the history boys - act one

when first reading the first act within the play, i automatically became clear of the comedy that has been used for various reasons.
there is also a contrast/rivalry between the two teachers hector and irwin. when we first meet hector we see him as a eccentric english teacher that wants the boys to learn about the most important things in life such as, music, literature, fact and figures. however, when young irwin is added to the scene the automatic contrast is created, irwin has been called into the school too make the school itself look good as well as the boys.
the boys themselves create the 'banter' within the play due to the euphemisms and themes caused. they show a friendly friendship towards their teacher, however they know when they have taken it too far and when to respect him. however, hector has been shown to be sexually abusing his students which in this year's generation would be taken to a new level and this would of never been aloud. this then makes me wonder what and how people would of reacted to this in the eighties and whether they has any problems with this or was it seem as something that was 'normal'? 

How appropriate do you think it is to describe The Great Gatsby as a tragedy?

I agree to disagree with this statement for various reasons. I don't think the novel is a tragedy from the point of view of Nick being the narrator, as I've learnt more about Nick and can relate to him due to him telling the story. I think it's only a tragedy for the characters Gatsby and Mrs Wilson, this is because of the death of Gatsby and Mrs Wilson as well as her affair with Tom.

I feel that it's only a tragedy for those characters and not for anyone else but it's not a theme that would change the whole outlook of the novel. I think if either Gatsby or Mrs Wilson was the narrator then the novel would be a tragedy because the audience would react differently when the tragic moments happened to these characters because they were the narrator and was telling the story. Otherwise, I don't think the novel is a tragedy, it's more of a love story I feel. A love story between the characters and how Gatsby covered for Daisy when she ran over Mrs Wilson. From this, when Mr Wilson shot Gatsby it was like he was taking his life for Daisy, he was dying a better man. It shows that Gatsby would of done anything to be with Daisy, as he loved her that much. He also got what he wanted in effect of love more than money.

Overall, I don't think that the novel is a tragedy from the Nick being the narrator, it's only a tragedy for two of the characters within the novel and if the narrator was a different character then maybe the tragic events more make it more effective in the theme given.

THE GREAT GATSBY - CHAPTER 6

Chapter 6;

Narrative elemens;

- The narrative itself
- Learn where Gatsby is from

J.Gatsby, why change his name? To make him look better? Or worse?

- Tom as a charcter is sexist towards the female characters.
This takes place at the party

- Themes - love and lies?

Ends with a party.

''You can't repeat the past'' - Line 106

THE GREAT GATSBY - CHAPTER 5

Narrative elements of chapter 5:

- The first sense ''I was afraid...'' builds the tension for the entire first half of the character
- Gatsby's dialogue is sporadic; he constantly changes the subject
-  The juxtaposition between Gatsby's fine clothes and his  physical appearance - ''White flannel  suit, silver shirt and gold-coloured''  ''Pale, and there were dark signs of sleeplessness in his eyes''

- There is a chagne Gatsby

- Gatsby's house decrpition relates to Daisy

- Lyrics of the song

- Romantic imagery

- ''Crying into his shirts''

- Female characters

- Emotive language

- Time

- Opposites

- Colour

- Music

THE GREAT GATSBY - CHAPTER FOUR

Narrative elements of chapter four:
- Jordan tells the story within this chapter, even though Nick should be
- The description of the car and how the role of how this is shown.

- Greater insight of the characters
i.e - racism

- Nick is developing as the narrator
- Why is Nick not the same throughout the novel? He changes character, why?
     On purpose?         Getting comfortable with the characters?

- All of this chapter happens in one day - Sunday

- Nick feelings towards Gatsby
- Nick is becoming one of the characters
- The use of ''we'' gives the sense of including himself
- The use of colours
- Use of names
- Themes - rumors, love, hate, women..

THE GREAT GATSBY - CHAPTER THREE

This is the party scene within the book and this is the first meeting of Gatsby.

Is there a colour within this chapter or the whole book?
- Use of colours; oranges, lemons, blue, dark gold, yellow.
Primary colours - yellow is the more dominant colour
- Referneces to the colour grey. However, it's summer.

Imagery: isolated at the party. The feeling of being somewhere but feeling isolated and that everything around you is still moving.

Gatsby and Nick to meet next day to fly a plane

Car crash when people are leaving
BUT WHY IS THERE A CAR CRASH?
-  Sense of death
- Foreshadowing of Daisy running over Myrtle
- References to cars

Jordan is at the party, develop of Jordan as a character.
- Is she dishonest?
- Is she a cheat?
- Nick talks about someone he loved

There is a contrast to Tom as a character

Key notes:
- Nick seems to be coming out of his shell and changed character when he see's the crash
- Got angry about him going to commit suicide
- Time references
- The party sequence seems to perfect to be real.
- One image that captures chapter three - everyone is robots with masks, all work the same and talk the same.
- Sense of belonging. Nick is not engaging or for any reason doesn't fit into the theme of Gatsby.

THE GREAT GATSBY - CHAPTERS ONE AND TWO.

General information;

The mid-west is a very quiet place, that people go to bed early. It's in contrast to New York, the mid-west is a very quiet and sleepy town.
The whole novel is talking about his summer in New York
Daisy is Nick's second cousin
Jordan is a girl
Alcohol is illegal
Segregation didn't exist

Chapter one;

-The sixth line down immediately starts talking about the main character.
-Is the main character judgmental? 
-Describes the setting-from the mid-west going to New York
-The main character is 29 going on 30.
-Nick rented a shabby place next to Gatsby
-Gatsby is a person who Nick's represents as a nobody?
-Juxtaposition is a technique used
-Physiognomy of Tom
-Class/Status is shown
-Questionning on why Daisy is sad?
-Speech/conversations
-Why is the play called ''The great Gatsby''? Why is it ''Great''?
-Tom and Daisy's relationship
-Racists - Tom and Daisy
-Musical refernece
-Nick is also taken by Daisy
-The mood changes?
-Colours are used as connotations within description of main characters
-Interest in names causes attention
-Daisy has a short dark bob compared to Jordan who has long blonde hair
-We meet Gatsby has a strong and secure appearance.
-Metaphors and imagery of cars/mechanical objects - new technology.
-Sound/colour/lighting sets the sense and gives out an atmosphere which is different to the original atmosphere
-Silhouette/shadowing of characters and animals

Quotes from the chapter one that stood out to me;

''Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope''
''When i came back from the East last autumn i felt that i wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever''
''Bright on his boots and dull on the autumn leaf yellow of her hair''
''I was confused and a little disgusted as i drove away''

Summary of Chapter one;

-Causes mystery
-Contrast between Nick
-Past and present
-What's great about Gatsby  


Chapter two;

 -Time?
-Tom and Myrtle/Mrs Wilson are having an affair
-The description of Myrtle on page 28.
-Metaphors
-Weather
-Time
-Day
-Gatsby stays in the background
-The second bottle of whiskey
-The effect on the day 'sunday'
-Why is the 'sunday' used?
-Where did they get the illegal alchol?
-The last paragraph how did he get to the station?
-Why is it 4 in the morning?


Quotes from Chapter two; 

''I was within and without''