Dialectical Journal For The Great Gatsby

1. The point I find to be the most crucial to the plot in Chapter 1 is the Buchanan’s blatant unhappiness. Tom is obviously unhappy in his married life because, not only is he restless in the sense that he moves frequently, but he also is having an open affair. Daisy is also obviously unhappy because of the way she so readily opened up to Nick, whom she did not know well despite their familial relation, and in the way she interacted with Tom. Even if I had not read this story before, I would have picked up on the fact that this singular point would be a catalyst to the rest of the plot.
2. At the beginning of the novel, Tom describes himself as a very tolerant man who often moves people who generally keep to themselves to open up to him without much effort. Tom prides himself on reserving his judgment of others until he takes time to observe and get to know them. This is a quality he is obviously proud of as he makes a point to describe his habits surrounding this quality in depth. He also describes himself as slightly restless and a bit fed up with the monotony of

Jordan Baker is a female golf player who is a friend of Daisy’s and is staying with the Buchanans for much of the summer. Nick finds her appearance to be appealing because of her “gray sun-strained eyes” and “erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet.” He also says that she has a charming face. In addition, he also finds her manner to be appealing because of her aloof and seemingly uncaring air. She also politely reciprocates his curiosity about her.
5. When Nick first sees him, Gatsby emerges from his mansion with his hands in his pockets to observe the stars. Nick considers calling out to him but thinks better of it once he discerns from his behavior that Gatsby would rather be left alone. Gatsby stretches out his arms toward the water in a strange manner and Nick believes that he is trembling when he does so, although Nick is unsure