Great Gatsby Ch.1-6

The Great Gatsby has gotten more interesting with every chapter laying more and more detail over the other. However, the resounding theme in all the chapters is simply that money cannot buy happiness. Both Gatsby and Tom are supplied with seemingly endless amounts of money but neither have found happiness. Despite Gatsby's money he yearns for Daisy, and despite Tom having Daisy, he yearns for another. It seems that no matter the situation no character can truly be without want; their lives can never be truly complete.

The usage of the weather as symbolism of the progressing story line was definitely a technique that I enjoyed to read. I've rarely seen this tactic used but greatly enjoyed the underlying symbolism. However incorrect, I believe that throughout the plotline up to chapter six, Tom doesnt necessarily want a mistress, but merely what he cannot have. When Myrtle explains why Tom will not divorce she blames the wife for being Catholic, which she surely is not. The most important and defining moment for me however was Tom's dislike of Daisy being out and about. Tom was fine prancing about with some other woman but suddenly when Daisy's interests have changed, Tom is in for the challenge. Although there were no signs of Tom trying to win Daisy's affection back, he certainly was not a cheery character in the company of Gatsby who threatens his relationship.

Young Goodman Brown

In the story Goodman Brown begins by leaving his wife on an overnight journey where he meets a stranger in the woods (who we find out is later the devil.) As Brown begins to travel he notices peculiar things about the stranger he is traveling with, like the fact that as the stranger holds plants in his hand they seem to wilt. Brown, a firm christian holds onto his faith but begins to get scared as he journeys through the woods. He stops walking several times because he is scared to go any further because it is unrighteous but eventually moves forward. Brown hears voices of the townspeople talking as they gather to meet for a congregation of evil, inviting two new members into their group. No townsperson isn't in the congregation., High and low, good and bad alike join for the induction of members. Soon the townspeople grab Goodman Brown and his wife and begin to throw them into a fire of the devil to induct them as Goodman Brown resists the devil and begs his wife not to. However, as Goodman Brown is taken from the situation by the Lord he is unable to hear what his wife's decision was. The next morning Goodman Brown awakes and realizes that he is unable to decipher whether last nights proceedings were real or fakes. He can not determine who is a devil worshipper any more and everyone's image in his mind is dashed. When he visits church he sees everyone as a hypocrite and cannot even trust his own wife. Goodman Brown dies a gloomy man with no friends.

The central theme of this story is that everyone in the Puritan village was hypocritical. Everyone lived out holy lives while secretly making a deal with the devil. So in essence, everyone was a hypocrite but is held together by the standards of what they should be by putting up a front.

On Writing

King is consistent in his advice to young writers to always continue writing. To be a writer, one must be a reader. Reading is essential to the development of writing and to understand the trade of a writer, exploring different writing styles is necessary. King needed writing like he needed air to breathe. An example of this is pg.41 of On Writing, King is quoted stating, “The nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled by it.” King had submitted his work so many times that he had trouble even recording the amount of rejection he received. However, the more submissions King made the more writing experience he achieved and the more tips that he received from publishing magazines and newspapers. To King writing was something he had always had an interest, from the 8^th grade he was selling small ‘books.’ Through all the trouble that writing land Mr. King in (from the 8^th grade book failure to the high school newspaper fiasco. Pg 48-50) nothing could dissuade him from the need to write. In fact King even admits to using writing as a crutch to help him through his drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Even in the financially rough times in King’s life (pg.86) he continued to write, possibly in hope for that big break, or just for a way to continue his passion. Throughout his life King has essentially written without ceasing, except to catch his breath and to find a new idea for a book. To King, writing is a way of life that he simply and honestly cannot live without. Writing without ceasing is the only way to gain any literary success.