The Great Gatsby Summary

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby takes place among the New York elite during the Roaring Twenties. The story, told from the perspective of a naà ¯ve young narrator, focuses on a mysterious millionaire, the woman he loves, and the self-absorbed denizens of their wealthy neighborhood. Chapters 1-2 Nick Carraway, a World War I veteran and recent Yale graduate from the Midwest, moves to New York in the summer of 1922 to work as a bond salesman. He rents a small home on Long Island in the neighborhood of West Egg, which is largely populated by wealthy, self-made men. Nick is intrigued by Jay Gatsby, who lives in the lavish mansion next door. Gatsby is a mysterious recluse who throws massive parties but never makes an appearance at any of them. Across the bay, a distance away but directly across from Gatsby’s dock, there is a green light that seems to draw Gatsby’s attention. After settling in, Nick drives to the other side of the bay to the mirroring neighborhood of East Egg, where his flapper cousin Daisy Buchanan lives. Daisy is married to the arrogant and mean-spirited Tom Buchanan, a former college classmate of Nicks. Nick discovers that Daisys dock is the source of the green light. Daisy introduces Nick to her friend Jordan, a professional golfer who gives Nick a crash course in their social circle. Nick also learns that Tom is unfaithful to Daisy. Tom has a mistress named Myrtle Wilson who lives in the â€Å"valley of ashes—the stretch of land between West Egg and New York City, where poor workers live surrounded by industrial waste. Despite this new knowledge, Nick goes with Tom to New York City, where they attend a party at the apartment Tom stays in with Myrtle for their assignations. The party is hedonistic and crass, and the evening quickly devolves into a violent fight between Tom and Myrtle. After Myrtle repeatedly brings up Daisy, Toms barely concealed anger bubbles up and he hits Myrtle until he breaks her nose. Chapters 3-4 Nick finds himself at one of Gatsby’s parties, where he runs into Jordan and finally meets Gatsby himself. Both Jordan and Nick are taken aback at how young Gatsby is, and Nick is particularly surprised to realize that he and Gatsby served in the same division during the war. This shared history seems to generate unusual friendliness in Gatsby towards Nick. Jordan tells Nick what she knows of Gatsby’s past. She explains that, when Gatsby was a young military officer preparing to fight in Europe, Daisy was part of a group of debutantes doing volunteer work alongside the soldiers. The duo shared a flirtation, Gatsby fell in love, and Daisy promised to wait for him to return from the war. However, their different social backgrounds—Gatsby from humble origins, Daisy from a wealthy family—precluded a relationship, and Daisy ultimately met and married Tom. Jordan goes on to explain that ever since returning from the war and making a fortune, Gatsby has been throwing lavish parties in hopes of attracting Daisys attention from across the bay. So far, though, his plan has not worked, and he has been relegated to gazing at the green light on her dock. Over time, Nick begins dating Jordan, and Gatsby and Nick strike up a friendship. Despite their different life experiences and world views, Gatsby and Nick share an optimism that borders on naà ¯vetà ©. Since Nick is Daisy’s cousin, Gatsby uses their connection as a cover to arrange a meeting for himself with Daisy. Nick willingly agrees to the scheme and invites Daisy over to his house for tea, but doesn’t tell her that Gatsby will be there. Chapters 5-7 The reunion between Gatsby and Daisy is awkward and uncomfortable at first, but over the course of the summer, they begin a full-fledged affair. Gatsby confides in Nick that he wants Daisy to leave Tom for him; when Nick reminds him that they cant recreate their past, Gatsby insists that they can—and that money is the key. Daisy and Gatsby are successful in keeping the affair under wraps for a while, but one day, Daisy accidentally speaks about Gatsby in front of Tom. Tom immediately deduces that his wife is having an affair and flies into a rage. Tom uses Daisy as a weapon, telling Gatsby that he could never understand the kind of history that Tom has with Daisy. He also reveals the truth of how James Gatz, a poor officer, became Jay Gatsby, the millionaire: bootlegging alcohol and possibly other illegal dealing. Tom forces Daisy to make a choice then and there: him or Gatsby. Daisy insists that she has loved both men, but chooses to remain in her stable position married to Tom. She drives Gatsby back to Long Island in Gatsby’s car, while Tom drives with Nick and Jordan. This proves to be a fatal mistake. Myrtle, who recently had a fight with Tom, sees them driving by and runs out in front of Gatsby’s car, trying to catch Tom’s attention and reconcile with him. Daisy doesn’t stop in time and hits Myrtle, killing her. A panicked and distraught Daisy flees the scene, and Gatsby reassures her that he will take the blame for the accident. When Nick arrives and gets the details, he goes to check on Daisy. He finds Daisy and Tom calmly eating dinner together, apparently reconciled. Chapters 8-9 Nick returns to check on Gatsby, who mournfully tells him about his first, long-ago courtship of Daisy. Nick suggests that Gatsby leave the area alone, but Gatsby refuses. He says goodbye to Nick, who heads to work for the day. Myrtle’s suspicious husband George confronts Tom. George tells Tom that he believes the yellow car that killed Myrtle belonged to Myrtle’s lover. He explains that he has long suspected that Myrtle was unfaithful, but never figured out who she was having an affair with. Tom informs George that the yellow car belongs to Gatsby and gives him Gatsby’s address so that he can get his revenge. George goes to Gatsby’s home, shoots Gatsby, and kills himself. Nick organizes Gatsby’s funeral, but only three people attend: Nick, an anonymous partygoer, and Gatsby’s estranged father, who expresses pride in his late son’s achievements. Later, Nick runs into Tom, who openly admits to sending George Wilson to Gatsby. Tom says that Gatsby deserved to die, and he expresses more unhappiness about losing his apartment in the city than all the death and trauma. Having come face-to-face with the careless people of West Egg, Nick feels that the true â€Å"dreamers† have died along with Gatsby. He moves away and returns to the Midwest.

The Definition of Ratchet Essay - 987 Words

Raymond Santos Lawson English 100 14 October 2012 I Do It for the Ratchets â€Å"Ugh, she so ratchet,† a common phrase when hitting the club or scrolling through any social media site. No, they’re not referring to the mechanical tool or the beloved Transformers character, their inferring to the new slang term that has established itself within a generation’s vocabulary. But how exactly does an everyday term such as ratchet become so twisted to the point where it’s new meaning no longer resembles it’s old one? As it once was mainly known as a mechanical tool used to repair clocks and roller coasters, it now has a entirely different definition. Although words may have an established meaning, as time goes by, that meaning may change,†¦show more content†¦Ratchet Culture The definition from Urban Dictionary does not allow one to fully grasp what a ratchet is. It takes real life experience to fully understand. For those who would rather stray away from sweaty clubs filled with o bnoxious people ‘twerkin’ to the latest Travis Porter tracks, simply take a stroll through the many social media websites. The most common sites infested with ratchets are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Your typical Facebook ratchet is busy posting ‘thirsty’, as in wants to hook up with someone, statuses that fill up other’s feeds. Usually asking around for ‘likes’ or in other words, an ‘lms’ (like my status), ratchets tend to become unfriended by others. Switch over to Twitter, where more annoying updates occur. The timelines of ratchets on Twitter consist of stories of their late night escapades at the club along with the usual ‘Twitter beef’ with other ratchets that all deny that they are ratchets...but we all know that they ratchet. On the photo sharing site, Instagram, ratchets tend to post daily mirror shots of themselves that are bombarded with hashtags in effort for more ‘likes’. Hashtags such as #nomakeup, #nofilter, #justgotoutoftheshower, and #dontneednoman compliment pictures of their new jeggings or freshly done weave perfectly. The appearance of a ratchet is very distinguishable when seen in public. They can be spotted inShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of White Kids 1427 Words   |  6 Pagesidentifying marker the students use is slang. Linguists define slang as a youth-dominated, rapidly changing lexicon associated with casual social contexts, but a nonlinguistic view frames slang as an illegitimate linguistic variety. The latter definition is inaccurate because these varieties have strict grammatical rules and are only â€Å"illegitimate† to the uneducated eye. Furthermore, calling slang illegitimate is disrespectful because it disregards the users of such language as inferior, thereforeRead More Essay on Toni Morrisons Beloved - How We Define Ourselves2941 Words   |  12 Pagesthe characters in the novel have strongly opposite ideas of defining their o wn â€Å"selves†.   Baby Suggs displays a very healthy sense of self, completely based on only who she is as a person, and not relying on any other person to assist her in her definition.   She is an independent person and loves her own â€Å"self† greatly.   Sethe, on the other hand, has an unhealthy sense of self because who she is is strongly dependent on her interactions and relationships with her children. The above is excerptRead More Sales Ethics Essay example1344 Words   |  6 Pagesincludes not only the culture but the laws and standard procedures of the environment. 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Nonetheless, Bibbit’s atelophobia and mommy issues did not mean he was insane as many could have concluded since he was in asylum; instead, he was a patient who was confined by the fearRead MoreLiterature Review And Hypothesis Development852 Words   |  4 Pagesis the most common form of exiting an invest ment, we identify any investment where the company is eventually acquired or lists its shares on a public stock exchange via an IPO as a success. The rationale behind this filtering is the fact that via ratchet clauses and liquidity preferences, in an event of a sale, liquidation or public offering, the investors are protected to receive their initial investment outlay, and often a modest return on the aforementioned investment before the founders and subsequentRead MoreBeyonce s Formation : Anti Cop Or Pro Black?965 Words   |  4 Pagesand how they attempted to cover it up or look past it. Furthermore, the video switches from an old fashioned grainy look to a high definition more modern look. I feel like she did this to convey a sense of time, to show the passage of time and the effects it has had. She promotes self-love in the black community using imagery of what would normally be seen as â€Å"ratchet† or â€Å"inappropriate† from liking cornbread and collard greens to wearing different colored weaves and dressing yourself uniquely. Read MoreAnalyzing Communication And Access For Private Data926 Words   |  4 Pagesthat its greatest enemy is its own citizen. Although surveillance might hold some merit; in its present form, the mass surveillance is certainly on the wrong track. In Harvard Law School National Security Journal, Austen D. Givens talks about the ratchet effect. He talks about how once an anti-terrorism law is made, it is difficult to scale back and the law may get misused or misinterpreted with time, the laws that were designed for a particular use can expand and change into something else entirelyRead MoreExploring The Controversy Of Bitch1294 Words   |  6 Pagesover the years altered in their meanings. The etymology of the word â€Å"bitchâ €  is a prime example of a word that has become difficult to categorize into a single definition. The word itself has been adapted, reinvented, and created into a form of endearment (akin to best friends). One can be called a bad bitch or a basic bitch, even a ratchet bitch has become socially acceptable. Being called a bitch not too long ago was immediately perceived as an insult, but being a bitch can signify independencyRead MoreFree Cash Flow1481 Words   |  6 Pageshas negative sales growth it s likely to diminish its capital spending dramatically. Receivables, provided they are being timely collected, will also ratchet down. All this deceleration will show up as additions to Free Cash Flow. However, over the longer term, decelerating sales trends will eventually catch up. Net Free Cash Flow definition should also allow for cash available to pay off the company s short term debt. It should also take into account any dividends that the company means toRead MoreJohn Keats s Poem Analysis1328 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Exemplary form. The Exemplary form relies on the spoken word to express its qualities. The base concept behind Exemplary form lies in this: the shapes of words, as they pass through our lips, have an effect on our emotions. Words such as â€Å"ratchet† and â€Å"drivetrain† sound aggressive and menacing, even though they are terms found in the common automotive garage. When thinking in terms of unexpected words that soothe, we can find examples in words like â€Å"shelf† and â€Å"grassy.† The Exemplary form

Slaves were acquired in a few different free essay sample

Slaves were acquired in a few different ways. Sometimes the capturers would simply hide out and wait for a passer-by. Some traded for goods, as mentioned above, and other Africans who would receive pay captured some. However acquired, their fate would depend on physical and mental toughness. In order to survive what lay ahead these two qualities were essential for survival. Many Africans believed they were going to be eaten by the Europeans. This was a rumor that traveled among the captive slaves. There were also rumors circulating among white slave traders about a grisly incident that took place in 1724 on an English slave ship commanded byCaptain John Hardin. Believing that the slaves onboard his ships were plotting a revolt, Harding ordered the arrest Of the man whom he believed to be the ringleader. In front of the other captives, the mans throat was cut and his heart and liver were cut out. We will write a custom essay sample on Slaves were acquired in a few different or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Then Captain Harding ordered the bloody heart and liver to be cut into three hundred pieces, and he forced each of the horrified captives to eat a piece by threatening to do the same thing to them if they refused. The the experience so traumatized and disgusted the captives that many of them refused all food after that and gradually starved o death.Death of slaves on board was very common. There are several reasons slaves died during the Middle Passage. Starvation and malnutrition were common slave ships. Sometimes captains underestimated the amount of food needed or the journey took longer than expected and therefore the slaves went hungry. Some slaves refused to eat in hopes to die. Disease and sickness also affected slave survival rates. Many of the diseases came from the Europeans and very few doctors could treat the slaves. Ship doctors rarely understood the causes of diseases that the captives suffered from. If he illness or disease was treatable, appropriate medical care was difficult given the situation and numbers. Some of the illnesses could be blamed on changes in diet and contaminated water. Dysentery, dehydration, and scurvy were direct results of those changes. Other fevers such as malaria and small pox were major killers during the voyage. An account of the slave ship, the Regard, records losing 142 slaves to small pox in 1706. The Indian Queen lost 140 slaves in 1 716 to small pox and 45 slaves had advance signs of the disease while 43 more showed early stages of the disease upon cocking .Men, women and children alike endured all of the conditions mentioned. No one person was given a better chance of survival over the journey. Women however, faced other burdens during the voyage that men and children were not exposed to. Sexual abuse and rape from ship creamers was very common. Some women were captured during pregnancy and forced to give birth aboard the ship. Other women had to make the journey across the Atlantic pregnant and gave birth soon after arriving in the colonies. Numbers on this subject are unknown but it has been documented that it did occur.

Nike Case free essay sample

Nike Case 1. Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own, but where subcontractors make products for Nike? No, I do not believe Nike should be responsible for working conditions in foreign factories. I do believe that there should be working standards in place and adhered to but I do not believe that is Nike’s responsibility. Nike is a business in order to run a successful business one must abide by good business practices including respecting others beliefs and values. It would be no different than if a Nike employee another employee how to raise their kids. As long as they are abiding by the laws governed in that their own country people are free to raise their children how they please. 2. What labor standards regarding safety, working conditions, overtime, and the like, should Nike hold foreign factories to: those prevailing in that country, or those prevailing in the United States? Nike should uphold the standards prevailing in the particular country. We will write a custom essay sample on Nike Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If there are issued regarding safety, working conditions, overtime, etc, they should be discussed through separate entities, for instance the United Nations. 3. An income of $2. 28 a day, the base pay of Nike factory workers in Indonesia, is double the daily income of about half the working population. Half of all adults in Indonesia are farmers, who receive less than $1 a day. Given this, is it correct to criticize Nike for the low pay rates of its subcontractors in Indonesia? It is not appropriate to criticize Nike for low pay rates. According to salary. gov, the average American income is 46,326. If a company from United Arab of Emirates came exports products from a store in the U. S. and paid the works 105,623 (equal to the percentage raise Nike is paying in Indonesia), Americans would be grateful. 4. Could Nike have handled the negative publicity over sweatshops better? What might it have done differently, not just from a public relations perspective, but also from a policy perspective? Yes, Nike could have handled the negative publicity better. For instance Andrew Young should have brought is own interpreter into the factories. There is no way of knowing what is actually being said and the motives behind a foreign interpreter. Nike took the right steps when it mandated hours worked per week, minimum wage per governing country, and raising the child labor laws. They set emplace standards and followed up with them. When they found businesses not adhering to the regulations they increased them, and gave the business a clear definition of what the regulation mandates. I don’t think Nike could/should have done anything else. 5. Do you think Nike needs to make any changes to its current policy? If so, what? Should Nike make changes even if they hinder the ability of the company to compete in the marketplace? No, I do not believe Nike needs to make changes to its current policy. The fact that they even implanted policy shows their character. If Nike did make changes and couldn’t compete in the market place thousands of Americans would be upset about losing their favorite sports brand, and millions of people would be out of jobs. The failure of Nike to compete in the market place could literally mean the down turn of foreign economies. 6. Is the WRC right to argue that the FLA is a tool of industry? The WRC is correct in stating FLA is a tool of the industry. However, the businesses involved are exactly that, businesses. The FLA was an appropriate step in the right direction for the pursuit of better business practices by other countries while maintaining the best business relationship possible. Disrespect, is not only a great way to lose business, but wars are literally started over it. FLA takes the times to look at the beliefs, and values of the companies it is working with and not just â€Å"do what they feel is the right thing to do†. 7. If sweatshops are a global problem, what might be a global solution to this problem? The United Nations should handle the sweatshop issue. That way it is not just the U. S. attacking, or implementing their business structures on other countries. The United Nations is specifically designed to handle global issues. Having multiple nations give their input and suggests would be an incredibly helpful and compromising tool for employees and employers in all countries.