): changing the mood of the book; the “cool” weather also represents Daisy’s decision to stay with Tom.
- Light at Daisy’s: Gatsby’s dream. The light it off- his failure to fulfill his dream
- The leather dog collar: proves Myrtle's infidelity because George could not afford it
- Green- wealth and yellow represents death
- Why did the relationship between Gatsby and Jordan change after the events in chapter 7?
- In chapter 8, is Gatsby being selfish by claiming that Daisy never loved Tom?
- How does Gatsby personify the 1920's?
- Did George idolize Myrtle? How is George and Myrtle's relationship similar to that of Gatsby and Daisy?
- What role does the weather play in this chapter?
Questions Continued
Stylistic Components
Foreshadowing
Character Development: Jay Gatsby
- Nick tells Gatsby to go away on the first page of chapter 8, but Gatsby refused until he knew what Daisy was going to do.
- Does not state where he will go
- Hinting Gatsby will leave the story shortly.
- Does society place a value on items as symbols or do symbols exist? What would have happened if Gatsby did not have an infatuation with Daisy?
- How is Daisy a grotesque Rose?
- How does this chapter relate to the American Dream?
- Gatsby explains his and Daisy's relationship. Why does he feel guilty about rekindling their relationship?
- Why is this series of shootings and suicides referred to as the holocaust by Nick?
- Becomes distraught in a deep pit of denial
- Worried that Daisy does not love him anymore
- He tries to convince himself and Nick of his and Daisy’s love.
- Begins to loose himself.
- Firing all his servants accept for the gardener and preparing himself for death of sorts.
- Personification: "a fog horn was groaning incessantly on the sound."
- Metaphor: "at any moment the invisible cloak of his uniform might slip from his soulders"
- Metaphorical language:"The shadow of a tree fell abruptly across the dew and ghostly birds began to sing among the blue leaves."
- Multi-dimensional point of view: Point of view between Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick; can grasp a better understanding of each character's emotions
- Vocab: incessant, ravenously, pervaded, corroborate.