The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Journal

George Angelopoulos 4˚

1. The Great Gatsby: Chapter 3, Pg. 39-59

2. Gatsby invites Nick to one of his famous parties. Nick attends, and is overcome by the luxury and money necessary to host such a party. Nick bumps in to Jordan and her friend Lucille who tries to guess who Gatsby is. Through conversation, Nick meets Gatsby, and discovers they served together in the army. Nick continues to explain his life outside of parties, including: working in New York City, taking long walks, meeting girls, and even dating Jordan.

3.            a. Jay Gatsby

            b. “He smiled understandingly- much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced-or seemed to face the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in you favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you that had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.” (48)

            c. Gatsby is a character who has the “it” factor. He is young, but has a lot of money. He is very generous with his money by hosting many parties, and inviting the entire neighborhood. He makes other people feel like they belong, like they have purpose, and like they are important in some way. Although he hosts many parties, he is not the most social person in the story. He often stands from afar, and admires the life of the world. People flock to him, yet his is shrouded in mystery. Even those who come to these parties do not really know him and his story.

            d. Gatsby’s role, so far, has been one of mystery. Everyone wants to know who he is and why he is here. He has a certain optimism, life, and generosity that other rich characters haven’t had so far. He represents someone who is both alive on the outside and the inside. Since Gatsby and Nick both served together in the army, they share this special type of connection. This connection will probably help Nick not only make a relationship with Gatsby, but also learn from him as well. Gatsby will also reveal other characters. His passion with Daisy will also tear apart the system that Tom created, revealing Tom’s inner “death.”

4. “Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (59) This quote struck me because it is an over simplification of the human mind. This quote also challenged me to think of what my top virtue would be. To try to sum up my beliefs into a simple virtue is very challenging, however this technique can be applied to some of the characters in the novel. Certain characters like Tom or Myrtle have specific goals for themselves that are quite apparent. Nick labeled himself, and in doing so, he challenges the reader to try to accurately label the other characters in the story. These labels can hint at certain decisions, and even future events.  This also provides a form of a hunt to try to find these labels, and figure out what they mean.