Okay, let me start off with saying ALOT happened on this chapter and this is probably one of the most important chapters in my opinion of the book. The symbols in this chapter range from what different cities stand for, to what the weather stands for, to what Dr. T.J. Eckelburg stands for and more.
Let's start with the weather. Nick is called by Daisy and Gatsby on the hottest day of the summer. The "day was broiling, almost the last, certainly warmest, of the summer." This weather symbolizes the heat building up between Gatsby and Tom. Later in this chapter then end up at the parlor of a suite in the Plaza Hotel during the hottest time of the day, 4 o'clock. While in this parlor the most heated scene occurs between Gatsby and Tom both showing there love for Daisy to one another. As darkness comes the night cools down and Daisy and Tom have a scene. "Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with a plate of cold fried chicken between them...He was talking intently across the table at her and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own."
One of the cities also shows its true meaning. Daisy brings up the idea to go to the city and as we already know the city symbolizes sin, danger, and anything illegal happens. When they go there is when hell breaks loose and sins are revealed. Gatsby tells Tom that this love that him and Daisy have has been going on for 5 years and she only married Tom because he was poor and she stopped waiting. Daisy tells Tom that she is leaving him and also tells Gatsby that she did at one poit love Tom as well as him. Secrets are revealed and that's what New York City symbolizes secrets and hidden sin.
(I'm not done with this post. I'm going to post on the billboard and more I just want to retread certain parts of this chapter first again)
5 comments:
Yes, there was a lot going on in this chapter. But, what you have done sounds good. Its interesting how that its true that at the hottest point in the day everything climactic happens and as the day ends and the heat cools down things seem to calm down. Although, from experience I think it does make sense. In real life I think that extreme heat makes everyone on edge and as the temperature drops people come back to their senses.
New York is definitely a place of sin in the book and where most of the heat and conflict takes place. They (Tom and Gatsby) start arguing at Tom's house and just as the attraction between Daisy and Gatsby shows, Tom decides they should all go to New York. It seems like they go there to argue and once its done, they all go home.
(Waiting to comment when you're done :)
Yeah, I think that it's so hot in this chapter symbolizes that things are at a boiling point between Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom. And it does burst with anger and passion when we get to the hotel and Tom announces he knows about the affair and Gatsby declares that Daisy loves him and not Tom. Gatsby and Daisy's hot, passionate love collides with Tom's fuming hot anger.
(will come back to comment more when you're done ^.^)
I agree with what you wrote about NYC being the place where hidden sins are revealed. If I recall correctly, chapter 3 said that once Nick and Gatsby go into the city "anything can happen." So when Daisy suggests a visit to the city, we know stuff is about to go down.
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