The Great Gatsby - 9

"The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing like a leg of transit, a thin red circle in water." pg. 162

I think that Gatsby's death portrays another aspect of the characterization of the upper class. The wealthy use their money as a shield. They never take responsibility for their actions. They use their money to hide from their consequences. Daisy was the one who ran over Myrtle, but Gatsby paid the consequences. It was as if Gatsby cleaned up Daisy's mess. This is also shown for the upper class as a whole. After Gatsby's lavish parties, full of shallow wealthy socialites, Nick and Gatsby clean up the mess made by the party. These people use their money to keep them out of trouble.

The Great Gatsby - 8

"Lots of people come who haven't been invited." pg. 109

Gatsby has elaborate parties and people just show up uninvited. This further exemplifies the characteristics of the rich. This is a common theme throughout the novel. People think that just  because they have money, they can do whatever they want. I think that through the annoyed tone of this comment, it becomes evident that the author does not approve of the mindset of the upper class and wishes to restore what it used to be. Money should not be a source of power, and it should not influence social standing. People are using their money to create an image for themselves, but each of these images are superficial. They do not reflect quality individuals or sincere people. I think that this is a warning to the upper class, that if things are not altered, dignity and standards will quickly diminish.

The Great Gatsby - 6

"We were close friends." pg. 169

Nick is not characterized as being judgemental. He knows that he comes from a good background and had many opportunities others were not as lucky to receive.  However, he seems to be ambiguous in how he feels about people. He considers Gatsby to be one of his close friends. He admires his personality and behavior. But, when he discovers how Gatsby accumulated his wealth, he has a new outlook on him. He actually judges Gatsby for what he did to become wealthy. This same thing happens between Nick and Tom. Nick initially is friends with Tom, but when he discovers he accused Gatsby for running over Myrtle, he refuses to forgive him. He once again judges someones actions. I know that being judgemental is human nature, but it just seems hypocritical.

The Great Gatsby - 5

"Were getting off," he insisted. "I want you to meet my girl." pg. 24

Nick's actions in this chapter make me angry. I don't understand why he doesn't discouraging Tom's infidelity. Daisy is Nick's cousin. He should be threatening to tell her or making Tom feel bad about what he is doing. But no, he simply goes along and meets Tom's mistress without and comment. I think that its safe to say that family loyalty may not be the most prominent theme of this novel. Nick's actions characterizes him as being passive in nature. He seems to avoid conflict and does what people tell him to do. He pursues a relationship with Jordan after Daisy and Tom suggest it, he invites Daisy over for tea upon Gatsby's request, and he meets Tom's mistress without any argument.

Characterization 3 - Everyday Use

"But they're priceless." pg. 180

Dee and Maggie could not be any more opposite than they are. Maggie has a very shy and timid persona. Oppositely, Dee is very outspoken and driven. I think that Dee is going about embracing her heritage in the wrong way. It is like she is trying too hard to make life what she thinks its supposed to be. She needs to rather, let the heritage come to her. If she wouldn't have basically disowned her family, I think she could have learned a lot about who she really is. I think the characterization of the mother is deceiving. Even though she isn't well educated, she still has a wealth of knowledge about where she came from. If Dee would have spoken to her mother about their family history, she would have been able to connect to her heritage on a deeper level. It would have encompassed her life rather than being forced on her.

Characterization 2 - Hunter's in the Snow

"They are not doing him any good," Frank said. "We might as well get some use out of them." pg. 201

The irony in this story is reflected through the initial characterizations of Tub and Kenny. At first, Tub is characterized as the helpless victim. He is unable to stand up to Kenny's jokes. He also faces insecurities about his weight and over indulgence issues. We see Kenny as a bully who picks on others to make himself feel better. Even when he can sense Tubs attitude, he keeps it up. However, mid way through the story their roles are completely reversed, but to a more drastic measure. Kenny is truly a helpless victim. He is left to die in the freezing cold. Tub becomes the real bully. He leave his friend to die without attempting to help him. I think that throughout the story, Frank provided the stable, non hectic attitude. He never over reacted to either Tub or Kenny being a bully. He seemed to want to stay out of it.