Journal 21: Some Like It Hot and The Great Gatsby

Some Like It Hot and The Great Gatsby are two works that portray the American Dream in the 1920’s.  Whether it was a movie or a book, each literary work described a time when there was an abundance of money, swinging music, romance, and gangsters.  With similar conflicts and themes during each work, it was obvious that the wealthier one was, the more hardships they faced.

            While The Great Gatsby and Some Like It Hot have different characters and plots, it was obvious that there was similar conflicts in romance.  In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby used bootlegging to gain his financial wealth to impress his long lost love Daisy.  He began by throwing big parties that were the main attraction of the week to interest her into coming to his house.  Then, he would capture her love by showing her his kindhearted self and buying her anything her heart pleased.  Gatsby would do whatever it took to make Daisy fall in love with him, but Gatsby’s shady pass presented a conflict on Daisy leaving Tom.  Just as Joe attempts to win over Sugar in Some Like it Hott, he is faced with the problem that he does not have the type of wealth Sugar is looking for. Therefore, he tries to play the role of a millionaire instead of himself.  In the end, it is shown that materials and wealth does not always make a relationship possible.  Even after gaining the wealth Daisy desired, Gatsby is still left heartbroken and Joe convinces Sugar to fall in love with him after he confesses to being poor.

            The Great Gatsby and Some Like It Hot show the importance of high society versus being yourself.  Both Joe and Gatsby pretend to be something they are not and ultimately end up embarrassing themselves.  While Gatsby was truly rich, he tried to hang onto the pass and depict a person who has not changed except for the income he now receives.  He is not Daisy’s husband and acted as though he owns her.  Joe tries to act part of the upper class by taking Sugar on a yacht that is not his.  He wears fancy clothes and longs to impress her with his fake accent.  The difference is that Daisy is unable to look beyond Gatsby’s past and goes back to her husband Tom, while Sugar forgives Joe for his foolish act and falls in love with him.   

            While The Great Gatsby and Some Like It Hot have similar conflicts and themes, they also have different situations and solutions.  Each literary work portrays the responsibility one had being part of a high society versus being poor.  It was shown that while most girls wanted to marry a wealthy man during the 1920’s, she also wanted a real man that act themself.  Between the bootlegging and mixed romances, it was difficult to fall in love and trust someone else.  America was a time of property but also a time full of caution and hardships.         

Journal 20: The Final Goodbye

F. Scott Fitzgerald ends his novel The Great Gatsby by connecting Nick’s final thoughts about Gatsby to the Dutch sailors who discovered Long Island.  As stated in the book, Nick said that Gatsby longed to marry Daisy. He moved to West Egg to construct a wealthy house directly across the waters that surround her mansion just to grab her attention. Then, he would sell illegal drugs to maintain the abundance of his money to be able to give Daisy anything she could ever dream of.  Gatsby wanted to show her that he was different than before.  He was loving and wealthy.  He made all of this happen just to make her fall in love with him. Gatsby pursued his dream for years even though it was considered absolutely ridiculous and absurd. Gatsby’s hopes are connected with the Dutch sailors because they both hoped for a better future.  Fitzgerald uses the color green to describe the land of Long Island to symbolize the growth and new life that the Dutch sailors long to find when entering the shore; just as Gatsby would stare at the green light from Daisy’s dock in hope that Daisy would be looking at him too.  Despite the waves that consistently pushed the sailor’s boats backwards into the ocean, they continued to row to keep their dreams alive.  They longed for something that they were unable to grasp.  The sailors had to keep pushing forward to discover Long Island despite all their hardships.  They wanted a new life.  Both Gatsby and the sailors were fighting to keep their dreams alive.  

Journal 19: Characterizations

Nick Carraway Adjective ___Introverted ___________________ 

Nick Carraway is a main character throughout the novel.  He is quiet and loyal to each of his friends despite their crazy ideas.  After Nick returned to his home in the mid-West from WWI, he made the decision to move out East because he felt so out of place at home.  Even though he would be leaving his girlfriend, he believes that it would be better to live somewhere else. He bought a little house on the coast of West Egg in New York located on the Long Island Sound.  There he had the dream of becoming a bond trader.  He also hopes to get back into reading and writing now that he is settled in New York.  From his backyard, he could see East Egg, where some of his friends and family lived.  One of his closest friends named Jay Gatsby lived in a huge mansion next to Nick’s little house.  Once Nick was comfy in his new home, Daisy, Nick’s cousin, invites him over for dinner.  That is when Nick learns that Daisy’s husband Tom has been having an affair, and Daisy has done nothing to stop him.  This news disgusts Nick, but he decides to stay out of their personal life.

Tom Buchanan Adjective ____Self-Centered________________

Tom Buchanan is a wealthy man that lives on East Egg and is married to Daisy.  Tom was already acquainted with Nick when they went to college at New Haven.  Back in those days, Tom use to play football.  Tom only likes to think of himself and is depicted as aggressive in his every demand.  He must be in charge at all times because he wants to control his own life, despite that he is married.  Tom use to live in Chicago until he spent a year in France and then settled in his current mansion.  He enjoys polo and remains in a handsome appearance to attract ladies.  He is currently cheating on his wife with a woman named Myrtle, but demands that Daisy stay loyal to him. 

Daisy Buchanan Adjective ____Ditzy__________________________

Daisy Buchanan is described as Nick’s second cousin and Tom’s wife.  She is ditzy but charming.  She is willing to do whatever to make everyone happy, but her intent is very different from her actions.  Daisy has an exciting voice that makes her very attractive towards men.  She is beautiful but confused with the requests of others.  Daisy is always flirting with a guy and keeps her guard up due to upsetting situations in her life.  Daisy might appear intelligent and happy, but she is truly depressed with the outcome of her life.  However, she is a mother of a three year old daughter that is rarely spoken of.  She knows that her husband is having an affair but remains by his side. 

Jordan Baker Adjective ___Sly_____________________

Jordan Baker is very smooth in her actions but is able to keep everything she wants a secret.  She must always look good in her actions, even though most of them are discouraged.  She is described as attractive because she is slender, angular, and athletic.  She has gray eyes which makes herself more unique than the rest of her friends.  Her posture describes the pride she has in herself.  With her shoulder pushed back so her chest sticks out, she knows she is pretty to look at.  One of Jordan’s best friends is Daisy, who she grew up with in Louisville, Kentucky.  Jordan is also known for being a professional golfer despite the fact that she cheats occasionally.  In the novel, Jordan travels around the world on tour and doesn’t seem to have any close relatives or family.    

Jay Gatsby Adjective __Independent___________________________

Jay Gatsby is independent because he isolates himself from everyone else.  Even though he is Nick’s next door neighbor, he spends most of his time at his own house.  His mansion located on West Egg directly across the water from East Egg.  It is filled with furniture and other expensive items that are not necessary.  Occasionally he will throw wild parties at his own house, but will not attend them.  With a marble pool, beautiful gardens, and a groomed lawn, Gatsby is trying to impress Daisy with his wealth.  Gatsby likes to be by himself because it gives him time to think about the past.