Chapter 1-4

池无完船

This part mainly lays the foundation for the whole story and sets up intriguing mysteries, told from the perspective of Nick Carraway, a calm and rational narrator. At first, Nick moves to West Egg, a place where newly rich people live, and he visits his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom in East Egg, the residence of old aristocrats. Tom, as a representative of traditional upper class, is arrogant and cruel, while Daisy lives a luxurious but empty life. Then Nick meets his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who often holds grand parties with countless guests but always stays alone. The most striking scene is that Gatsby often stands by the dock at night, stretching out his hands towards the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, which is a puzzling but impressive detail. Besides, through various plots like Jordan Baker’s narration, we gradually know that Gatsby’s wealth seems to come from unknown sources, and all his splendor seems to be related to a hidden goal. What’s more, the Valley of Ashes between West Egg and New York is also shown, a desolate place that reflects the moral decay behind the prosperity of the 1920s. From a literary perspective, this part is excellent at foreshadowing and symbolizing. The division of East Egg and West Egg clearly reflects the class gap in American society at that time: East Egg stands for the old aristocracy with noble blood and stable status, while West Egg represents the newly rich who rely on sudden success and are looked down upon by the former. The green light becomes a key symbol from the very beginning, hinting at Gatsby’s unreachable dream in advance. Meanwhile, Gatsby’s mysterious image arouse readers’ curiosity deeply, making people eager to explore his true purpose. The author also uses the Valley of Ashes to criticize the spiritual emptiness hidden behind the economic boom of the Jazz Age, where people pursue material wealth crazily but lose their moral bottom line. After reading this part, I have a lot of feelings. First, I am curious about Gatsby’s true identity and his obsession with the green light. His loneliness behind the grand parties makes me realize that wealth can bring crowds, but not true companionship. Second, the class conflict shown in the story makes me think about the unfairness of society. The old aristocrats like Tom can easily maintain their superiority with their family background, while the newly rich like Gatsby can only be outsiders no matter how rich they are. Besides, Daisy’s helplessness in the marriage also makes me feel sorry, as she is trapped in the luxurious cage and loses the right to pursue true happiness. All these plots make me look forward to knowing more about Gatsby’s story and what his dream really is.