Literature 1 discussion
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After reading chapter 6
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Mariel
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Jun 09, 2014 09:09AM
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In my opinion, in chapter 6 there's an instance of prolepsis, a flashforward from chapter 8 in which we are introduced to Gatsby's past, his story and his relationship with Dan Cody.I think there is a change in focalisation since we are presented to Gatsby's past through his own eyes.
Lastly, I think the purpose of both the treatment of time and the change in focalisation in the chapter is to let us know about Gatsby's real past so as to understand a little better why he acted and reacted as he did in the following chapters.
I do agree with Fernanda in the fact that there is a change of focalization in this chapter and we can see the story through Gatsby´s eyes. Also, after having looked up for proplepsis´ definition, I agree with her one hundred per cent in the fact that this technique is used in this chapter.Finally, I believe too that the purpose is for the reader to empathise with Gatby and understand better his personality and idiosyncrasy and, of course, his decisions.
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As Fernanda and Sebastian said, there is a change of focalization, we get to now the story throgh Gatsby.
I agree with you all. There's a change in focalization. The story is told through Gatsby's eyes, and in this way we get to know his past. I don't know if it's the truth about Gatsby... we may believe his story or not.
I agree with all the points mentioned above. We see Gatsby’s past through his own eyes, there’s some prolepsis, and we now empathise with him. Nick says that Gatsby told him the story of his past when he had “reached a point of believing everything and nothing about him”, and says that the previous rumours about his past weren’t even “faintly true”. Still I don’t know whether to believe it. Nick does mention in pag 32, and I quote, that “he would have accepted the information that Gatsby sprang from the swamps of Louisiana or from the lower East side of New York”, which makes the story of his past in chapter 6 even more “reliable”. And by justified in empathising with him, I don’t understand exactly what that means.
I also agree with my classmates that the story focalised in Gatsby’s past. I think it was necessary for us to know a little more about him and try to understand the way he runs his life and why. Perhaps there’s not much information in this chapter yet to clarify our doubts about Gatsby. In that sense, I share the view expressed by Joana when she quotes Nick’s words about believe everything and nothing at once about Gatsby.
I believe that there is a change of focalisation in chapter 6, where we can appreciate the story from Gatsby point of view . Because of this we are able to get know a little bit more about Gatsby and in a certain way emphasise with him. Although it is important for us to consider that as lot of the classmates have already said, we can not trust 100% on Gatsby words because we ought to take into consideration what nick said about "believe everything and nothing at once about gatsby".
I read all the points mentioned above and cannot get the instance of prolepsis Fernanda mentions at the beginning. I´m a bit confused......What I see is not a flashforward buy a flashback (analepsis). Chronologically, there is evidently a change in time order. Fitzgerald starts the chapter with a flashback to tell us a part of Gatsby´s past life.
I still don´t have things clear as regards focalization.
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That is to say, it's a flashforward that introduces a flashback.
As some of you say, the fact that this is Gatsby's account, and that it contains innacuracies makes it suspicious. It isn't any more "true" than all the other stories told about Gatsby.
Why does Nick introduce it here? So that we will be further inclined to sympathise with the protagonist.
