Funeral

In a way, I was not shocked when only three people showed up to Gatsby’s funeral. Gatsby was not a social person; he never socialized with the guests at his party. I was mad that Daisy did not show up to the funeral. Out of everyone, I think she should have felt obligated to attend considering Gatsby took the blame for a crime she committed. It was surprising to me that Gatsby’s father came to the funeral, mostly because I did not know his father existed. In the long run, however, I was pleased to see him there to show that he at least cared for his son. The other surprising guest was Owl Eyes. He was one of the last people I thought would attend. Owl Eyes and the billboard with the pair of eyes seem connected somehow. I wonder if Owl Eyes was somehow considered God like the pair of eyes was considered God.

Climax

There were several instances that led up to the climax in The Great Gatsby. One of the major reasons that the climax occurred was because of Tom’s love affair with Myrtle. Tom was blatant about the affair with Myrtle. When Daisy finally reunited with Gatsby, she did not think twice about having an affair with him. Gatsby and Daisy eventually fell so much in love that Gatsby was willing to take the blame for Daisy murdering Myrtle. Myrtle’s death relates back to Daisy’s animosity towards her. Daisy hated how Myrtle would ignorantly call during dinner to talk with Tom. Gatsby’s death occurred because he took the blame for Daisy, so Wilson eventually killed Gatsby. Another instance that may have led to the climax is how Tom drove Gatsby’s car to the city and just so happened to stop by Wilson’s to get gas. If I were Gatsby, I would not have let Tom drive my car. Overall, Daisy’s frustration kept increasing until she finally let it all out by murdering Myrtle.

Gatsby's Past

In chapter six, we finally learned about Gatsby’s true past. Earlier in the book, Nick lied to the reader about how Gatsby accumulated his wealth. Nick lied to us because Gatsby was so embarrassed about his past. Gatsby was self-conscious about having to work as a janitor to pay for his tuition at St. Olaf, so he dropped out of college. After Gatsby met Cody, he became obsessed with wealth and luxury. Now, because Gatsby is a very rich man, he does not want people to know about his life in the past as a lower-class citizen. He worked very hard for his wealth and does not want people to have a different opinion of him if they knew that he used to be poor. Nick finally decides to tell us about Gatsby’s past because Nick will no longer have to lie about how Gatsby accumulated his money. The reader can also feel more sympathy for Gatsby now because they know how hard he has worked throughout his life.

Gatsby's Green Light

In chapter five, Nick states that Gatsby’s “count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” Nick is referring to the green light that was located on Daisy’s dock in this quote. This green light used to be more than a “green light.” It was a symbol of the large distance that separated Daisy and Gatsby for all of those years. Before Gatsby and Daisy reunited, Gatsby would constantly peer out across the lake just to look at the green light. The significance of this light has now disappeared because Gatsby has been reunited with Daisy. It is no longer an “enchanted object” in Gatsby’s mind. It is now just a green light on the dock.