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?