quotes Flashcards
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TP sentence
At the beginning of the novel, the circumstances of the conflict between Tom and Gatsby are made clear: they symbolise fundamentally different aspects of American society/ they conflict on a fundamentally ideological level.
Point
In Nick’s opening narration, he looks back retrospectively on his experience and comes to the conclusion that Gatsby was a person who had an…
“Extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness.”
Gatsby represents everything the American dream stands for like he is someone who came from the bottom and worked his way up to the top, the polar opposite of Tom who has a very fixed mindset coming from a very powerful wealthy family. This “gift for hope” suggests that it is a rare thing, something that sets Gatsby apart from the rest.
Point
indeed, Nick juxtaposes this romantic view of Gatsby with a blunt, negative depiction of Tom’s character who is entitled, elitist and bored with his incredibly comfortable life.
“supercilious manner.”
“supercilious” means that it is clear that Tom looks down on others because he believes himself to be superior. This is also exemplified when he talks about reading “The Rise of the Coloured Empires” and agreeing with its sentiments. It conveys that Tom has a sense of superiority that extends to race and moreover, class.
Recap
Fitzgerald sets out the circumstances of the conflict between Tom and Gatsby, the circumstances being the class into which they were born. Gatsby is born dirt poor, but through determination- and corruption- makes his own fortune, while Tom, bored and listless, can only look down at the new rich from his position of privilege.
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Tp sentence
There is a rising tension between Tom and Gatsby and their conflict starts escalating. They begin to have digs at each other and Gatsby attempts to show he is part of the old money society that Tom continues to shield.
Point
Tom gets insulted by Gatsby’s naivety getting under his skin and decides he is going to investigate him. Tom arrives at Gatsby’s house with the Sloanes, a wealthy couple.
Gatsby takes this as an opportunity to flaunt his prestige and power, telling Tom, “I know you wife.”
Gatsby begins to taunt Tom, implying through the double meaning that he is in a relationship with Daisy. This gets under Tom’s skin escalating the conflict between them. Later, just before the novel’s climax, Gatsby goes to Tom and Daisy’s house where Tom proceeds to show him around the place.
Point
Gatsby can’t stand being an outsider to the upper classes of society and begins to justify himself to Tom.
He says, “I’m right across from you.”
Gatsby’s statement has significant subtext. He stands up to Tom subtly to imply that he too has great wealth and that he is equal to Tom. This deepens the conflict between Tom and Gatsby because Tom would find Gatsby’s assumption insult
Point
Tom is rattled by Gatsby and the idea that he doesn’t know who he is, this makes him want to look into him.
At Gatsby’s party, he makes a decision, “I’d like to know who he is and what he does.”
Gatsby has offended Tom and it has become a priority of Tom to find out where Gatsby’s money comes from since he has not heard of his family.
Recap
The conflict between Gatsby and Tom rises and becomes more tense. Gatsby’s confidence in his relationship with Daisy and thus in his ability to be social equals with Tom, makes him vulnerable to Tom’s power. Tom, however, does not take Gatsby all that seriously until he realises what it is that he stands to lose and what it would mean to him.
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TP sentence
During the climax of the novel all of the tension that has been building up between the two explode when Gatsby is confronted by Tom. Gatsby’s dream quickly slips out of his fingers and Tom quickly snatches Daisy back from him.
Point
While Gatsby is visiting East Egg, Gatsby and Daisy make their affair obvious to Tom; he can tell by how they look at each other and by the way in which Daisy speaks to Gatsby:
“she had told him that he loved him and Tom Buchanan saw… recognised her as someone he knew a long time ago.”
Tom knows in this instant that Daisy is having an affair with Gatsby because of the way she speaks to him- she compliments him twice in an intimate tone and this alerts Tom to their affair. Tom is “astounded” because he is egocentric and although he is having an affair and expects Daisy to put up with it, he would not expect Daisy to do the same. It is an immediate affront to his masculinity and to his ego, but because she is having an affair with someone who is socially inferior, it is even worse.
Point
In the aftermath of Tom’s ridicule of Gatsby and his past, Gatsby blurts out what he has always believed about Daisy and Tom:
“She never loved you… she only married you because I was poor.”
Gatsby outlines why he thinks Daisy married Tom. We see again that Gatsby thinks that the reason for everything is money, however in this case it is not money but social class. If money were the only object standing in his way, beating the class system would be easy.
Recap
A direct consequence of Tom and Gatsby’s conflict is the explosive confrontation in the Plaza Hotel where Gatsby’s entire life is ripped apart by Tom in front of daisy. Fitzgerald is trying to show that money can’t buy social class and that this eventually caught up with Gatsby.
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