Tuesday, 5 November 2013

The Great Gatsby: Chapter 4 (Reader's Journal)

Nick begins the chapter, and ends it, starting with a more serious introduction (as with Chapter 1), regarding the status of people. Jordan Baker is an alternative narrator in Chapter 4, as she explains in flashback the connection between Gatsby and Daisy. Gatsby also plays a means of narration by dialogue, as he tries to elude Nick about his past. Jordan's story however is more dependable as she has dates and a more realistic story compared to Gatsby. This is slightly odd, as Nick portrays Jordan as a liar thoroughly in the novel. This should leave doubt as to whether her story is true, but her confidence and certainty in narration leaves it dependable.

Nick continues to be portrayed as an outsider with the style of which he doesn't seem to bond with anyone. Further more, he is revealed as no more than a point of connection to Gatsby- a means of introducing Daisy and arranging a date for the two.

There are various places explored in Chapter 4, with a heavy use of pathetic fallacy to describe each setting: tension with hot weather, joy with sunlight, so on and so forth. This continues in later chapters, so perhaps it is Fitgerald's way of building up a sensation for the climax and denouement of the novel.

The language hence, is not as descriptive as it does not need to be for a 'build up'. The structure of time events is partially spaced, although understandable as each new narrator (Jordan and Gatsby) are eased into the story line.

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