Great Gatsby Journal #1

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Chapter 1 Pg. 1-21

Summary:  The chapter brings an introduction to new characters such as Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, Daisy, and Miss Baker.  Nick has come back from the war and is looking for a job in bonds.  He moves West Egg and buys a little shack that lies between two big mansions.  After, he goes over to his cousin, Tom’s, house where he has a nice dinner and meets Miss Baker, who is a professional athlete.  After a long dinner, Nick goes home to see Gatsby, his neighbor, standing outside, and then suddenly disappearing.

Character: Tom Buchanan

“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.  Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body- he seemed to fill those glistening boots until he strained the top lacing, and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat.  It was a body capable of enormous leverage- a cruel body.” (Pg.7)

Tom is a very rich man who moves around a lot.  He is interested in things such as polo, taking around his horses wherever he goes.  It is mentioned that he has a women in New York, along with his wife that he lives with.  From his description, Tom is a very powerful man, getting what he wants.  Daisy, his wife, mentions that Tom, meaning that he might be controlling, bruised her.  He might be a racist, considering he believes that the white race must maintain their dominance.

Tom will probably help out Nick in the future considering that he is very rich and Nick doesn’t have as much money.  Tom also introduced Nick to Miss Baker, who could turn out to be married to Nick.

“’Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’” (Pg. 1)

The quote is very significant because it brings upon an idea or moral within the first two chapter of the story.  The moral will probably be a reoccurring theme throughout the story.  I liked the quote because it taught a good moral that is very important to learn in life.

-Jack Kauffman