The Great Gatsby 9

1.     Chapter 9 Pages 163 - 180

2.     Summary: Nick begins the final chapter of this book two years after the death of Gatsby. Reporters and journalists were constantly around the house asking questions about George Wilson and Gatsby. Nick tries to arrange a funeral for Gatsby because he doesn’t want to go through the pain and suffering alone. Gatsby’s so called “friends” do not attend his funeral. He receives excuses such as, “cannot come down now as I am tied up in some very important business and cannot get mixed up in this thing now,” from Meyer Wolfsheim. “None of his “friends” actually cared about him, let alone really knew him. They only wanted to be a part of Gatsby’s life because of the fun parties. Those who did attend were Nick, former servants, Gatsby’s father, and Owl Eyes. Gatsby’s father, Henry C. Gatz, was extremely proud of his son for what he had accomplished and he was convinced that Gatsby had a grand future ahead of him. Later, Nick starts to remember his time in college and decides to move back to the Midwest because the East had a “horrible affect on everyone’s actions.” He meets with Jordan one last time to find that she is engaged to another man. Although they say goodbye on bad terms, Gatsby is still half in love with her. At the end of this novel, we see a change in Nick. He is no longer passive, taking everything in, but he starts to speak up. Next, he meets Tom, discovers that Daisy never told Tom the truth, and calls them both careless people. A message I get from this is that we have to allow our “new” ideas to join with the old ones, in order to progress in life. Nick is telling to take Gatsby as an example, and to wake up before our hearts are broken. We cannot lose sight of reality in the think of our illusions and dreams.

3.     Character:

a.     Henry C. Gatz

b.     Quote: “He had reached an age where death no longer has the quality of ghastly surprise, and when he looked around him no for the first time and saw the height and splendor of the hall and the great rooms opening out from it into other rooms his grief began to be mixed with an awed pride.” (168)

c.      Qualities: Henry C. Gatz is a solemn old man, with a thin grey beard. He is a good, proud father with eyes filled with excitement. He sees Gatsby’s success for the first time in his life and is filled with joy at the sight of it. All Henry wanted was for Gatsby to prosper and be happy. He is a loving father and he is deeply saddened when Gatsby dies.

d.     Role: Henry C. Gatz is Gatsby’s father. He knows Gatsby’s true identity and who he really was. Henry is someone who is completely real in Gatsby’s life because we never see him lie, cheat or manipulate anyone in this novel. He is one of the few people that went to his funeral because he truly loves Gatsby.

4.     Quote: “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…” (pg. 180)

Nick’s words are pointed directly towards the reader. He is touching on the dream that Gatsby had for his life with Daisy and how that dream has gone away. Although this may be true, Nick reassures us that tomorrow is a new day and new opportunities will come before us. This is a parallel to the American dream: one of new opportunities and chances. Nick encourages us to keep our eyes on the green light, like Gatsby did; to keep on dreaming and believing. This book closes with the thought that even though sometimes we may not accomplish something fully today, there is always going to be a tomorrow to try again and succeed in achieving our dreams.