Kevin Berlin 12/1/16

In class today, we started off going into more depth of the Great Gatsby. We discussed the time period that the book takes place in and what was going on during this period. After that we moved into more literal and figurative practice. We first analyzed a picture/symbol of “Justice.” As a class we broke down the components of the picture and explained what each detail in the picture represented and symbolized. This picture represents literal aspects through the blindfold, sword, balance, and the scale. Figurative aspects are shown by fairness, justice, law has no bias, and punishment/justice of the law. Although the picture may not look to interesting, every little detail represents something bigger.


After the class analysed that symbol, we analysed “The Valley of Ashes”.  We went over romantic and modern characteristics of the valley of ashes. We learned what romantic and modern qualities are in the Great Gatsby. For example, in the book when they say that a in the valley of ashes, ashes grown constantly on everything everywhere, when really no ashes grow, that is just a way of them saying the city is broken down and unmaintained. This is an example of Modernism. An example of romanticism in the book is the negative tone when talking about the valley of ashes. And how there is nothing positive about the city. Now because of the harsh reputation the city has it give the people that live there just as harsh as a reputation.

<-- Justice