TGG Chapter 5 – Flashcards
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What does Nick mean when he says, "I realize now that under different circumstances that conversation might have been one of the crises of my life. But because the offer was obviously and tactlessly rendered, I had no choice except to cut him off there"?
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Nick realizes Gatsby is saying he has a way for Nick to make a lot of easy money, but he says no because it's probably earned illegally. He offers this to Nick because Nick is poor and he's done Gatsby a favor by inviting Daisy to tea.
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In chapter 5, what stages does Gatsby go through as he waits for and then meets with Daisy?
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He is anxious, nervous, impatient, and fumbly. He almost drops a clock and falls down a flight of stairs.
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How does Daisy react to the meeting? Try to point out several specifics throughout the chapter.
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She's all over the place, she's scared and nervous, then ectastic, then crying over "shirts," and taking him lovingly by the arm. She's very emotional.
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When Nick asks Gatsby what business he is in, Gastby responds, "That's my affair," before he realizes that it is not an appropriate reply. Why does Gatsby give that answer, and why is it not an appropriate reply?
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His mind was else where and when Nick caught him off guard he snapped at him. He's so used to automatically covering up his illegal affairs. It's not an appropriate reply becasue Nick is Gatsby's friend who's just done him a favor. He's supposed to be gracious not rude and suspicious.
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Why does Gatsby throw all his shirts on the table?
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To show off or show them off to Daisy. (It's one of the traits of new money people)
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Obviously, Daisy, with all her money, is not going to cry over some shirts; why does she cry?
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Daisy's crying becasue it's been so long and she is so happy with Gatsby that the lost time breaks her heart. She thinks of how miserable she is with Tom and here Gatsby has done ALL of this for her. She's just overwhelmed.
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What does Nick mean in Chapter 5 when he says, "even that afternoon Daisy tumbled short of his dreams--not through her own fault..."?
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Gatsby has been dreaming about this for so long and now that it's finally here it hasn't lived up to his expectations. It's been five years, people change, Daisy is different. Plus he's been putting so much effort and detail into this fantasy that reality and Daisy can't compete with it.
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What does Fitzgerald mean by, "Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her," between Gatsby and Daisy?
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The light was close to Daisy and he was far away. The light was her and at the same time she/it was so close across the bay she/it was so far. Their meeting and being together seemed impossible.
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What does Fitzgerald mean by, "Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one?"
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Now she's right next to him, he's achieved his goal. And the light is just a light. It doesn't represent her anymore it doesn't have significance becasue she's not there she's with Gatsby.
