In the first section of Fahrenheit 451, the reader can clearly see that this a classical dystopian novel. We meet Guy Montag, the main character, and learn about his daily routine. Montag is a firefighter; however, we quickly see that he is not our idea of a fireFIGHTER. Rather than putting out fires, Montag and the other firefighters are in charge of starting fires. In these fires, they are supposed to destroy and burn books, and sometimes the people who stand in the way. In the beginning Montag doesn't doubt his life or question his career and its purpose. However, after an encounter with a unique, free thinking teenage-girl, Clarisse, Montag begins to have his own thoughts. The government that is in charge of Montag does not encourage original thought and discourages individualism; if all are the same and entertained, all are happy. Montags wife, Mildred, is what I think Montag himself is afraid of becoming. Mildred is constantly being fed thoughts and ideas and is seemingly incapable of forming her own ideas; she doesn't even seem to have her own memories.
One day Clarisse asks Montag if he is happy. At first he scoffs at her question and answers her immediately. However, in just the brief walk from the sidewalk to his bedroom, Montag realizes that he is not happy and from there on out begins to wonder about his life. He wonders about the books he is supposed to destroy. Why are they so dangerous? What is so great about them that people would sacrifice themselves?
I have a feeling that Montag will become more defiant in the next sections. I also hope we find out more about Clarisse's disappearance, and I also hope Mildred becomes less of a noodle and gets an original thought!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Great Gatsby- The Withering of the American Dream
In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the reader quickly sees that Gatsby isn't really all that great. One of the most apparent themes in The Great Gatsby is that of the withering of the American Dream. Most glamorize the American Dream and only focus on the great and wonderful outcomes the American Dream has to offer; few take the time to consider the work and possible hardships of obtaining the American Dream. In this tragedy, Gatsby is made the scapegoat and is the prime example of the misconception of the American Dream; however, there are many other characters who help support the theme. Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and our narrator, Nick Carraway, are also examples of the corruptions of the American Dream
We learn that Jay Gatsby, who has a tremendous amount of wealth, didn't come from wealth. Gatsby was but a mere farm boy who left his family behind to participate in an unknown business (the reader can infer that he is a gambler). Before leaving to fight in World War I, Gatsby meets a young Ms. Daisy and falls in love. He vows to Daisy that when he returns home from the war, he will have a wealth that will be able to support them. Upon returning home, Gatsby discovers that Daisy has moved on without him and has married a man of great wealth, Mr. Tom Buchanan. Gatsby, who is heartbroken and still madly in love with Daisy, buys a mansion in West Egg right across the bay from the Buchanans.
To make this tale just that much more bitter, we find out that Tom is cheating on Daisy with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is married to George, who owns a car garage in the Valley of Ashes. Myrtle longs to be in the center of attention and yearns for the life of a wealthy woman. She and Tom have an affair. While Daisy has her suspicions, she is still under the rule of her husband.
Nick Carraway is, in my opinion, an innocent by standard who likes to keep his own business to himself. From the beginning of the novel, the reader learns that Nick doesn't really like to get into others' business and generally keeps to himself. We learn that Nick is also a veteran of the war and has moved away from his family. He has found himself in a modest home next to Gatsby. Although they are neighbors, Nick's house might as well be a shack compared to Gatsby's empire. Gatsby often has elaborate parities. Eventually, Nick and Gatsby become friends and Nick is invited to the party. Nick is one of the most observant characters in the novel. While mingling with Jordan, Daisy's cute friend who is a professional golfer, Nick takes note of his surroundings. He notices that everyone is having a good time, but little to none of the guests try to interact with Gatsby. All of the party guests are talking about Gatsby and about his possible place of origin.
Well, Gatsby finally gets to see Daisy again: five years have passed since their last meeting. Eventually, Daisy gives in to her previous love for Gatsby and they begin spending time together in the afternoons. One day, Gatsby, Nick, Jordan, and the Buchanans go to the city to try to escape the blazing summer heat. Tom confronts Daisy and about her and Gatsby's affair. Gatsby demands that she tell Tom that she is leaving him and that she no longer loves him, but Daisy simply can't. She tried to explain to Gatsby why she's unable to no longer love her husband, but she can't. She feels as though Gatsby is wanting to much of her; she loved him before, then she didn't, and now she does again. Why couldn't that be enough for Gatsby? She leaves in a flustered hurry and gets in the car. Gatsby goes with her. Daisy is still incredibly tense from the confrontation and "accidentally" runs over someone. That someone just happened to Myrtle, Tom's mistress. (Ironic, right?) Daisy becomes engulfed with psychotic-ness and Gatsby says to blame him (hoping to calm Daisy down). Myrtle's grieving widower George is taken over a by a sense of helplessness and seeks revenge. George goes to Gatsby's house and kills him and then commits suicide.
Gatsby, as was mentioned earlier, is the scapegoat and had to die. Gatsby had worked his entire life to get... What? To get what? Gatsby worked to get a wealth and fortune so that he could support his woman and one true love, Daisy, and himself. Gatsby had put so much emphasis on money, because he associated money with Daisy, throughout his life he even begin to put a value on Daisy. Gatsby's life seemed glamorous, but he was actually truly miserable, even with his wealth. Gatsby is human, just like everyone else, and what do humans do? They die, humans die. Gatsby died. None of his so-called party guest faker friends even bothered to go to Gatsby's funeral.
While Gatsby was truly miserable, so were all of the other characters. Nick turns thirty and he realizes that his life hasn't really meant much; George loved his wife who was cheating on him because he had never been good enough for her; Tom and Daisy both found other loves, yet chose to remain together and be miserable.. together.
The American Dream was utterly shattered in The Great Gatsby. The pursuit of wealth in love was ultimately pointless in the end because all were still miserable with their worldly possessions. None of the characters were truly happy throughout the entire novel. Although they had wealth, money never satisfied them; their money couldn't satisfy them.
We learn that Jay Gatsby, who has a tremendous amount of wealth, didn't come from wealth. Gatsby was but a mere farm boy who left his family behind to participate in an unknown business (the reader can infer that he is a gambler). Before leaving to fight in World War I, Gatsby meets a young Ms. Daisy and falls in love. He vows to Daisy that when he returns home from the war, he will have a wealth that will be able to support them. Upon returning home, Gatsby discovers that Daisy has moved on without him and has married a man of great wealth, Mr. Tom Buchanan. Gatsby, who is heartbroken and still madly in love with Daisy, buys a mansion in West Egg right across the bay from the Buchanans.
To make this tale just that much more bitter, we find out that Tom is cheating on Daisy with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is married to George, who owns a car garage in the Valley of Ashes. Myrtle longs to be in the center of attention and yearns for the life of a wealthy woman. She and Tom have an affair. While Daisy has her suspicions, she is still under the rule of her husband.
Nick Carraway is, in my opinion, an innocent by standard who likes to keep his own business to himself. From the beginning of the novel, the reader learns that Nick doesn't really like to get into others' business and generally keeps to himself. We learn that Nick is also a veteran of the war and has moved away from his family. He has found himself in a modest home next to Gatsby. Although they are neighbors, Nick's house might as well be a shack compared to Gatsby's empire. Gatsby often has elaborate parities. Eventually, Nick and Gatsby become friends and Nick is invited to the party. Nick is one of the most observant characters in the novel. While mingling with Jordan, Daisy's cute friend who is a professional golfer, Nick takes note of his surroundings. He notices that everyone is having a good time, but little to none of the guests try to interact with Gatsby. All of the party guests are talking about Gatsby and about his possible place of origin.
Well, Gatsby finally gets to see Daisy again: five years have passed since their last meeting. Eventually, Daisy gives in to her previous love for Gatsby and they begin spending time together in the afternoons. One day, Gatsby, Nick, Jordan, and the Buchanans go to the city to try to escape the blazing summer heat. Tom confronts Daisy and about her and Gatsby's affair. Gatsby demands that she tell Tom that she is leaving him and that she no longer loves him, but Daisy simply can't. She tried to explain to Gatsby why she's unable to no longer love her husband, but she can't. She feels as though Gatsby is wanting to much of her; she loved him before, then she didn't, and now she does again. Why couldn't that be enough for Gatsby? She leaves in a flustered hurry and gets in the car. Gatsby goes with her. Daisy is still incredibly tense from the confrontation and "accidentally" runs over someone. That someone just happened to Myrtle, Tom's mistress. (Ironic, right?) Daisy becomes engulfed with psychotic-ness and Gatsby says to blame him (hoping to calm Daisy down). Myrtle's grieving widower George is taken over a by a sense of helplessness and seeks revenge. George goes to Gatsby's house and kills him and then commits suicide.
Gatsby, as was mentioned earlier, is the scapegoat and had to die. Gatsby had worked his entire life to get... What? To get what? Gatsby worked to get a wealth and fortune so that he could support his woman and one true love, Daisy, and himself. Gatsby had put so much emphasis on money, because he associated money with Daisy, throughout his life he even begin to put a value on Daisy. Gatsby's life seemed glamorous, but he was actually truly miserable, even with his wealth. Gatsby is human, just like everyone else, and what do humans do? They die, humans die. Gatsby died. None of his so-called party guest faker friends even bothered to go to Gatsby's funeral.
While Gatsby was truly miserable, so were all of the other characters. Nick turns thirty and he realizes that his life hasn't really meant much; George loved his wife who was cheating on him because he had never been good enough for her; Tom and Daisy both found other loves, yet chose to remain together and be miserable.. together.
The American Dream was utterly shattered in The Great Gatsby. The pursuit of wealth in love was ultimately pointless in the end because all were still miserable with their worldly possessions. None of the characters were truly happy throughout the entire novel. Although they had wealth, money never satisfied them; their money couldn't satisfy them.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Great Gatsby- Part 2
In the second part of The Great Gatsby, the plot has really unfolded, the extended symbolism is entirely revealed, and the characters have been completely developed and trashed. The end of the novel is, well, the end, but it is also the end. What I mean is, several characters meet their ends (death) and the ones that are fortunate enough to survive might as well have ended: they lead miserable lives. Nick is 30 and still hasn't made anything of himself; Tom and Myrtle are clearly no longer in love and want to be with other people and are miserable with each other, but ultimately just decide to stay together and be miserable. The Great Gatsby's main plot was to show the corruptions of the "American Dream". Obviously, the dream has many corruptions, but I like to remain hopeful. I like to think that everyday-nobodies make someone of themselves even though society is rooting against them: I like to believe that people can rise out of their social classes and become someone great. However, I am not saying The Great Gatsby says people can't do that, but the ending can kind of leave one feeling a little bit hopeless.
My favorite symbol in the book is the green light. At the beginning the green light is hope for Gatsby to achieve his dream of getting Daisy, and, by the end of the book, Nick sees the green light as a sign of lost hope, broken and unobtainable dreams. And, if I think about it too long, the symbol is a bit depressing, but I think this symbol is pretty cool because it shows as people have different life experiences, people change their perspectives.
My favorite symbol in the book is the green light. At the beginning the green light is hope for Gatsby to achieve his dream of getting Daisy, and, by the end of the book, Nick sees the green light as a sign of lost hope, broken and unobtainable dreams. And, if I think about it too long, the symbol is a bit depressing, but I think this symbol is pretty cool because it shows as people have different life experiences, people change their perspectives.
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