The Great Gatsby Chapter 8

Mandy Holcomb

Mr. Copeland

English 11 CP

31 January 2010

A Sense of Edginess and Death

1. I think that a good title for chapter 8 would be "A Sense of Edginess and Death." It suites the chapter because Nick can't seem to concentrate throughout his day at work and Gatsby is shot. Wilson, after seeing the eyes of T.J. wants revenge. The characters in chapter 8 all seem out of line and disturbed.

2. Nick goes to Gatsby's after Gatsby arrives home at 4 am and informs Nick that nothing happened with Tom and Daisy. Nick finally goes to work and Gatsby descides taht he wants to go for a swim for the first time in his marble swimming pool. All the while WIlson talks to Michaelis and after seeing the eyes of T.J. says that God sees everything and that he should have revenge. Wilson goes to Tom and gets information that Gatsby killed Myrtle, so he goes to Gatsby's where he shoots him then he shoots himself.

3. "Standing behind him, Michaelis saw with a shock that he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, which had just emerged, pale and enormous, from the dissolving night." I think that this is a very important quote from this chapter because it comes from the conversation between Michaelis and Wilson that God sees everything. These doctor eyes see everything. They know everything that happens in their range of sight. In CHapter 8 the reader learns many truths, as do the characters. The eyes represent what the characters have failed to see. Gatsby didn't see that he was going to get shot and neither did anyone else. Tom didn't see Myrtle get killed so he assumed that Gatsby did it.

A. I see Nick develope as a character in chapter 8. Throughout the story Nick is a very laid back character. He just doesn't seem to care, but he does. In this chapter Nick is concerned about Gatsby because he goes to his house as soon as Gatsby gets home. That day Nick doesn't want to go to work because he just wants to sit and talk to Gatsby. Nick turns out to be very uneasy in this chapter. I mean he turns down a date with Jordan Baker and is deep in curious thought through out his whole day.