The Great Gatsby
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- Category: English: Novels
- Date Submitted: 10/31/2010 12:09 PM
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How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter Three of The Great Gatsby?
Fitzgerald uses a variety of devices in Chapter three of the Great Gatsby to explore the plot. The form, structure and language all aid in the exploration of characters and setting in this over-crowded and exciting chapter. Fitzgerald uses techniques such as the use of a narrator, imagery, dialogue, metaphors, similes and personification to enhance and portray his story.
The form of a chapter interprets how it is ought to be read. Fitzgerald cleverly uses the character Nick as a narrative voice throughout chapter three to depict the events of Gatsby’s party from a clear angle. Humour and description is used by Nick during this chapter to show the audience the gradient between Gatsby’s parties at West Egg and his quiet and secluded lifestyle. Towards the opening of the chapter Nick describes the setting of the party, ‘several hundred feet of canvas and enough lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby’s enormous garden’ using humorous description, comparing Gatsby’s garden to a Christmas tree. This is used to cover his feelings of insecurity and lack of social status. This description is also over-exaggerated, showing that perhaps Nick is making the party sound grander than it is, giving him a reason to feel as misplaced as he does. Nick’s character also shows narrator bias during the chapter. The quote, ‘I was on my way to getting roaring drunk from sheer embarrassment’ again re-enforces the fact that Nick feels out of place, but also shows that he may have been drinking, rendering the entire chapter unreliable. Fitzgerald has used this to open the chapter to readers own interpretations of Nicks feelings and how grand Gatsby’s party really is. This helps engage the reader and allow slight change of interpretations in the story. This use of narrator helps tell the story as it shows the reader that this is an uncomfortable, high society party, the readers are then able to emphasise and...
Fitzgerald uses a variety of devices in Chapter three of the Great Gatsby to explore the plot. The form, structure and language all aid in the exploration of characters and setting in this over-crowded and exciting chapter. Fitzgerald uses techniques such as the use of a narrator, imagery, dialogue, metaphors, similes and personification to enhance and portray his story.
The form of a chapter interprets how it is ought to be read. Fitzgerald cleverly uses the character Nick as a narrative voice throughout chapter three to depict the events of Gatsby’s party from a clear angle. Humour and description is used by Nick during this chapter to show the audience the gradient between Gatsby’s parties at West Egg and his quiet and secluded lifestyle. Towards the opening of the chapter Nick describes the setting of the party, ‘several hundred feet of canvas and enough lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby’s enormous garden’ using humorous description, comparing Gatsby’s garden to a Christmas tree. This is used to cover his feelings of insecurity and lack of social status. This description is also over-exaggerated, showing that perhaps Nick is making the party sound grander than it is, giving him a reason to feel as misplaced as he does. Nick’s character also shows narrator bias during the chapter. The quote, ‘I was on my way to getting roaring drunk from sheer embarrassment’ again re-enforces the fact that Nick feels out of place, but also shows that he may have been drinking, rendering the entire chapter unreliable. Fitzgerald has used this to open the chapter to readers own interpretations of Nicks feelings and how grand Gatsby’s party really is. This helps engage the reader and allow slight change of interpretations in the story. This use of narrator helps tell the story as it shows the reader that this is an uncomfortable, high society party, the readers are then able to emphasise and...