The Great Gatsby - Journal Page - Chapter 2

Jennifer Tabasco 11-2
English III
Mr. Fiorini
March 13, 2009

Chapter 2 - The Great Gatsby - Journal Entry

My Notes And Comments For Chapter 2: PP. 23-38
• Valley of ashes? (An abandoned poorer section of New York, I thought that Fitzgerald was referring to a cemetery for some odd reason.)
• Doctor T.J. Eckleburg- Billboard Nick passes by while going over the drawbridge.
• Nick and Tom travel to New York one afternoon on a train so Nick can meet Tom’s mistress.
• Nick met Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson.
• George B. Wilson- Husband of Myrtle Wilson, In charge of the car repair shop Tom takes Nick to. His shop repairs bought and sold cars.
• The secret affairs between Tom and Myrtle- Daisy and George have no clue about this affair.
• Myrtle’s sister’s name is Catherine.
• Myrtle called her sister and her friends to drink whiskey at her house, basically a party with a lot of people.
• The McKee’s- Myrtle’s neighbors, below Myrtle’s apartment floor.
• Mr. Chester McKee- a photographer.
• Mr. Gatsby’s name keeps coming up in this story! (Catherine told Nick that she was at a party in West Egg at Gatsby’s house a month ago.)
• Kaiser Wilhelm? (PP. 32) Gatsby’s his cousin/nephew? Supposedly, that’s who everybody says Gatsby obtained his money from.
• Catherine- Told Nick that Tom and Myrtle both can’t stand living with the person they’re married to.
• Daisy- Not Catholic? Catherine said that she was (Liar), but Nick, the narrator, points out that she’s not Catholic since Nick and Daisy are second cousins.
• Mrs. McKee- Supposedly George Wilson was interested in her in the past before he met Myrtle.
• Tom hit Myrtle in the nose for repeatedly saying Daisy’s name over and over. (I thought that men weren’t allowed to hit women during this time.)
• Mr. McKee invited Nick out for lunch anywhere at anytime. (I think that this is kind of a random but sincere gesture from Mr. McKee since we didn’t really see Mr. McKee and Nick interact a lot during this specific Chapter.)
• Was this novel’s setting intentionally set before or after prohibition? I’m really curious to figure this question out.

Vocabulary Words: Yes, I included Vocabulary Words in my Journal Entry because for most of these words, I had absolutely no clue as to what they even meant.
• Transcendent - (PP. 23) – Exceeding usual limits, superlative, supreme, incomparable.
• Contiguous - (PP. 24) – In contact; touching; near or next.
• Anaemic – (PP. 25) – Relating to anemia or suffering from anemia; lacking vigor or energy.
• Crepe-de-Chine - (PP. 25) – A light, soft, silk or synthetic fabric with minute irregularities of surface; A silk crepe used for dresses and blouses.
• Muslin – (PP. 27) – A strong, plain-woven cotton cloth.
• Proprietary – (PP. 30) – Belonging to a proprietor, as under a patent, trademark, or copyright.
• Ectoplasm – (PP. 30) – The outer portion of the cytoplasm of a cell; An immaterial substance, especially the transparent physical presence of a ghost or a spirit.
• Hauteur – (PP. 30) – Disdainful pride, haughtiness.