The Great Gatsby- Chapter 9

Summary: At the beginning of chapter 9, there are a lot of people like photographers, journalists, and policemen coming in and out of Gatsby's house. Nick said how Michaelis said that Myrtle was having an affair. Catherine denied this though and said that Myrtle did not know Gatsby. Everyone thought that Wilson was just a madman. Nick then becomes nervous because people are asking him questions about Gatsby's funeral. Nick realized that he was responsible because no one else was interested in doing it. Nick had called Daisy half an hour after they found Gatsby's body. When he called though, Daisy and Tom had left and did not leave an adress to where they were going. Nick wanted to find someone to comfort Gatsby. He tried to contact Wolfshiem. Nick then tried to find some information about Gatsby's parents. The next day he sent a butler with a letter to give to Wolfshiem. Daisy never sent a telegram, and Wolfshiem never came. He sent a letter though. The letter said how he did not really want to be involved in the funeral but would like to know about the funeral. Nick then got a phone call from a mysterious person. The person thought that Nick was Gatsby. The man was talking about business stuff and how it had gone wrong. Gatsby's old father then came from Minnesota. He had seen about Gatsby's death in a Chicago newspaper. Gatsby's father was in grieving over his son's death, but he was also very proud of his son's accomplishments when he was looking around his house. He says that Gatsby would have lived to be a good man. He also says that he will leave Gatsby's body in the east because he always loved it. One night Klipspringer calls and is very frantic. He wants a pair of shoes he left at Gatsby's house. Nick is talking to him about going to the funeral. Klipspringer says that he will try to make it to the funeral, but he says that he has a picnic to go to in the city. On the day of the funeral, Nick goes to New York City to find Wolfshiem. At first his secretary says that he his not there. When Nick mentions Gatsby, the secretary goes and gets Wolfshiem. Wolfshiem says how he made Gatsby in business. Wolfshiem says he can't go to Gatsby's funeral because he doesn't want to get mixed up in the business. He says that he should show his friendship was his friends were alive and not dead. When he gets back to West Egg, Nick finds Mr. Gatz proudly roaming the halls of Gatsby's house. Mr. Gatz says how Gatsby visited him two years before and bought him a house. He shows Nick a picture of Gatsby which is worn because he has shown it so many times before. He then shows Nick one of Gatsby's schedules from when he was little. He thought that Gatsby was very productive since he was young. They waited for people to come to Gatsby's funeral, but no one came. They then go, and it is raining. Three cars drove to his funeral. Nick, Mr. Gratz, and some servants went to the funeral. One man then came thought. It was the owled-eyed man from the party before. He was the drunk man from the library. He says the 'poor-son-of-a-bitch'. Nick then talks about trains. He says how he, Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy were not able to make it in the East because they were from the west. He says how he can see West Egg even two years later. Nick says how before he left the East. He went to see Jordan to end things with her. She replied to him that another man wanted to marry her. He pretended like he was surprised, but he wasn't. She said that he threw her over. She says how they were bot bad drivers, and they both met each other on the road which wasn't a good idea. One afternoon, Nick saw Tom. Tom tried to pretend like he didn't see Nick, but Nick talked to him anyway. You then find out how Tom had talked to Wilson before he went and saw Gatsby. Tom had told Wilson the truth. Tom had told him who owned the car. He tried to get rid of Wilson because he didn't want him to shoot him or Daisy. Tom also said that he suffered when he went back to the apartment and saw dog biscuits. Nick then goes on to says how Tom and Daisy are careless people. He says that the nights before he left he would go to New York City to avoid the memories. He says that sometimes cars would come up and then leave. He then goes to the beach before he left. He thinks about how close Gatsby was to his dream. Gatsby believed in the light, the past, even though tomorrow always came, but everyone had to beat on in their boats.

Response: Gatsby's life seemed so great, but in reality it wasn't because he had no one. The only people who were there for him were his father and Nick. His servants only came to his funeral probably out of respect for their boss. Gatsby may have been wealthy, but he was not rich in love. He loved Daisy a lot, but Daisy obviously did not feel the same thing for him. Daisy would not have left Tom for Gatsby. It also sad because Gatsby strived to live in the past. He wanted to pretend like those five years that separated Daisy never happened, but they did. There was proof though because of Daisy and Tom's daughter. Gatsby wanted something that was impossible to get. He could not go back in time. Daisy could not pretend like never loved Tom because she did. Gatsby had to learn that he could only live in the present and not try to recreate the past. Nick was right that Daisy and Tom are careless. They can't even take care of each other or themselves let alone their daughter. It seems like every relationship each of them was in was flawed. They made promises to people that they couldn't keep. They wanted to act like they could be good with another person, but they couldn't. The flaws that each of them had made it so that only they could be with another person because in the end they will just leave behind the destruction they caused and move to a new place to do it all over again.

Question: Where does all of Gatsby's money go? He might have left it to Daisy, but I doubt it because then there would be a chance that Tom would get it.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 8

Summary: Nick wakes up and hears a taxi come to Gatsby's house. When he goes over, Gatsby says that nothing happened and he left. Nick and Gatsby are then talking, and Nick tells Gatsby that he thinks Gatsby should go away because they will be able to trace his car, but Gatsby won't leave Daisy. That was the same night that Gatsby told Nick about Jay Gratz. He also tells about him and Daisy. He says that Daisy was the first nice girl he had known, and he wasn't expecting anything from her. He says that Daisy was very rich which kind of amazed him because she didn't even realize it and just lived her life like normal. He also liked Daisy because many other men had loved her. He knew that he was below Daisy. He let Daisy believe that he was on the same level as her. Gatsby 'took' Daisy. She then left him with nothing he said, but he felt married to her. Daisy and Gatsby were in love with each other though. Gatsby then left for war. He did well, but Daisy kept on sending him nervous letters asking him why he couldn't come back. She wanted to see him again and feel his presence. Daisy eventually went back to dating. She now wanted someone practical with money whom she loved. That person was Tom. Gatsby then says that he does not think that Daisy did ever love Tom. But then he says she may have loved him for just a minute but had still loved Gatsby more. When Gatsby came back to the US, he went to Louisville when Tom and Daisy were on their honeymoon. He walked the same streets that he and Daisy had walked. When he leaves, he is on a train and realizes that he lost the best part of between him and Daisy forever. The gardener then comes to Gatsby and says that he is going to drain the pool for fall. Gatsby says to wait though because he hasn't been in it all summer. Nick finally leaves for the city even though he does not want to leave Gatsby. When Nick is leaving he tells Gatsby, "They're a rotten crowd. You're worth the whole damn bunch put together" (162). Nick reflects on how he was glad he said it because it was the first compliment Nick ever gave Gatsby. He says that he had always disapproved of Gatsby. At work, Nick is kind of restless. Nick then tells what happened at Wilson's garage after they left. George Wilson was very distraught. Michalelis stayed with him all night while he just kind of rocked back and forth. In the morning, Wilson began talking about the yellow car. Wilson then tells Michaleis to open a drawer. When he does, he find an expensive dog leash. Wilson says that he found it on Myrtle's dresser wrapped in tissue paper. Wilson then says, "He killed her"(166). He thinks that the man Myrtle was cheating with murdered her. He says that she ran out to speak to him, but he wouldn't stop. Wilson says that he told Myrtle that he could fool him, but she couldn't fool God and pointed at the advertisement with the Doctor staring at them. Michaelis leaves in the morning, and when he comes back, Wilson is gone. They tracked Wilson's movements then. He walked from place to place acting crazy. They say that he must have been going from garage to garage asking about a yellow car. By half past two, he was at Gatsby's house. Meanwhile, Gatsby had gotten in his swimsuit and had gotten a mattress to go to his pool. He had told his servants not to have the car moved. Gatsby's chauffeur said how he had heard the shot but thought nothing of it. Nick then has come to Gatsby's house. He runs to the pool and finds Gatsby's body. After they have started towards the house with Gatsby, they see that Wilson's body and, "the holocaust was complete" (170.)

Response: It seems like ever since Gatsby left Daisy he was trying to go back to the past. He went back to Louisville and remember the past. He tried to act like nothing had happened during the five years that Daisy and he were separated. He wanted to live with Daisy like nothing had ever happened. It is kind of sad because Gatsby tried to earn so much money and please Daisy in order to live in the past. That was the best thing of his life, and he didn't want to move on. I don't think that Daisy would have ever left Tom. I think that she felt too comfortable with him even though he had cheated on her. He made her feel secure. I think that she probably loved money more than any man including Gatsby which is why he wanted to become so rich. Gatsby didn't care if she loved money more than him because he loved her. Was Doctor Elkenburg in the advertisements like God? That is what Wilson referred to when talking to Myrtle. He did sort of see everything and was all knowing. He knew that Tom and Myrtle were having an affair. It is also odd though that Fitzgerald would write that he is like God because Daisy compared Gatsby's eyes to the Doctor in the advertisement. Was Fitzgerald trying to say that Gatsby knew everything all along? It doesn't really seem like it though because Gatsby was kind of delusional. He thought that Daisy had or would only love him. He thought that since he did not love anyone else Daisy couldn't which is unrealistic.

Question: Did Fitzgerald write Gatsby by thinking about himself? Gatsby and Fitzgerald's lives both seem sort of similar because they both tried to earn money in order to get the woman they loved.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 7

Summary: Just when everyone is starting to become even more curious about Gatsby, he stops throwing his parties. Nick went over to his house then to see what was going on. When he rang the doorbell, an unfamiliar butler answered. He had replaced his servants with new ones who will not gossip about him because Daisy comes over quite a lot in the afternoons. His new servants are brothers and sisters who used to run an old hotel. They are people that Wolfshiem wanted to do something for. Gatsby called to tell Nick this and that he wanted Nick to go to dinner at Daisy's. When Gatsby and Nick arrive, Daisy and Jordan are laying on the sofa because it is too hot to move. Tom is busy talking to his mistress on his phone. When Tom comes back in, Daisy asks him to go get drinks. When he leaves, she goes over to Gatsby and kisses him. She also tells him that she loves him. Daisy and Tom's daughter then comes in with a nurse. Nick and Gatsby said hello. Gatsby kind of is awe because he had never really believed in her existence. Daisy says that she looks like Daisy and not Tom. Tom then comes in and invites Gatsby to go outside. Gatsby says how he lives across the sound from them. At dinner, Daisy says how she wants to go to town. Her and Gatsby look at each other then and Tom can tell that something is going on. Daisy says that Gatsby looks like the advertisement of the man. Tom then interupts and says that they will all go to town. When the boys are outside, Tom goes back in to get some whiskey. When he leaves, Gatsby turns to Nick and says that he can't talk in Tom's house. He also says how Daisy's voice is full of money. Tom then takes Gatsby's car with Jordan and Nick. Daisy and Gatsby ride in Tom's car. When they get in the car, Tom asks Nick and Jordan if they saw what he did. He says that he's not stupid. Tom goes on to say that he has had Gatsby investigated. Tom hints that Gatsby didn't really go to Oxford. They then stop at Wilson's garage to get gas. Wilson comes out and says that he is sick. You then find out that it was Wilson who Tom was talking to at lunch. He says how he wanted Tom's old car. Tom then says that he can have the yellow one that he is driving. Wilson says how he and his wife want to go west. Tom is very surprised. Wilson says that he has just found out something two days ago and that is why he wants to move west. Nick then notices that there is no difference between Tom and Wilson. Nick then notices Myrtle watching them from upstairs. Myrtle was looking at Jordan with jealously because she thought Jordan was Tom's wife. Tom is angry because he realizes that he no longer has control over Daisy or Myrtle. When they got into the city, they got a room at the Plaza because Daisy wanted to take baths, but they fought then and just rented the room to drink. Tom tells Daisy to stop complaining about the heat. Gatsby then tells Tom to stop bothering her. Tom then remarks how Gatsby always says old sport. They then hear wedding bells. Daisy remembers how someone named Biolxi that no one really knew fainted at her wedding. They brought him to Jordan's house where he stayed for three weeks until her dad kicked him out. Biloxi had said how he was class president at Yale, but they didn't have a president. Tom then says how he has heard that Gatsby is an Oxford man. Gatsby then sort of denies it and says how he went there for only five months. Tom then asks Gatsby why he is having an affair with Daisy. He calls Gatsby a Nobody. Gatsby then says how Daisy never loved Tom. He says the only reason she married Tom was because she was tried of waiting around for Gatsby to become rich. Gatsby says that they have loved each other for five years. Tom says that Daisy loved him when she married him and still loves him now. Tom says that he has always loved Daisy even though he has had affairs. Gatsby wants Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him and always loved Gatsby. Daisy says it, but she is reluctant. Daisy then says how she did love Tom, but she loves Gatsby now. Tom says that there are things between him and Daisy that Gatsby will never know. Gatsby says then that he wants to talk to Daisy alone. Gatsby says that Daisy is leaving Tom. Tom then says that Gatsby is a bootleger. Tom goes on to say that Gatsby is doing something now that his source is afraid to talk about. Gatsby looked then like he had killed someone. Tom then tells Daisy and Gatsby to leave in Gatsby's car. He says that Gatsby now knows that the affair is over. Nick then realizes that it is his 30th birthday. Nick thinks that 30 means the promise of a decade of loneliness. When they are leaving, Nick says that they are driving towards death. A boy named Michaelis then goes and finds Wilson sick. Wilson tells him how he has his wife locked up and won't let her out until they leave in two days. He leaves then and forgets about Wilson. He remembers Wilson though sometime later. He sees Myrtle run away towards a yellow car. The car hit her and killed her and just kept going. Nick, Tom, and Jordan are soon there. Tom wants to stop to see whats going on. When Tom sees Myrtle's body, he is upset. When Wilson says it was a yellow car, Tom realizes who hit her. He tells the police how his car is blue, but the car that hit her was yellow. Tom says how Gatsby is a coward. When they come back to Tom and Daisy's house, Tom tells Nick to wait for a cab. As he is waiting, Nick runs into Gatsby who is waiting in case anything happens between Daisy and Tom. After they talk about the accident, Gatsby reveals that Daisy was driving when they hit Myrtle. She had veered away from her but then went back into the lane. Gatsby says though that he will take the blame. Nick then is looking through Daisy and Tom's windows and see them just sitting there not looking unhappy or happy. He says that it looks intimate. Nick then leaves to go back to West Egg, and Gatsby stays there.

Response: This chapter seems to be when everything came together and kind of like the climax. Tom feels completely out of control because his wife is having an affair with Gatsby and now Myrtle is going to leave with Wilson to go out west which probably makes him feel very angry. It is also odd how Nick almost feels like his life is over because he is thirty. He feels like 30 means you are lonely, but he has Jordan. I think Gatsby may not be all there. He insists on Daisy telling Tom she never loved him, but she really did. I think he feels like Daisy needs to be exactly like him and feel as much for Gatsby as he feels for her. The Doctor in the advertisement also seems to kind of be all knowing like he is watching over everyone. I think that is who Daisy thinks Gatsby looked like. When Tom said that Gatsby knows this flirtation is over right before everyone leave the hotel room does that mean that he knows that affair is over? Does Tom think that Gatsby will no longer go after Daisy because Tom will find out some deep dark secret that Gatsby does not want Daisy to know? I don't really think Gatsby will ever leave Daisy though. He had waited so long for her and now they are finally together. I don't think he would let Tom's threats scare him. I think Gatsby would want to stay with Daisy no matter what. He was probably crushed when she said that she had loved Tom because Gatsby had never loved anyone else which he feels should be the same for Daisy.

Question: Was the man in the advertisement really Gatsby? Because Daisy said it looked like him, and Gatsby did own drug stores, so there is a possibility he could be that man.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 6

Summary: At the beginning of chapter six a reporter comes and asks Gatsby if it is really true. Gatsby does not know what he is talking about. There is then a story about Gatsby. Gatsby used to be James Gatz until he was seventeen and changed his name. He always thought and dreamed that he would be a famous and wealthy man. He believed it was destiny. James Gatz was poor until one day when he went up to Dan Cody's boat. Dan Cody took a liking to Gatz and took him to get some new clothes. That is when James Gatz became Jay Gatsby. Cody kind of became Gatsby's mentor. Gatsby traveled with him around the world for five years doing many different jobs for him. Cody came to really trust Gatsby. Many women like Cody. One woman who was his mistress was Ella Kaye. One night she came onto their yacht in Boston and then the next week Cody died. Gatsby was supposed to inherit all of his money ($25,000), but Ella took it all away. Gatsby liked Cody and has a portrait of him in his house, but Gatsby didn't like his drinking. Gatsby does not drink. Nick then says that he learned all of this information a long time ago, but he thought he should tell it so people would not believe the rumors. One day after Nick had not seen Gatsby for awhile he is spending time with him. Then all of a sudden three people so up. One man's name is Sloan. There is a woman, and Tom Buchanan also comes. Gatsby tries to be really nice to them. He is kind of aggressive towards Tom though and says how he knows his wife which makes Tom not like him. Gatsby wants them to stay for supper, but they can't. The woman instead invites Gatsby to eat dinner with them. Sloan and Tom both do not want him to come, so while Gatsby is getting ready they leave. Nick feels bad for Gatsby when he comes down, and they are gone. The next Saturday Tom decides to accompany Daisy to Gatsby's party. Nick says that this party was different from other ones because it was very hostile and he could feel the tension. Gatsby goes around and introduces Tom and Daisy to all of the famous people. He introduces Tom as the 'polo player' even though Tom asks him not to.During the party, Daisy and Gatsby go to Nick's house to talk on his porch. At dinner, Tom eats with another table. Daisy knows that he is going to talk to a girl and remarks that she is common but not pretty, but she gives Tom a pencil in case he needs to write anything down. The people that Nick and Daisy are sitting with are all drunk. Daisy likes one movie star that Gatsby showed her. She is sitting underneath a tree with her director who clearly likes her and kisses her. Daisy is not impressed with the other people at the party and thinks that they act badly. When they are leaving, Tom wants to know what Gatsby does. He thinks that he is bootleger because he is so rich. Nick denies it, and Daisy says that he got all of his money from drug stores that he owned. After they leave and at the end of the party, Nick and Gatsby talked. Gatsby says that Daisy didn't like anything. Nick sort of agrees with that but doesn't tell Gatsby. Gatsby goes on to say that Daisy does not understand him like she used to. Nick says that Gatsby wants Daisy to say that she never loved Tom. He wants to get married to Daisy in Louisville and pretend that the five years of separation never happened. Nick says the past can't be repeated which Gatsby denies. He thinks that they can ignore everything that happened and just live like they were never separated. After Gatsby describes a moment before he kissed Daisy when they are younger, Nick says that he was going to say something but cant' remember.

Response: It is odd how Gatsby changed his name and lied to everyone. Why would he want to pretend he is someone different? Does Daisy know all of this? Daisy might not like how he changed his name, but maybe that is what Gatsby is talking about when he says that Daisy used to understand. What does he want Daisy to understand now? I think it was kind of sad when Tom, Sloan and the woman left Gatsby at his house. It seems like all Gatsby wants to do is please people and have them accept him which they don't because they think he is mysterious. It is another blow to Gatsby to have people just leave him. It seems like a lot of the people at his parties are just using Gatsby because he is rich and can throw good parties. Gatsby is kind of using them though because he wants them to come to his parties, so he can impress Daisy. His plan seemed to have backfired though which he feels really bad and distraught about.

Question: Is it important what at the end of the chapter when Nick says that he wants to say something but can't remember? It seems like it would be because it was in the past when he remembered something about Jordan.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 5

Summary-When Nick came back to his house, he said it seemed like his house was on fire. He said that the whole corner of the peninsula was lit up. The reason it was lit up was because of Gatsby's house. All of the rooms in his house had a light on in it. Gatsby was walking on his lawn looking in his windows. He wanted Nick to go for a ride with him and then swimming, but Nick said he couldn't. Nick then says he talked to Jordan. They decide on a date to have tea. Gatsby says he wants the lawn mown. He also offers Nick a job that will make quiet a bit of money but won't take up much time. Nick declines though. The next day Nick called Daisy and invited her, but told her not to bring Tom. Gatsby then sent over man to mow Nick's lawn. Gatsby also has a lot of flowers sent over. Gatsby comes into Nick's house and is worried because it is raining. After they wait awhile, Gatsby says he is going home because no one is coming. Daisy then comes. When she is getting out of the car, she asks Nick if he is in love with her. When they come inside, Gatsby is not to be seen. They then hear a knock, and Nick opens the door and find Gatsby extremely pale and looking scared. When Gatsby first walked into the room, no one said anything. Daisy then said that she was glad to see him again. Gatsby is leaning against the mantel piece while Daisy is sitting on the edge of a chair looking scared.When they are getting the tea ready and everything seems a little normaler Nick tries to leave the room, but Gatsby follows him because he says he has something to say. He then kind of freaks out on Nick and says that it is not going well. Gatsby goes back in the room though because it is rude to leave Daisy alone. Nick then goes outside and walks in the rain. Nick then comes back in the house and makes a lot of noise in the kitchen. When he walks back in on them, they don't seem embarrassed anymore. Nick could see that Daisy had been crying, but Gatsby was glowing. Gatsby then says that he wants Nick and Daisy to come to his house. Daisy leaves to wash her face. Gatsby then asks Nick if his house looks all right. He says that he spent 3 years saving up for it. Nick then said that he thought Gatsby inherited the money. Gatsby says he did but almost lost it all in the panic. Nick asked him what business he was in, and he said thats my affair. He then said that he was in several different things like the drug and oil business. They then take a long route to his house. Daisy is very impressed. Gatsby says how he keeps his house full of interesting people. They then tour the entire house. Gatsby couldn't take his eyes off Daisy. He valued everything according to her reaction. They then go to Gatsby's room and look at all his shirts. Daisy says they are beautiful. Gatsby then says that he can see Daisy's house across the bay. He can see the green light at the end of the dock. They look at pictures, and Gatsby says that he has clippings about Daisy. Gatsby then gets Klipinsinger and tells him to play the piano and sing. Nick the leaves leaving the two together.

Response- Gatsby seems to have worked for everything he has and done everything for Daisy. He clearly wants to impress her especially since it seems that he gages an item's worth on Daisy's reaction to it. Now I think Nick understands the first time he saw Gatsby when he was reaching toward the green light. The light symbolized Daisy, and Gatsby wanted to be by her so badly that he was trembling towards the light. Gatsby seems to sort of reflect F. Scott Fitzgerald because he did the same thing to get his wife Zelda to marry him. Daisy is always described as having a wonderful voice. Everyone seems to love it, and it draws people in. Once it was described as a 'deathless song'. I kind of think that Gatsby is a criminal or has illegal ways in which he gets his money because he is very touchy and secretive around the subject especially when he snapped at Nick, but then tried to cover up it by saying that he was in many businesses.

Question: Why does Gatsby call Nick 'old sport' all the time? It is kind of odd because he has not really know Nick that long, but that name implies that he does.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 4

Summary: The chapter opens with Nick talking about the many people that come to Gatsby's parties. Many famous people go and also criminals. His parties are the place to be among the elite. One of Gatsby's guests Klipspringer was there so long and so much that everyone soon called him the boarder. One day Gatsby comes over to Nick's house and says that they were going to go to New York for lunch. They go in Gatsby's big yellow Rolls-Royce. On the drive there Gatsby tells Nick is life story. He says how he was from the mid-west, but his family all died. He went to Oxford because it was a tradition in his family to. He then shows Nick a picture of him during his Oxford days. Gatsby is from San Francisco. Gatsby then went to the war. He said that he tried to die but couldn't. He was then made into a major when he held off some troops in front of everyone else on his side. Gatsby says he got many rewards and honors from all different countries for his military work. He even shows Nick a medal. Gatsby is then pulled over, but when he shows the officer his id, he gets off because he had previously done a favor for the police commissioner. Gatsby also tells Nick that he wants him to talk to Jordan about something, but he won't tell what. When they are in New York, they go to eat lunch. At lunch Nick meets Gatsby's business partner Meyer Wolfshiem, an odd man who has teeth for his cuff links. Mr. Wolfshiem is a professional gambler and fixed the 1919 World Series. He is a crook and Gatsby kind of hints that he would set up Mr. Wolfshiem and Nick from something. They then see Tom Buchanan, but when Nick goes to introduce Gatsby and him, Gatsby is gone. Sometime later Nick meets with Jordan where she tells him the story Gatsby wanted him to know. Jordan says how she always admired Daisy because she was very popular. She always had guys going after her. One time she saw Daisy and Gatsby together when he was a young soldier. They were in love with each other, but when he went to war, Daisy's parents would not let her go to see him off. Daisy was crushed. By the next fall though. Daisy had gotten over Gatsby and had started hanging around with older people. She soon became engaged to Tom Buchanan. Jordan says that the night before the wedding, Daisy got drunk. She said that she didn't want to marry Tom. She was fine the next day though and married him. Jordan says that Daisy was crazy about Tom. They soon had a daughter too in April. Tom supposedly had an affair though with a maid because she was with him when they got in a car accident. Jordan says how six weeks ago she had mentioned the name Gatsby, and Daisy said that must have been the man I used to know. Jordan then says that it isn't by chance that Gatsby has a house on West Egg. He had purposely bought the house to be close to Daisy. Gatsby wants Nick to invite Daisy over for tea, so that he can then come over.Gatsby wants Daisy to see his house. He doesn't want Daisy to know anything though.

Response: It is odd how Gatsby feels like he must tell Nick his whole life story. Why does he feel like he must prove himself to Nick? It is also odd that he feels like it would be necessary to show Nick the picture of him at Oxford and the medal. Why doesn't he think that Nick will believe him? It kind of seems like Gatsby is hiding something. He is trying to show all this proof, so everyone will believe him. It is also odd how he bought a house by Daisy but never contacted her. It seems kind of stalkerish. He must have felt like Daisy family didn't aprove of him because he wasn't rich or that she didn't quiet like him as much because he wasn't as rich as Tom. That is probably why he wants Daisy to see his house so that she sees that he is rich and wealthy. He it seems like he wants to prove to Daisy that he has made something of himself. He must really love Daisy though because he could probably get any girl he wants, but instead he is just waiting around hoping that he'll run into Daisy or that she may come to one of his parties.

Question: What is Gatsby's occupation? No one seems to know how he got all the money he has which is odd because he is extremely rich so you think that everyone would know.

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 3

Summary: Nick talks about the many parties that Gatsby throws in the summer. They are very extravagant and had champagne and orchestras. There were also many lights and a lot of food. Many famous and rich people went. People also came who were not invited and did not even know Gatsby. People dance and drink all night. Nick was invited to one of these parties by Gatsby who had a chauffer go to his house and give him an invitation. When Nick went to the party, he tried to find Gatsby but couldn't. He wandered around the party because he did not really know anyone there. He then saw Jordan Baker though and attached himself to her. Jordan is talking to two girls. One of the girls says how at the last party she tore her gown, and Mr. Gatsby sent her a new one. The girls also say how Gatsby supposedly killed a man once and was German spy during the war. They then went to the first of two suppers. Jordan and Nick leave though. Jordan wanted to look foro Gatsby. They looked everywhere, but they couldn't find him. They then went into the library where there was drunk man who just rambled. They then go a sit down. They are sitting next to a man. Nick and the man recognize each other from the army. The man wants to go out with Nick on his hydroplane. Nick then finds out that the man is Gatsby. Nick was embarrassed that he didn't know who he was. Gatsby then left though because he had a call from Chicago. Nick then wanted to know everything about him. Gatsby then has a butler come over because he wants to speak to Jordan alone. Nick goes inside and sees a woman crying and a lot of people fighting with their spouses. When Jordan comes out she says she has some really great news, but she can't tell Nick because she promised Gatsby she wouldn't. Jordan tells Nick to come to her aunt's house. When Nick leaves,he notices a car that has run into a wall and lost its wheel. At first everyone thinks it was the drunk man in the library driving, but it was really a mysterious man who then leaves. Nick and Jordan don't start spending time with each other until mid-summer. Nick says he isn't in love with her. She just makes him curious. One day Jordan lies, and Nick remembers then where he heard her name before. She has supposedly moved her golf ball during a match once. Nick then realizes that he should end things with the girl back home.

Response: It is odd how Gatsby just throws parties. He seems kind of lonely even though he has all of these parties with lots of people surrounding him. He is just a bachelor living in a big house by himself with no family. He is also really mysterious. He also is giving though because he bought the girl a new gown. He seems to want nothing in return for helping others and throwing parties. He is a sort of odd fellow. You think he would have girls throwing themselves at him because he is rich, but that doesn't seem like the case. They seem sort of scared of him. Why do they think he killed someone? They probably just made it up because they thought that there has to be a reason as to why no one knows his past and that reason must be because he did something illegal. What are all the phone calls about? Are they for his business? It would seem odd that he would get phone calls during the party because it is late at night, and people do not tend to call others late at night.

Question: Why does Gatsby isolate himself from the people at his parties or people in general?

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 2

Summary: Tom has invited Nick to spend time with him. They are going to New York City, but when they are on the train Tom gets off and tells Nick he wants to show him his girl. They then go to a garage where they find a husband and wife. The wife is Tom's mistress. Tom and Nick then leave and meet her a couple of blocks later. Tom's mistress's name is Myrtle Wilson. When they get into the city, they have to wait awhile to get the right cab that Myrtle wants. They then get in the cab but have to stop because Myrtle sees a puppy she wants. Nick wants to leave, but they won't let him. They then go up to an apartment. Myrtle invites her sister Catherine, who is the person that Myrtle's husband thinks she is visiting. She also invites the McKees. Mr. McKee is a photographer. Nick become drunk, so he says everything is hazy. He remembers a conversation though about Tom and Daisy's marriage. Catherine says that Tom can not divorce Daisy because she is Catholic, and Catholics do not believe in divorce, but Nick knows that Daisy is not Catholic. Catherine also says how Tom and Myrtle both hate who they are married to. Catherine also says how Myrtle married a man below her social class which was the same man that Catherine was suppose to marry. Tom and Myrtle then get into a fight. Tom tells Myrtle to stop calling Daisy by name, but she won't and says, "Daisy, Daisy, Daisy." Tom then hits her and breaks her nose. Nick does not remember anything else because he was drunk. The last thing he remembers is waiting for a train.

Response: Tom is a very good person. It seems like he wants what he wants and gets mad if he doesn't get it. He obviously doesn't want to divorce Daisy, but he still wants to have his affair with Myrtle. It is ironic that Catherine talks about how you shouldn't marry below your social class because Tom would be if he married Myrtle. Tom also has a lot of gaul inviting Nick, Daisy's cousin, to go see his mistress. I would feel guilty if I were Nick. I'd feel like I was condoning the affair.Myrtle also does not seem like a good person. She acts haughtily even though she is not even rich and is someone's mistress. Why doesn't Daisy divorce Tom? Is it because then she would have no money or way to care for herself? It is seems like she is unhappy with her marriage, and Tom is obviously not a good husband because he cheated on her.
Question: What is making Daisy stay with Tom? Is it because of his money or their daughter?

The Great Gatsby- Chapter 1

Summary: The chapter opened with Nick saying how his father told him to never criticize others because that have not had the same advantages as him. This advice stayed with Nick Carraway. the narrator. He tried his best not to judge others. He feels like Gatsby as this quality. Nick then goes on to say how he was from the midwest but moved east because he wanted to work in the bond business. He then moves to a house on Long Island on West Egg. There are many rich people that live on Long Island especially East Egg. His second cousin Daisy Buchanan lives on East Egg with Tom her husband who Nick knows from college. Tom played football at Yale, and Nick always felt like he liked him. He then goes to their house for dinner one day. They are very rich. While at dinner, he meets Daisy's friend, Jordan Baker, an athlete. They eat outside, but then Tom gets a phone call. The call is from his mistress. Jordan then tells Nick that everyone pretty much knows about his affair. Jordan then asks Nick if he has met Gatsby, his neighbor. Daisy gets more interested then when they talk about Gatsby. Nick says he has not but would like to. Tom and Daisy fight some too. Later, Daisy asks Nick about his engament. Nick says he was not engaged, and it was just gossip. Nick and Daisy then go and talk. Daisy talks about her three year-old daughter and how she wishes she was by a 'beautiful fool'. They then go inside and find Jordan reading to Tom. Nick says how he has heard of Jordan but can't remember where from. Nick then goes home. When he is at home, he thinks that he sees Gatsby standing on his lawn and reaching and sort of trembling towards a green light in the sea, but a moment later he is gone.

Response: This book is good so far. It seems like it will have a lot of different stuff going on. Daisy seems happy throughout the first chapter even though her husband is cheating on her. It is odd how they do not really talk about Daisy and Tom's daughter. Is that what it was like back then when people had children? Did they just ignore them or was it only the rich that did that? I think it is horrible that they don't really spend that much time with their child. Daisy seems to have everything, but she is really sad. The one thing she probably wants is love which she doesn't have because Tom is cheating on her and doesn't pay attention to her.
Question: Was it normal for people to ignore their children during that time period?

Chapter 24

Abstract: Henry and Wilson and looked up at the battle because they hear the battle noises decreasing. They could see the soliders moving around in all different directions. They aren't hurried though. They are just moving around kind of slowly. Henry and Wilson then get up out of the grass. The regiment then received orders to go back to where they were before. The regiment then joined up with others to reform their brigade. They were waking towards the river and away from the field. Henry then looks at Wilson and says, "Well it's all over". Henry then reflected upon his experiences. He thinks of his failures and achievements. He can't believe he escaped. He knows that his comrades were able to see the great things he had done in battle. He remembers the tattered and tall solider. He is not happy with himself for running away from the tattered soldier and lying to him. He now knows that he is a man. It then begins to rain. Henry realizes that he had rid himself of the 'red sickness of battle'. The sun then comes out and just at that time Henry turns to a place of eternal peace with tranquil skies, fresh meadows, and cool brooks.

Response: This novel was really a sort of coming of age story. At the beginning of the book, Henry was just a boy. He only cared about himself and no one else. He was a coward and wanted to be like a real soldier, but he didn't know how to be one. He didn't have the courage or bravery that a soldier should have. He deeply wanted this. He then goes into battle, and he comes out a man. He doesn't run away like he had once before. Instead, he stays and fights. He becomes engrossed in the battle and does everything he can to make sure that he is trying his hardest. He comes out a man. He knows what it is like to face death but still come out alive. I think that Henry will probably become less loud, cocky, and scared. He will have confidence in himself that he can make the right decisions, and if he doesn't make the right ones then he can still move on because everyone has a good and bad side.

Chapter 23

Abstract: Henry's officers begin to notice that they can't really keep up their position anymore. They decide the best option would be to charge the enemy. They are charging the fence. They want to move them from the fence because they are able to hide behind it. The regiment is tried though. When the officers said to charge them though, their strength became renewed like it was before after they one their first 'small duel'. Henry then sees the Confederate flag. He wants it as badly as the first one. Their flag bearer then become wounded. Wilson then lunges at the Confederate flag bearer. Wilson then grabbed the flag. The soldier erupted into cheers. They took four prisoners from the Confederate side. When they finished celebrating, the soldiers sat down. Henry sat in some tall, long grass. He rests his flag against it too. Wilson then does the same with the Confederate flag, and they congratulate each other.

Response: At the end of the chapter, when the author writes about the enemy you begin to feel what they feel and sort of feel bad for them. Before, you had just viewed them as the enemy and not really as humans. When they are taken prisoner, their emotions are described though. You realize that they too have families, friends, and feelings. You kind of sympathize for them because they wanted the same things Henry wanted, but they were unable to achieve those wants because they were taken prisoner. They are no longer safe and with their comrades.

Chapter 22

Abstract: While they are resting, Henry watches other people fight. Henry's regiment then is called into action once again. He is now the official flag holder. The regiment is ready to fight a first, but they then soon get tried of the constant finding and are discouraged. The lieutenant tries to encourage the troops to keep moving, but they aren't really listening to him. Henry is able to watch everything because he is at the front since he is the flag bearer. They then notice the enemy running at them very fast and with excitement on their faces. They then start to shoot at them. The enemy then stops running at them and hide behind a fence and start shooting. Henry's regiment does not too good then because they aren't protected like the enemy, but they still continue to fight and have good attitudes. Henry is sort of awed by his comrades performance on the battle field. He begins to think that the best way to show the man who called them mule drivers is to die on the field. At the end of the chapter though, Henry notices that they are starting to not fight as hard as they previously were. They do not seem as motivated.

Response: Henry is truly growing into a man. He is no longer selfish about his life. He is willing to die on the battle field. Its kind of a drastic way though to get revenge. He should just try to win the battle. I think if he died on the field it would show that he was truly a mule driver. He wasn't able to fight the enemy and lost. It would probably do the opposite effect of what he wanted.

Chapter 21

Abstract: When they were done pushing the enemy back, they headed back to camp. The other soldiers who hadn't fought made fun and taunted the returning soldiers. Only one person said anything out of the returning regimen. He challenged them to fist fights. The red- bearded officer just kind of glared at them. The lieutenant was also angry and just stared at the trees. Henry was also angry ans cursed them under his breath. The regiment then turns from the direction in which they came. Henry realizes that they really had not gone that far. He thinks of all the different emotions and feelings that fit into such a small area though. He could then see why they were taunted by the others. He kind of was embarrassed by his fellow soldiers who collapsed on the ground from exhaustion. He then remembers how he preformed and is very proud of himself. The general that called them mule-drivers come. He is angry and yells at their leader that they didn't do enough and should have gone further. Their colonel replies calmly after contemplating replying angrily and says that they went as far as they could have. The general then leaves angry. The lieutenant who heard the conversation then says to the colonel that the general was wrong and they put up a good fight. Henry, Wilson, and the others then think back to what they did and say that they did a good job. They start to get angrier the longer they continue to talk. One soldier then starts to tell of a conversation he had heard between the colonel and the lieutenant. The colonel asked who the soldier was that was carrying the flag. The lieutenant says that it was Henry. He calls Henry as jimhickey which is a compliment. He also says how Wilson was at the front of the charge. The colonel then said that they deserved to be generals. Henry and Wilson were then happy and felt great affection for the colonel and the lieutenant.

Response: Henry is finally happy I feel because he got recognition for his actions as a soldier. He is finally viewed as someone brave and courage just like the soldiers he had always looked up to. Henry has become more confident in himself because he defends his actions. He knows he did a good job and should get recognized for it. It is nice to see Henry finally stand up for himself and believe in himself and know that he does do a good job. By Henry showing is confidence, he is becoming more of a man.

Chapter 20

Abstract: Henry and Wilson then turn with the flag and see that the rest of their regiment who weren't dead were slowly going back. The lieutenant and another officer yell at them to keep fighting. They keep going though and go back to the trees. Meanwhile, Henry and Wilson are having a little fight over who carries the flag. Henry then pushes Wilson, and he then carries the flag. The regiment then gets shot at but don't really do anything and just stand there, dejected. The back of the regiment still continues to shoot though. The youthful lieutenant then got shot in the arm when he had his back turned. Henry then remembers the mule driver comment and becomes very angry. Henry and the lieutenant try to make the men concentrate as they are walking. The other soliders wouldn't really listen to him and the lieutenant though. They then become confused and think they are actually going deeper into the battle and towards the front lines. They start to run all around. Henry then goes and stands between the mob with his flag. Wilson comes up to him and says goodbye, and Henry tells him to stop being a fool. The officers try to get the soldiers into a circle to try to organize them. Henry notices that the officer is sort of calm and is just standing their whispering to himself.The lieutenant then yells that the enemy is coming. The soldiers on Henry's side then start shooting. Henry can clearly see the enemy and their faces. He sees that their uniforms are light gray and look new. The enemy then start to shoot back. They have an intense battle. Henry is impressed that his fellow soldiers are fighting so hard. At the end when his side makes the other side retreat and they notice that they are gone, they all are really happy and jump for joy. They feel like they have vindicated themselves by winning and are prideful. The chapter ends with the ling, "And they were men".

Response: Henry has really blossomed from the beginning. He no longer relies on someone else, but instead he tries to motivate others to fight hard. He shows them what a good soldier looks like. The end line is really good. I think it means that the soldiers finally feel like they are actual soldiers who have contributed to their cause even if they had only won a small battle. They knew what it took to fight their hardest and win. They had finally proved themselves. They kind of went through a rite of passage by winning the battle just like boys do to become men. They feel like they are no longer the scared inexperienced boys, but rather experienced veterans who know how to fight and what to expect.

Chapter 19

Abstract: Henry and the other soliders begin to charge. Henry begins to see everything really clearly at that moment. He can really see all the details and each corpse, and he can also see the other soliders getting shot. The men are kind of excited during the charge and are yelling. This excitement soon decreases though though, and they begin to hesitate because they feel like they may soon die to. Their lieutenant soon breaks them out of this thinking by yelling and cursing at them. Wilson then jumps up and starts shooting at the trees where the enemy is. This gets the others to start shooting too. They then run towards the trees and reach a clearing. They once again are hesitating and their lieutenant once again snaps them out of it. Henry then gets all of the power and drive he had to fight like he had previously, and he run towards into the field. Wilson, the other soliders, and the lieutenant then begin to follow Henry. When he is running, Henry realizes that he is running towards the colors. When he sees the flag, Henry remembers all of the love he has for the flag and the country behind it. He remembers what it stands for. The man carrying the flag is then shot and killed. He almost drops the flag, but Wilson and Henry get to it just in time and catch it. They wring it out of the dead soldier's hands. Henry and Wilson then carry it, and they continue marching.

Response:Henry really seems to be changing just like Wilson did. The author maybe was trying to show that Henry would change to be more like Wilson. Henry is no longer hesitant. He just charges right into battle. I also think he realizes what it really means to be a soldier. He is proud of his country and flag. He remembers what it stands for. He realized that it stood for beauty and strength. Henry is finally starting to become what he always wanted to be. He fights and is not really bothered by it. It seems like he does not even think about trying to show others that he is brave and courageous. He just goes and fights for what he stands for because of what he feels for his flag and country.

Chapter 18

Abstract: At the end of the battle, Henry and Wilson go to find water because Wilson thinks there is a stream near by. They do not find a stream though. When they are walking back, they see two officers coming towards them on horseback. The walk kind of slowly past the general and another officer. They overhear them talking about the enemy coming up and charging them. They talk about regiment they could do without for a offensive. The officer says that they would be fine without the 304th regiment because they are 'mule drivers' which is not a compliment. The general says to send them up to the front lines. The general says that they probably won't make it back. Henry and Wilson then run and tell the rest of their company what they heard except the part about the mule drivers. They were extremely angry over what they heard. When they get back, their lieutenant is mad at first, but not when he finds out the news they have to say. He is kind of excited while the other soldiers are not really. Instead, they just kind of face the facts and are ready for their command. At the end of the chapter, one soldier says "We'll git swallowed."

Response: If I were Henry or Wilson, I would be pretty mad about what the other officer said. Maybe it will motivate them to fight even hard in order to prove them wrong. The general does not really take sending them lightly. He seems kind of sad because he knows that a lot of them will die. The general knows that he has to send the men to battle, but he does not really take the task easily. He does not knowing that the men are people, and he is kind of controlling what happens to them and whether or not they die in battle.

Chapter 17

Abstract: Henry becomes really angry because he feels like his regiment is tired while the enemy never seems to get tired. When the enemy comes closure, Henry becomes so angry that he begins to fire nonstop. He is sort of possessed. His rifle becomes hot because it was fired so much. Another solider then tells Henry he can stop because the enemy has left. The other soliders were awed by Henry and is anger and will to fight. The lieutenant was extremely happy and complimented Henry. Henry now thought of himself as a beast. Henry then goes onto the ground and rests after he realizes that he doesn't have to fight anymore. He is extremely thirsty. Henry and the other soliders then rest for the next battle because they know that even though a lot of the enemy died, they will still comeback.

Response: Finally, Henry actually does what he acts like he has done the whole time. He finally fights and is a real solider. The others are awed by Henry and is anger. Is the reason Henry is so blood thirsty because he feels like he needs to really prove himself? He can finally not feel so badly about himself because he did fight and did kill the enemy. Henry may now become less outspoken but more confident. Hopefully, he doesn't try to show his confidence and is just content with having inner confidence.

Chapter 16

Abstract: Henry and his regiment march to the front lines to relieve others and for an offensive. When they are marching, all they can hear are the nosies of the battle and no one can talk because it is so loud. The other soliders faces become to look doubtful. They begin to complain about their leaders. Henry then puts his opinion in and says that it is because of their general that they lose. One solider then asks Henry if he thinks they fought the whole battle the day before. This shuts Henry up because he remembers how he retreated. They then arrive at the lines. While they are waiting, the men become impatient and begin to grumble. Their lieutenant then shuts then up because he is angry. The battle then begins, but the men aren't really ready because they are tired and worn from previous battles.

Response: Maybe Henry is having an identity crisis and that is why he is so wishy-washy. He also probably has really low self-confidence and that is why sometimes he is really cocky and then others he is more subdued. He is insecure because he knows that he did run away. He tries to cover up his insecurity by acting like he is veteran and knows a lot when he really doesn't. He acts like he has fought with all of the other soliders when he really hasn't. He is an impostor. Everyone else seems pretty strong and confident like Wilson and the lieutenant which probably makes Henry want to be like them.

Chapter 15

Abstract: Henry and Wilson are getting ready to march when Henry realizes that he still has Wilson's letters. He decides not to say anything though and becomes really confident after that because he thinks he has something against Wilson if tries to ask Henry anymore questions about his wound. Henry feels like he is above Wilson now because Wilson was once weak too. He looks down upon the other soliders who ran even though he ran to. He says that his running was more dignified and heroic while their's was just tragic. He also viewed himself as a man of experience. Wilson then asks for his letters back. Henry produces them slowly because he wants to think of some remark to say, but he can't think of one. He thinks he is a good person then because he did not say anything to Wilson. He then thinks about coming back and how the women especially will like him because of the bravery he showed in the battle field.

Response:Henry is really not a good person. He thinks so highly of himself, and he has truly done nothing. Maybe if he goes into battle like Wilson, then he will change to. Maybe he won't view himself as such a great person. He will instead become more humble and realize that he was coward when he ran away. Henry maybe won't change his mood so often which is kind of annoying. He should just deal with what he has done and realize that he isn't that great of a person.

Chapter 14

Abstract: When Henry awakes up to the sound of the battle, he does not know where he is at. At first, he thinks that he is surrounded by corpses. He then realizes that the 'corpses' are just other soliders sleeping who soon awake up too. Wilson then cheerily talks to Henry. Henry is kind of rude to him and is angry because his head hurts. Wilson still tries to help Henry though and just kind of brushes it off. Henry notices how much Wilson as changed. He is no longer loud and kind of selfish, but rather he is more calm and tries to help Henry. Wilson seemed to have more inner confidence. Henry and Wilson then discuss yesterday's battle. Wilson thinks they put up a pretty good fight while Henry says that he saw it up close and it didn't look like they were winning. Henry also tells Wilson that Jim Conklin has died. Wilson seems to be really sad and moved by this news. When three soliders are fighting, Wilson goes over and rationalizes with them and tells them to stop fighting. Henry tells Wilson that he has noticed a change in him. Wilson doesn't really comment on it and then says that a lot of men have come back in the night. He says they were separated from the regiment just like Henry was.

Response: Just after the first battle, Wilson seems to have changed a lot. He is no longer loud and angry but calm and rationalizing. He probably thinks that he needs to save his energy for bigger and better things like the oncoming battle. He also probably changed because of the things he saw in the battle like people dying. Also what does this statement mean when Henry was thinking that it was corpses surrounding him, "He saw that this somber picture was not a fact of the present, but a mere prophecy"?

Chapter 13

Abstract: When Henry comes close to the campfire, a guy stops him a points a gun at him. Henry then realizes that it is Wilson, the loud solider. Wilson said that he thought Henry was killed in battle. Henry tells him that he got separated from the rest of the regiment and then got shot in the head. A corporal, named Simpson, hears Wilson and Henry and asks Wilson what is going on. Wilson says that Henry has come back. Simpson then says that if more people keep on returning like they have been all night, then the entire company will be back. Simpson then tells Henry to sit down. When Wilson is putting a badge on his head, he notices that it looks like he was hit on the head rather than shot. Henry then notices that everyone is pretty much sleeping and are sprawled out on the ground. Wilson then tells Henry to go to sleep and gives him blankets and coffee.

Response:Henry's actions by telling that he was shot in the head rather than hit is horrible. He is showing that he may not have the best of character. He would rather lie to make himself sound better than tell the truth. If I was Wilson and found out that Henry was lying, I would be pretty angry. Henry wants people to feel bad for him and think he was heroic when he really wasn't. He fled the battle and then another solider hit him on the side of the head when Henry was bothering him. Henry kind of shows that he feels guilty about lying when Wilson is talking about his wound, and Henry just sits there and messes with his button. Henry still should not have lied though even if he was scared of the others looking down upon him.

Characters: Simpson-corporal

Chapter 12

Abstract: Henry is standing there and all of a sudden he sees a bunch of soliders fleeing from the woods. They run towards him. They are all asking questions and it seems really hectic. They want to know where to go to be safe. Henry then grabs one guys arm and tries to ask him why they are all retreating. He kind of has a hard time talking. The solider doesn't want to answer Henry's question and tells him to let go. When Henry doesn't, the solider takes his rifle and hits Henry on the head with it. Henry then is disoriented and tries to remain standing while running with the rest of the retreating soliders. Henry then does not feel very good about because of the pain and thinks about his past. He also fights with himself and whether he should sit down or not. Then he hears a cheery voice. The guy with the cheery voice sees that Henry is hurt and helps him walk. He talks quite a bit and asks Henry questions. Henry tells him that he is in the 304th regiment. The cheery voiced solider then helps him find the camp and leaves him there after going through the woods for awhile. After he has left, Henry realizes that he hadn't even seen his face.

Response:The cheery solider really contrasts Henry. Henry feels really sad because he was hurt and then also because he had ran away during the battle. The cheery voiced solider thinks he is helping Henry by bringing him to his camp, but Henry kind of dreads it because he does not want to be made fun of. A lot of colors are also used to describe nature in this chapter like blue and somber sky, purple darkness, and black rage. Henry also has finally got his 'red badge of courage' that he so longed for. It is ironic though because he was not really in battle when he received it, and he got it from someone on his own side. He wasn't even fighting.

Characters: Cheery Voice guy- talks a lot, Henry doesn't see his face.

Chapter 11

Abstract: Henry walks up a small hill after he left the tattered solider. When he gets to the top, he sees soliders retreating, and soliders going to the front lines. The ones going to the front looked prideful to Henry. He thought that the retreating soliders justified him also retreating. Henry also seems kind of jealous of the soliders that are going to the front lines. He wants to feel like they do. He then thinks of reasons that he can't go though. He doesn't have a rifle and it would be extremely difficult to find his regiment. When he is going to join them, he begins to doubt himself even more though. He doesn't know how he will explain his previous disappearance to his fellow soliders. He then begins to notice more of his ailments like body aches and thirst. He then realizes that he is selfish, but he doesn't want to go anyway. He also once again says that he would rather be a corpse. At the end of the chapter, Henry gives up completely and decides not to join in with the other soliders.

Response: Henry just needs to get the courage to get out and fight. It is kind of annoying he is so wishy-washy. He should just run away since he is so scared to fight. He either needs to get over his fears and embrace them and not be so afraid of others opinons. He is really being a sort of a baby. He won't go and fight because he is scared the others will make sly remarks about him and make fun of him. He is being selfish and is truly only thinking about himself. He shouldn't care and should just go out and fight. Their are also a lot of colors used to describe things in war in this chapter and Henry's many moods. For example, the author uses phrases like red wings of war, and black weight of his woe.

Characters: Henry's full name is Henry Fleming.

Chapter 10

Abstract: The tattered solider is awed by Jim's death. He talks about Jim and how great he thought Jim was. The tattered solider then says that you should only look out for yourself, and you should be number one. Henry and the tattered solider keep on looking at Jim's body and don't really know how to react. The tattered solider keeps talking about Jim and says that he wouldn't die like Jim did. He also says how his friend Tom Jamison noticed during the battle that the tattered soldier was shot and if it wasn't for him he would probably still be out fighting. While he was leaving the battle,he got shot again. Henry then tells the tattered solider to stop bothering him when he asks him where he is wounded.Henry then leaves the tattered soldier even though he looks helpless and confused because of his wounds. Henry then wishes he were dead because then he wouldn't have to answer people's questions. He says that the question that the tattered soldier asked him represent society because society would not let him keep his secret of being scared and cowardly.

Response: Henry is kind of selfish. He really only thinks about himself. He feels sorry for himself because his friend died. He doesn't even try to help the tattered solider who is clearly out of it. He just goes back to thinking about himself. If he really wanted to be a good friend and solider, he would just go out and help people and fight, but he can only think about himself. He only thought about himself when entering the war. He didn't enter it for the right reasons. He entered the army so people would respect him because he was so courageous and brave. He didn't want to enter to protect his country. Why is Henry so self-absorbed? Is it because he is so young and has not really matured?

Tattered Solider- lots of kids, talks a lot.

Chapter 9

Abstract: Henry comes back and walks with the wounded soliders after he does not see the tattered one anymore. Henry felt guilty though because he was not wounded which was obvious. He also thinks that some of the wounded are happy because they have red badges of courage. Henry is then walking by a solider that looks like he is dying because he is gray and is walking slow. Henry then discovers that the solider is Jim Conklin, the tall soldier. Jim tells Henry that he is afraid he will fall down and an artillery cart will run him over, but Henry is really overcome with saddness and can't tell Jim that he will get him out of the road of a battery is coming so he gestures. The tattered solider then comes and helps Henry. Jim then runs away into the field. Henry and the tattered solider try to chase after him. Jim then stops and starts to shake and then stands straight up and dies. Jim last words were leave me be and don't touch me. Henry seems really sad and angry over his friend's death.

Response: I think that Henry will be really upset and even more fearful after his friend Jim died. Jim was a good person and he died. Henry does not want to die. He now sees that anyone can die and no one is safe during war. Henry wants to be brave and admires bravery so much but he is not brave. He struggles with trying to be brave and in the process is a coward. He can't he speak to Jim in the last moments before he dies because he can't muster up the strength to get past his emotions. Henry desires to have a symbol of bravery like the wound but does not have enough strength and courage to actually be brave and go out and fight.

Wound= red badge of courage. The red badge of courage would be a symbol for bravery because you were able to get hurt for your country and/or cause.

Chapter 8

Abstract: When Henry hears the noises of the battle, he stops and is transfixed. He then runs towards the sounds of the battle. When he gets to the battle field, he sees corpses. He then comes upon the wounded after he passes the field.Henry then continues to walk with the wounded. He is walking beside a tattered man. The tattered man likes to listen and is listening to a sergeant's conversation until the sergeant notices him and says something. The tattered solider then tries to befriend Henry. He talks to him about the battle, and he thinks it was a good fight. Henry panics when he asked him where he was wounded. Henry kind of mumbles and then walks away because he isn't wounded. The tattered man just looked at him in astonishment.

Response: Henry is so wishy-washy. He hates war one moment and runs from it in fear, but then in another moment he runs towards it because he is awed by it. I think Henry just wants to fit in. He wanted to join the army to be like others and be looked upon as a hero. He kind of just follows the crowd. He runs when they run and stays when they stay. He is scared to sort of think for himself, but on the other hand he is kind of selfish because he ran away from the battle because he was afraid of dying. He obviously did not want to die for his country/cause which is what he signed up to do. Why doesn't he just run away from the army all together since he is so scared?

Characters: Tattered man: likes to listen. Wounded in the head and arm. Loves the army.

Chapter 7

Abstract: Henry feel disgusted with himself because he ran away during the battle. He doesn't celebrate when the other soliders are after they have won. He thought that he was smart to have saved himself by fleeing but thus was not a part of the army. He thought that if everyone fled, then there would not be an army. He also thinks though that the other soliders were fools to stay and should have protected themselves. He knew that he would be ridiculed when he came back to camp. While he was still retreating, he notices a squirrel running away from him. He then reasons that it is only natural that he ran away to save his life. In a thicket, he comes upon a dead man. Henry screamed when he saw him because he was scared. He was a Union solider who was pretty much rotting and had ants crawling on him. He then continued to retreat all the while looking at it so to be sure that it wouldn't get up.

Response: It is odd the language Crane uses when describing the place that the dead soldier is in. He says that it is a chapel. Why does he do that? Maybe he used chapel because it was the final resting place of the solider, and many people's funerals are held in chapels. He could have also used it because a church is someplace where people are happy, and Henry and maybe the dead solider were maybe happiest when dead having to no longer think and worry about war and ensuing battles. I think Henry is going to become even more fearful after seeing the dead solider. He probably won't want to come back because he truly stared death in the face and was terrified. He couldn't turn his back on the corpse because he was afraid that it would get up.

Theme: self-perservance Henry only carries about himself and not the army or anyone else.

Symbol: Dead solider. He represented the death of freedom because he was free.

Chapter 6

Abstract: Henry and the other soliders are happy, excited, and proud because they won their first battle, but in the middle of their celebration the enemy came again. Everyone's mood then immediately changes. Henry then became just as nervous and scared as he was before. He then began thinking that the enemy soliders must be better than them because they were so persistent. The enemy then transformed into monsters. Henry then sees that some of his fellow soliders have run and are not ashamed. He then drops his gun like they did and begins to run. He thinks that others are running with him, and he also is afraid of dying from behind and feels that it would be better dying when you know what is coming for you. He then hears the general talking. The general is excited because they held the enemy.

Response: Henry's mood and the general's mood are complete opposites. Henry is terrified and runs away while the general is exuberant over the battle. Henry's mood probably reflects a new solider who does not what to expect while the general is a veteran who is no longer afraid of battle. When the general is talking, the author uses language like carnival, joy, and merrily. Clearly the general does not have the same fears as Henry. Will Henry's emotions and feelings over war change too after he becomes more experienced in battle?

Chapter 5

Abstract: The chapter beings with Henry remembering waiting for a parade to start as a child and also past people in his life. He comes out of this daydream though when someone says, "Here they come!" The soliders then get ready for battle. When the Confederates were running towards him, Henry had a fear that he didn't have his gun loaded. Everyone seems really nervous about the ensuing battle Henry included. As soon as he saw the enemy though, he begins to shoot and does not really think about anything even more not even is emotions and fears. He kind of lost himself in the battle just shooting and reloading automatically. He felt connected and like a whole with the other soliders. He even wishes he could shoot and reload faster. He also gets mad because he does not like the smoke because he couldn't breathe after the battle he was fighting in ends. The whole battle and the other ones seems really loud and disorganized but also at the same time kind of rhythmic because they keep on repeating what they are doing and sounds they are making. Henry then notices how one man tried to run away and also other little fights in the battle. He noticed how some dead people too. He also noticed the flames which he took great delight in.

Response: The battle seems to have changed Henry. It seems like he easily got over his fear of running away and didn't. He seems proud of himself that he was able to fight, and he did it relatively easily just doing what he was taught. When he sees the flag, his pride in his country seems to really swell. He seems proud in himself that he was able to defend a place he loved so much. He clearly greatly respects the flag as well as what it stands for even though before he felt that the government was forcing him to be in the army. What changed in Henry so that all of the sudden he seems proud and not ashamed of himself? Was it that he did not run away?

Chapter 4

Abstract: Henry's brigade is stopped at the edge of a grove. While stopped, the soliders are talking about rumors that each of them has heard as they are watching other brigades run to battle. They talk about how other companies are doing and also about other people that have been hurt. When they are waiting, there are some bullets going by their heads. Henry's lieutenant gets shot in the hand during this time and then he is treated by his company's captain. Then all of the troops in the battle start to come closure,and it seems like they don't really know what they're doing. The commander of the other brigade is yelling at them to go back, but a lot of them just go further away. Many of the veterans make jokes about the soliders that are retreating. The other soliders then become fearful and a little amazed by the fleeing soliders wondering why they are running. Henry wants to see what is causing them to be so scared, but he fears that he will run then too.

Response: When waiting for the battle and hearing what the others have to say, Henry seems to become even more fearful. He is fearful I believe because the enemy and what they have in store for him is unknown. He does not know what to expect and thus expects the worst of outcomes. While reading it, you begin to have the same fear's as Henry does because of the language used like frozen, angry, and turbulent to describe different things. Are the other soliders just as nervous and fearful as Henry because that is what it seems like?

Characters: The lieutenant bold, got shot in hand, encourages to go and fight.

Chapter 3

Abstract:The next day Henry and the other soliders rest. During that night, they march across a pontoon bridge to a new camp. The next day they move again to a forest where they stay for a couple more days. Then one morning everyone in Henry's regiment begins running. It seems like they are running towards a battle, but they aren't which is kind of strange. When they got out of the forest, Henry wanted to escape but knew that he couldn't. There are little 'skirmirshers' but not a full out battle. Henry then comes upon a dead soldier. Henry wants to walk around and around the solider and seems really intrigued by the corpse. He then feels like the generals are stupid and do not really know what they are doing. He wants to warn the others about what could come ahead. He also hated the lieutenant because he made him stay in lines and beat him a sword. He thought he was a brute. They then stopped and while they were stopped some soliders started to build little mounds to hide behind. The loud solider then exclaims how he wants to fight while the tall one just stands there and eats, but then he tells the loud one he doesn't really know what he's talking about because he hasn't been a solider for a long time. The regiment then went back on the same course they had come on that morning. Henry then kind of views death as nice because then he thinks he can rest. The loud solider Wilson then gives Henry a package to give to his family because Wilson thinks he will die in the battle.

Response: Henry feels like his is in jail. He uses language like iron laws of tradition holding him in. He also says that he never wanted to go to war in the first place and was 'dragged' into it by the government. Henry's once glorious feelings of the war are diminished because now he uses a lot of negative language when talking about the war and soliders. Henry also says the he feels threatened. It seems like the war has defeated Henry because he does not really care about living and thinks that being dead would be better. Henry is a very confused person who seems to have lost his way. He does not know what to think which scares him even more because he wishes he could be more confident in himself and brave like he thinks soliders should be. He has a lot of internal conflict. Why has Henry had such a change in heart from the time he enlisted until now?

Chapter 2

Abstract: In the second chapter, they are all still waiting for battle. Henry continues to think about how he will react to his first battle. He feels like the other soliders are not as worried as him and are excited to fight in their first battle. He thinks they are brave while he is not. Other times though he thinks that the others are just like him but instead are repressing their fear over their first battle. One morning, his regiment was moving. They were moving to a different place. In the morning, before the sun is out they start moving to their new post. They move through the whole day. Henry sees them crossing hills and compares it to snakes slithering. During one moment, a fat man tried to steal a horse, but they a girl came out to stop him. Henry's regiment stopped and watched the spectacle. They all were cheering for the young girl, and the fat man eventually left without the horse. At night, they then went to sleep in fields. Before he goes to bed, Henry remembers the farm and wishes that he was there. He sort to regrets ever not liking it. Wilson, the loud solider, then comes and he and Henry talk about the ensuing battle. Wilson seems excited to fight. Henry then asks him how he knows he won't run during the battle. Wilson says he signed up to fight and gets angry when Henry keeps pestering him. Henry then feels like he is the only one who feels like he does. No one else seems to have the same internal conflict as him.

Response: Henry still seems really concerned over how he will react to his first battle. He feels like he is all alone in the world. It seems like he regrets ever enlisting, and he feels like his mother was right. He just seems like a little boy who realized that his dreams were maybe too big. Henry also realizes that war is not as glorious as he once thought it was. It is cold, wet, and painful because he has to walk all the time. He is confused and is just looking for some guidance which he seems to find a little of in Jim. Also is Henry in the Civil War because it seems like it because he says how they are fighting in his country. Is the in the Union Army because it says how he is wearing blue and was that the color that the Union wore in the Civil War?

Characters: Wilson the loud solider. He seems ready to fight.

Chapter 1

Abstract: The tall solider Jim thinks that they are going to fight soon. He and the other soliders then discuss if they think that they really will go to battle soon some do not think they will because they haven't moved for weeks. Henry, the young soldier, then goes into his hut to think after listening to what they said. He remembers how he always wanted to go to war. He had thought that it would be sort of glorious, but his mother never wanted him to go. She thought that he should stay on the farm. He enlisted anyway though. He then remembers what his mother said to him. She told him to watch out for himself and to not be influenced by the older soliders. He remembers how after he left home he went to his school. His classmates their all admired him for being in the army.He also remembers how people reacted when he and other soliders went to Washington. He then goes on to think about how he will react when he really goes into battle. He wonders if he will run away or not. He is not really confident in his skills because he has never had to fight anyone before. Jim and the other soliders then come in. Henry asks Jim what he would do. Jim said that he would run if the others ran but would fight if they stayed and fought. This seems to give a little comfort to Henry.

Response: Henry seems really concerned over how he will react to his first battle. He had thought war was so glorious before he was in the army, but now it seems that he kind of regrets ever enlisting. Henry talks a lot about how his mother didn't want him to go, but what did his father think? It kind of seems like his father is dead because Henry's mother talks about him in the past tense. I can see why Henry is confused and a little depressed. A war camp would not be a very enjoyable place to live. It seems dreary and depressing.

Characters: Tall solider was Jim. He was the one that thought that they would go fighting soon.
Henry was the one in the story described as the young solider. He is the main character.