Team+Gazebo

media type="file" key="full interview3.mp3"F Scott Fitzgerald's interview is now available online. It is a project by Dougles. A rough transcript can be view in the discussion pages.

[|Nick's Memories of the 1920's] The 1920s: an era of great wealth and prosperity. It was known as “The Jazz Age” – a term coined by author F. Scott Fitzgerald. This decade produced some of the greatest music in American history – ranging from the epic compositions of Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington George and Ira Gershwin, Joe “King” Paul Whiteman and his Orchestras, and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. The Jazz phenomenon went rampant across the nation: in Chicago, New Orleans, Kansas City, and of course, New York. Jazz was appealing to the people of the 1920s for a number of reasons. Swing brought about a new type of dance, but jazz ballads proved to be passionate and beautiful. Many artists of the time claimed that jazz was in fact “American classical music.” The Twenties were a time period of change. After the Great War, as it was referred to at the time, many had become newly rich and lived with grandeur. It was a time period in which women began to freely express themselves. This idea of freedom was reflected in the music of the time, which was heavily based on improvisation and styles of the artists. One of the most famous song of the decade was “Rhapsody in Blue” – written by Gershwin to be performed by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. It melded concepts from classical music and ragtime to establish what would become known as jazz. Another famous tune was “The Sheik of Araby”, written by Ted Snyder, and quoted in the decade’s most famous novel, //The Great Gatsby.// What made jazz different was a series of changes in musical techniques, instrumentation, and style. Most songs were written in twelve-bar blues formats, the melodies entirely based on a progression of three chords. The fast-moving swing style was also a new concept that made jazz its own definitive genre. The “Jazz Age” was also the first time the saxophone was widely used in ensembles. Because of this, the sax became almost synonymous with this type of music and provided a different sound never heard before. One of the most prolific artists of the 1920s was Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong – one of the single most important figures in jazz history. In the mid 1920s Armstrong headed off the Hot Five and Hot Seven ensembles, which produced some of the most influential jazz compositions to date, including West End Blues. Armstrong claimed to be born on the fourth of July at the turn of the century: simply another fact solidifying his place in the rise to prominence of American classical music. “Satchmo” grew up in New Orleans, but moved to Chicago to play with prominent trumpeter and band leader Joe “King” Oliver. While in Chicago, Armstrong played for the gangster Al Capone at the Sunset Café, along with pianist Earl Hines, who became one of Armstrong’s chief collaborators. Armstrong returned to NYC in 1929 to play in the pit orchestra of a musical //Hot Chocolate,// where his rendition of //Ain’t Misbehavin’// became the most popular version of the standard ever. The 1920s were perhaps the most important decade in American musical history. Artists like Armstrong, King Oliver, and Gershwin went on to revolutionize American music. Jazz was not just a new style of music; it was representative of a new way of life. It reflected a life that, just as the great Duke Ellington would say, “Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”.

Amogh K Doug G Julianna H Joanna K**
 * Team Gazebo:

=//Plot (Very basic)//=
 * //The Great Gatsby//**

Nick comes home to find Gatsby’s house all lit up. Gatsby tries doing everything he can think of to make Nick happy, hoping he will set up a rendezvous with Daisy. Nick calls to have daisy over for tea. Gatsby and Daisy meet again for the first time and years, and after tea, they go to Gatsby’s house with Nick. Gatsby and Daisy really bond.

In the next chapter, Gatsby’s real past is revealed. Later, Tom Buchanan and two friends come over, as Tom want to see what’s up between Daisy and Gatsby. They halfheartedly invite him to dinner, but he accepts anyway.

Tom and Daisy decide to attend Gatsby’s next party, but Daisy does not have a good time and there is a different atmosphere than at the other parties. Gatsby is upset by this.

//Character Analysis – Doug Greer//
Nick-
 * 1) Page 83. Gatsby is grateful that Nick is going to arrange for him to meet Daisy, so Gatsby attempts bribery, under the mask of asking Nick to take on some work on the side. Nick refuses absolutely. This shows that while Nick is interested, respects, and is even awed by dirty money, he wants no part in making any.
 * 2) Nick is also shown to be an incredible go-between, and shows off his abilities to connect to everyone because of his open-mindedness. On the bottom of page 87, he tells Gatsby that it’s OK to be embarrassed and that Daisy is just as embarrassed which is just enough to get Gatsby’s ball rolling.
 * 3) Said by nick about the party “I was looking at it [the party] through Daisy’s eyes. It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment.” This again shows how keen Nick is. He is a very adept narrator because he is so perceptive and objective.
 * 4) There is a part where Daisy and Nick are talking as Nick ushers her into his house from the rain. They are talking about her chauffer. Nick says, “Does the gasoline affect his nose?” Daisy responds, “Why?” Nick is making a pun on Daisy’s story in chapter one about the silver polisher who developed nose problems from vocation. Nick’s pun shows three qualities. First he is perceptive. He notices little thing, a great quality for a narrator. Second, it shows his almost infallible memory. Daisy clearly doesn’t remember the old conversation at all, but Nick remembers the whole story. Third, it shows his dry sense of humor. Though he does have a sense of humor, he is a fairly sober man.

Gatsby-
 * 1) On the whole bribery business with Nick: Gatsby falters, showing his first weakness. On page 82: ““There’s another thing,” he said uncertainly and hesitated.” Gatsby is doing the first thing that matters to him. Up till now everything has been a drill. Now it counts and he has yet to become sure of himself. He is very nervous, and contrasts his earlier character.
 * 2) His nervousness progresses. When Daisy comes, Gatsby turned pale as death. He was also standing in a puddle, signifying that he is getting cold feet about the whole idea. Gatsby begins to doubt himself and calls the plan a failure multiple times. This part actually is really sentimental. It shows how much Gatsby really cares about his one goal in life. He has done everything right so far, but everything comes down to this, and he does have a good chance of blowing it. Fortunately things start going well, but it just shows that the best of us get some really bad butterflies in their stomachs too. This exposure really brings Gatsby down from the level of a god to the level of a friend in need.
 * 3) In this section, we see Gatsby as a round character. Of course, he shows signs of being/talking aristocratically. In the conversation with Nick, he is talking to him about preparing for tea with Daisy. He says “I want to get my grass cut,” but means he wants to get the Nicks grass cut. He is portrayed as talking like the old money folks who say what the opposite of what they mean. But later in chapter 6, He awkwardly accepts an invitation to a dinner party that he is only invited to denotatively. Also back on page 90, when Nick asks him about his money he says, “That’s my affair.” Nick says that “wasn’t an appropriate reply.” In that conversation on page 90, though, Gatsby starts really getting caught up with himself and his happiness. It is touching that he “was literally glow[ing],” but he starts to show his west eggedness by getting careless. This characterization foreshadows his downfall.
 * 4) Nick describes that Gatsby goes through three states when he meets Daisy – embarrassment/nervousness, glowing, and finally wonder. This furthers his character as being overcome by the tangibility of his goal.
 * 5) Of course, in this section, Gatsby’s background is exposed, but I think that is more of plot stuff than anything. It does state the cause of Gatsby’s love, however, and his never-ending ambition.

Daisy-
 * 1) “Don’t bring Tom” “What” “Don’t bring Tom” “Who’s ‘Tom’?” she asked innocently. This conversation furthers Daisy’s playful character, and characterization of her charming voice.
 * 2) Also the quote “The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain,” perfectly describes Daisy’s voice. Daisy’s voice is one of a kind; it is the one real drink in the endless sea of water. It is fitting that her voice is represented by an alcoholic drink in this jazz age; it is ironic that her voice is represented by a liquor, when she herself does not drink.

Tom –
 * 1) “Tom was evidentially perturbed by Daisy’s running around” “By god, I may be old fashioned in my ideas but women run around too much these days to suit me.” Tom is a hypocrite. Of course he has affairs, but his woman must always be faithful and always at home.
 * 2) Tom is shown to be a big bully. He is flat and static character. He makes it a point to bring Gatsby down in the latter chapter.

//Writing Style// Throughout the novel, as has been established, Fitzgerald has a very poetic and crafty way of writing. Each of his sentences has a distinct weight; each intended to provide the reader with a greater understanding of the text.
 * 1) He uses weather as a means to set the scene for many of the interactions within the novel.
 * 2) He uses repetition of certain phrases, particularly “old sport”; used to convey Gatsby’s desire to fit in with the social norms.
 * 3) “Once more it was pouring, and my irregular lawn, well shaved by Gatsby’s gardener, abounded in small muddy swamps and prehistoric marshes. There was nothing to look at from under the tree except Gatsby’s enormous house, so I started at it, like Kant at his church steeple, for half an hour.” (88)
 * 4) He uses flower imagery: “scarcely human orchid of a woman” (104), “we went upstairs…vivid with new flowers” (91)
 * 5) Colors are emphasized; “He took out a pile of shirts…such beautiful shirts” (92).

//Themes//

 * 1) The lavish pursuit of wealth by society marked throughout the 1920’s reflects the corruption of the American dream.
 * 2) “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.” (93)
 * 3) Gatsby’s acquisition of wealth was simply to impress Daisy, who eventually meets him once again (Chapter V). This pivotal chapter marks the beginning of the end for Gatsby. This quote signifies a number of things; the fact that the light has vanished indicates that his pursuit of his dream is coming to a close, since he will never truly be able to be with Daisy. Despite his lavish parties and exorbitant wealth, his pursuit of the American Dream has led him to a woman who he will never be able to call his own.

//Symbolism// § //“He revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her **well-loved eyes**.”­//
 * **Eyes** à Different perspectives, perception,
 * **Owl-eyed man**- wise, understanding (91)
 * **“Arrogant eyes”** -- Tom
 * Look through her eyes, gain her approval

§ //“The clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned & caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place.”// § //“He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an over-wound clock.”// (86)
 * **Clock** à Conflict with time
 * Gatsby’s tries to bring the past into the future; never lives in present

§ Daisy- “//It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.”// · Never had the bright, happy life she wanted b/c Tom never fully devoted
 * **Bright Clothes** à Beauty/excitement in life
 * G. lays an expensive, “many-colored disarray” on bed (92)

§ Passionate; only reason to live: “//Burns all night at the end of your dock.”// § “//Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it seemed very near to her, almost touching her…His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.”// (93)
 * **Green Moonlight** à Colossal, unreachable dream
 * Green light = Dream / Goal to get Daisy

§ //“The rain was still falling, but the darkness had parted in the west, and there was a pink and golden billow of foamy clouds above the sea.” (94)//
 * **Rain/water** à Cleansing / Constant change
 * Different forms- dew, sea, rain, swimming pool
 * Could be seen as the storm or the cleansing when D & G finally meet

§ Becoming a wealthy man to win Daisy back becomes the destination
 * **Boats/Yacht** à Glamour, beauty, destination
 * When G sees Dan Cody on yacht, his life changes à invents a new Gatsby


 * **Portrait of Dan Cody**
 * To achieve what he did, but dissuaded from drinking
 * Had potential to do great things, but too focused on Daisy to ever do them

§ //“Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about peasantry”//
 * **Origin of Gatsby’s Hat/Brewer** à Failure / similar story
 * N. stares at G’s house like Kant at church steeple (88)
 * Brewer built it; asked neighbors to have roofs thatched w/ straw, he would pay 5yrs tax à tragic end


 * Gatsby’s Simple Room**
 * His extravagance is only an //exterior// quality-- inside, a simple guy ; can actually //feel// for others (21)


 * Tom—“Polo Player”**
 * Didn't understand West Egg or "new money"-- celebrities, loud glamour
 * Judgmental, traditional, //"women run around too much these days to suit me"//
 * N. mentions first time he felt an "//oppressive//" spirit at G's party
 * Even Daisy was "//appalled by its raw vigor"//
 * "//She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand."//
 * Songs:**

//The **rich get richer and** the poor get--children//
 * Reflect more than time period! Relates to current situation:
 * **//Ain’t We Got Fun//** //(Klipspringer plays on piano)//
 * //In the morning, in the evening, Ain't we got fun--//
 * **//One thing's sure//** //and nothing's surer//
 * //In between time--//**

§ //We go all back this time. Sometimes you feel good go back and start all over again.// § //I’ve looked around me, people, Hey, and my baby **she knows she cant be found.** Looked all around me, people, Oh, my baby, she cant be found. Well, you know if I don’t find my baby, People, I’m going down to the **golden ground.**//
 * **//Three O’clock in the Morning//**
 * “Neat, sad waltz” (108)
 * Seemed to call Daisy back inside
 * Lyrics:
 * You remind and go back one time**, do you?

The Great Gatsby Online: http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/gatsby/

SET IDEAS FOR PROJECT: (A)- Amogh (J&J)- Julianna, Joanna (D)- Doug

1) MUSIC MONTAGE- (A) history & theme 2) POEM W/ GRAPHICS- (J&J) theme 3) ARCHITECTURE HOUSE- (J&J) theme & class 4) NEWSPAPER- (A) author- tabloid; Gatsby- obituary 5) FBOOK PROFILE 2 (J&J)- Gatsby, Nick 6) MASTERCARD COMMERCIAL/FLIPBOOK- (D)- theme, Gatsby, Daisy

Work on these ideas and have notable progress by the end of this week!!

Other: Look for clothing in your house to wear on the project day to describe era.

Guys -- I'm not entirely sure about the Mastercard Commercial - I don't really think it would be as deep as some of our other connections. We need to have a literary criticism as part of the paper, so I was thinking about doing something with that - there are TONS of literary criticisms of Gatsby, some dating back to 1925. And also, something that we could play off of would be to use the fact that F.Scott was related to Francis Scott Key (and named after him) - so we can do something with the National Anthem. Just some food for thought.. Oh yeah. The Facebook/myspace thing seems to be quite common, so I think we should look elsewhere.. -AK