Chapter 1

Explaining the Pictures:

The picture to the left is a picture of New York City. The picture to the right is a picture of two fried eggs. These pictures are very significant to chapter one in The Great Gatsby because the story is just beginning so the setting is important. Nick, the main character happens to live on an Island referred to as West Egg because it is shaped like an egg. The island next to his, where Tom and Daisy live, is called East Egg for the same reason. These two islands are on the outskirts of New York City, which is why there is a picture of the city.

Quotes:

1.) " It's about the butler's nose. Do you want to hear about the butler's nose" (18)?

Significance: The people in the story are so rich and bored that they have nothing better to do than gossip about others.

2.) "I'm paralyzed with happiness" (13).

Significance: Daisy exaggerates all the time so people will pay more attention to her.

3.) "She might have the decency not to telephone him at dinner-time. Don't you think?' "

Significance: Daisy's husband Tom is having an affair, but she is not really upset about it. This shows peoples lack of care for anyone other than themselves.

4.) "Don't believe everything you hear, Nick"

Significance: This is significant because it shows that no one in the story can trust each other.

Analysis of the chapter:

Symbolism is an underlying theme in the first chapter of The Great Gatsby. For example, the setting of the story is the two Egg islands. This is because they are shaped like eggs, but also because the characters is the story share many of the same characteristics of eggs. Eggs have a hard shell and appear tough on the outside. However, on the inside they are soft and liquid. The characters in the book are also like that. Daisy for instance appears to be very well put together. She pretends as though her husband's affair doesn't bother her. On the inside however she is very depressed and lonely. She does a lot of things for attention and love to make up for what she does not receive from her husband.