I'm just going to post it in here and if you want to glimpse at some areas, feel free to give your 2 cents. I really want to get an A on this essay to show how much I've improved. I apologize for any common errors or mistakes, my grammar is definitely not perfect.
What comes to one’s mind when they hear mysterious relationships, bonds, and eggs? The most random of thoughts is invoked in the reader. However, these three topics are just constituents of The Great Gatsby and its myriad of diction, symbolism, and syntax. Furthermore, the most impacting part is the beginning of the story. The first chapter of The Great Gatsby sets a distinctive and mysterious tone for the reader. The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, evokes an ominous yet merry feeling through the use of literary devices.
The diction, or the choice and use of words in speech, really can affect the current mood, atmosphere, and tone. A sentence that says, “He jumped, swam, and played,” appears more powerful and visual if one says, “He leaped, glided, and capered.” In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald makes use of this device to establish a base for the characters, foreshadow the surprises of Gatsby, and reveal how Fitzgerald, himself, feels about the overall story. In the first chapter, the reader begins to meet the characters, but not in enough depth to fully understand the story. Nick is a patient, tolerant, and open-minded: “I’m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores… I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men.” ( Fitzgerald 1) He is described as one who people go to for consulting because he holds his tongue and does not judge others before getting to know them. The phrase, “veteran bores,” is much more lasting than just saying “Most people are boring.” It also comes to provide more details about Nick; he is an intelligent, wise man with an education, and this will prove to be important later on in the story. Providing a more solid tone to the story, Fitzgerald uses happy and cheerful descriptions to explain Daisy: “She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see.” The diction used almost contradicts the tone in that Nick is calculating, whereas Daisy is carefree. However, Fitzgerald carefully uses placement in his sentences to provide a direction for the story.
The placement or arrangement of words and phrases, syntax, creates a different mood and tone depending on each sentence. For example, the phrase “Please watch where you are going next time,” has a pleasant yet assertive feeling to it; whereas, “Watch where you’re going!” establishes a more abrasive mood and angry atmosphere. Fitzgerald starts the story with a calm introduction, but later develops into an intense and dramatic climax; the dinner scene at Tom’s is the beginning. During dinner, Daisy and Tom have a small argument because Tom’s mistress is phoning him. After they have simmered down, the reader can still feel the residue of anger in the tone of the conversation. Tom interrupts Daisy and says “’Did you give Nick a little heart-to-heart talk on the veranda?’ demanded Tom suddenly.” Even during her response he interrupts her once more: “’Don’t believe everything you hear, Nick,’ he advised me.” Fitzgerald carefully uses diction and syntax to create a visual scene for the reader.
Visually descriptive language, imagery, allows the reader to imagine the story in their mind. Phrases such as, “the starry winter sky,” and, “Beside the lake, beneath the trees,” allow the reader to use their prior knowledge of these adjectives and nouns to visualize it in their head; this gives them a better sense of the tone of the story. In the first chapter alone, Fitzgerald has many examples of imagery to provide a base setting. One of the most important settings in the story is described right off the start: “It was on that slender riotous island which extends itself due east of New York – and where there are, among other natural curiosities, two unusual formations of land. Twenty miles from the city a pair of enormous eggs…” Multiple counts of imagery in that statement alone provide the setting. From this description, the reader now understands that Nick lives in a richer area, and he feels inferior to these wealthy people around him. Another prime example of imagery from the first chapter: “Now he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.” Through this small paragraph alone, the reader now has a very detailed description of Tom in their mind. Using prior knowledge, one may realize that the aggressive characters usually are the most deceptive or evil; it adds a sense of danger that the reader can expect to find.
As many great authors have done, Fitzgerald has made a strong impression on the reader through the first chapter of the story. It is crucial to establish a strong base in the beginning so the reader is not confused during the rest of the story. Correctly using diction, syntax, and imagery, Fitzgerald has managed to do so within a count of twenty pages. Not only does the tone reveal the nature of the story itself, but it reveals what the author is trying to say to readers. It may have impacted the author personally, and it may affect the reader the same way. The tone can ultimately affect what the reader thinks of the story in general; it adds tension, entertainment, and feeling. In my personal opinion, The Great Gatsby provides an image of what one might think is ideal, but is actually hollow and full of nothing. Of course the party and the fun is all very exciting, but where was Gatsby in the end? What was he left with? It is ironic, however, that the modern reader would find this book interesting. Back in the 1920s, this book must have been bad to society considering it was about the rebels, the flappers, and the criminals. However, there are multiple, powerful messages Fitzgerald is trying to convey to readers, such as “everything is not what it seems.” This theme obviously relates to Gatsby and how he was all a lie and his illusion was only meant for one person. Decades past, many stories following the same concept have been published. However, few have been able to live up to the standards set by Fitzgerald.
This post was edited by drhong on Apr 10 2014 08:27pm