MAF+Class+Notes+Feb.+22

Brittany Tobjy

ENGL 337-01: Modern American Fiction

Dr. Laura Nicosia

2 March 2010

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Discussion Day #1 February 22, 2010

As per many of our Modern American Fiction classes, Dr. Nicosia utilizes the discussion-based format, as she wishes to hear our reactions and interpretations of the text. The first day of discussing The Great Gatsby on February 22, 2010 was no different as Dr. Nicosia was very interested in our experiences reading this book for most likely the second or third time.

For many college students, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a novel they vaguely recall from high school. However, these high school classes tend to gloss over the text of The Great Gatsby leaving much of Fitzgerald’s work behind, rather than interpreting and working with the information (or lack thereof) that he presents within the novel. In our discussion during Modern American Fiction, many of us recalled the idea of the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, the infamous car crash, the negative portrayal of women, juxtaposing the setting of West Egg and East Egg, Daisy’s flirtatious voice, and Gatsby’s incredible smile. In high school, much of the discussion is focused around these six somewhat obvious elements, trying to decode their meaning or symbolism within the text. Within our class period, Dr. Nicosia was sure to address these common symbols that Fitzgerald presents while also decoding more complex ideas that high school English teachers do not delve into.

In fact, Dr. Nicosia continued her discussion by presenting three major questions: What are people not saying? What is not being said? What secrets are present? By gearing the class discussion to the idea of secrecy and mystery within the novel, I believe the class was able to experience Gatsby in a new light (preferably green).

Much of the discussion of secrecy and mystery was geared towards, Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator. As a reader, one only experiences the world through Nick’s narration and we are forced in a sense to believe and trust in Nick as he retells the story of his summer and the events that occurred within it. For many first-time readers of Gatsby, Nick is a beloved and trusted narrator, especially as he asserts, “I am one of the most honest people that I have ever known” (Fitzgerald 60). However, for re-readers of this novel, Dr Nicosia pointed out that it is not as easy to trust Nick but rather question some of his motives, whether we like him as a character or not. But this assertion can be extremely limiting and harmful for a reader. Through our discussion of Nick, Dr. Nicosia pointed out an important characteristic of our narrator: Nick is willing to be open, honest, and judgmental about the other characters within the novel however we learn very little information about him. We hardly know about his job as a bondman, including his employer. In addition, we know very little about his current home and how he was able to rent this bungalow in the middle of two mansions for eighty dollars a month. These somewhat smaller ideas of conspiracy and secrecy within Nick are usually pointed out in high school English classes and are easy to grasp on a first-read of the novel. However, as our discussion continued, Dr. Nicosia pointed out a major conspiracy surrounding Nick that is not typically discussed within most high school English classes, namely his sexuality. Dr. Nicosia pointed out on page 38 of the novel in which an ellipsis is used (…) to omit or leave out pertinent information. What actually happens between the elevator scene and Nick’s new location at a bedside is unclear. Yet through textual evidence and a clever imagination it is a great assumption that Nick may have been sexually involved with another man. Through our class discussion, I believe our class was able to realize how Nick’s character is filled with secrets and mystery through which readers should not fully trust Nick.

Dr. Nicosia moved our discussion in an interesting way, as she pointed out the Para text (textual documents on the outside of the narrative) of The Great Gatsby, which is a poem that reads: “Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry “Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!” Many students in class, myself included, skipped over this poem wishing to get right into the novel. However, it holds deep meaning for the entire story and in fact sets the tone. After discussing what we believe this poem means, one student explained it quite clearly: “If a man does exactly what a women likes or wants he will win her heart.” This bold statement truly encompasses the meaning of this quatrain and can have significant implications for the text as a whole, referring to Gatsby’s attempts to win Daisy’s heart.

As the class discussion continued, Dr. Nicosia asked a few more open-ended questions such as: Who is Gatsby? Is this story about Gatsby? How do we experience Gatsby? Through these questions, one student pointed out that we experience Gatsby through the lens of Nick, making a connection to another novel read in our class, Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio. In this text, we experience the characters and learn about them through the narrator, George Willard, who is very much like Nick Carraway. The idea of obsession and the grotesque permeates Anderson’s text, however connections can be made to Fitzgerald’s work as well. In class, we discussed the idea of obsession within Gatsby for much of the class period. It was lightly noted that Nick is obsessed with Gatsby, following his every move and “being in cahoots” with him. But, Nick’s obsession with Gatsby actually pales in comparison with Gatsby’s obsessive love for Daisy. In class, someone even called Gatsby “a grotesque character” as all of his motives surround his love for Daisy. We also outlined how obsessive Gatsby can be as he has purchased his house across the sound from Daisy’s house, holds each grand party in hopes that she will attend, and even plots with Nick to reacquaint with Daisy. After our class discussion, the fact that Gatsby and Nick through the lens of Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio are uniquely grotesque characters has become increasingly more apparent.

Our class discussion on February 22, 2010 was extremely riveting and unique through the help of Dr. Nicosia. Instead of focusing on the simple and over-analyzed ideas of The Great Gatsby, the hour and fifteen minutes of class was devoted more to discovery—discovery of Fitzgerald’s work as a true model of Modern American Fiction.

Audio of Class Discussion: media type="file" key="MAF Gastby Day