LANG: Chapter Five of The Great Gatsby

Directions: Review Chapter Five for exemplary examples of language that intensify the conflict
between Gatsby and Daisy, Gatsby and Tom.
Comprehension
1. Why does the appearance of Tom Buchanan at the end of Chapter Four relate to
the action of Chapter Five?
2. How is Gatsbys reaction in Chapter Five somewhat surprising since he has
waited so long for this moment?
Analysis of Language
Directions: Develop analysis to go along with each quote illustrating how language brings to life
the obvious tension between Daisy and Gatsby in the opening of Chapter Five.
Quote

Explanation

The flowers were unnecessary, for at two

oclock a greenhouse arrived from
Gatsbys

Greenhouse is a hyperbole that contributes

to the theme of Gatsbys character flaw of
going overkill.

Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands

plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was
standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically
into my eyes.

... plunged like weights in his coat packets is

a simile that contributes to the purpose of
showing Gatsbys great desire and heavy
emotions to get a relationship with Daisy
working.

His head leaned back so far that it rested

against the face of a defunct mantelpiece
clock and from this position his distraught
eyes stared down at Daisy who was sitting
frightened but graceful on the edge of a stiff
chair.

The defunct mantelpiece clock is a symbol.

The symbol helps with showing Gatsbys
character style of wanting to revive past
glories. The symbol also shows Gatsbys
illiteracy of the inability to move forward since
Daisy is on the edge.

His eyes glanced momentarily at me and his

lips parted with an abortive attempt at a
laugh. Luckily, the clock took this moment to
tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head,
whereupon he turned and caught it with
trembling fingers and set it back in place.
Then he sat down, rigidly, his elbow on the
arm of the sofa and his chin in his hand.

The clock is a symbol of the past. The

symbol helps the theme since it shows that it
is impossible to take back and revive the
past. The quotes also foreshadows the
struggle for Gatsby to take back the past.

My own face had now assumed a deep

tropical burn. I couldnt muster up a single
commonplace out of the thousand in my
head.

Deep tropical burn is imagery and

commonplace out of a thousand is a
hyperbole. The purpose of this quotes is to
show Gatsby's awkwardness with Daisy.

Amid the welcome confusion of cups and

cakes a certain physical decency established
itself. Gatsby got himself in a shadow and
while Daisy and I talked looked
conscientiously from one to the other of us
with tense unhappy eyes.

...looked conscientiously with tense

unhappy eyes is an example of imagery. The
quote ties to Gatsbys idolization of Daisy and
his desire for something more between him
and Daisy.

Comprehension
1. How does the attitude between Daisy and Gatsby change in chapter five?
2. How is the weather symbolic of the emotion between Daisy and Gatsby?
Analyze Language: Your Turn
Directions: Create a chart analyzing language similar to the one above using quotes from pages
94-102.

Quote

Analysis

Has it? When he realized what I was talking

about, that there were twinkle-bells of
sunshine in the room, he smiled like a
weather man,

This was symbolism of the current situation.

The twinkle-bells of sunshine represent the
happiness in Gatsby at that moment. The
weather man is a simile comparing Gatsby
on the news to predict sunshine the whole
week. Though like a weatherman, he would
not be able to predict the storm ahead.

He hadnt once ceased looking at Daisy and I

think he revalued everything in his house
according to the measure of response it drew
from her well-loved eyes. Sometimes, too, he
stared around at his possessions in a dazed
way as though in her actual and astounding
presence none of it was any longer real.

This demonstrates the standards that Gatsby

hold himself by Daisy. Everything Daisy likes,
Gatsby likes. Everything Daisy dislikes,
Gatsby dislikes. He is so in love with her that
he tries to satisfy her too much.

Couldnt find a third quote.

Reflection:
Write a reflection on how you believe the way Fitzgerald uses diction and figurative language
helps to more fully engage the audience in the unspoken emotion between the characters.
Fitzgerald uses the actions of his characters to explain the emotions they are feeling.
Rarely throughout chapter 5 do they say they are nervous or happy. In other cases he uses
language to display the emotion of his characters. ... whereupon he turned and caught it with
trembling fingers and set it back in place. Then he sat down, rigidly, his elbow on the arm of the
sofa and his chin in his hand. This quote explains that Gatsby is nervous after flubbing his
hands trying to catch the clock. Fitzgerald doesnt say hes nervous, instead the actions clearly

explain hes nervous. he smiled like a weather man, like an ecstatic patron of recurrent light,
This quotes uses language to expound Gatsbys happiness. The language clearly explains hes
happy.