Journal 19

Journal 19 - Characterization in Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby

Write a description for each of the following characters based on his/her first appearance in Chapter 1.  Your description should include:

-the character’s physical appearance;

-the character’s actions/words;

-an adjective that best describes the character based on his/her initial    

 appearance

Nick Carraway        Adjective _________objective_____________________

Nick himself says that he never judges people and this leads lots of people to confide in him and he always listens. He does not describe himself at all in chapter 1.

Tom Buchanan        Adjective ___________physical___________________

A physical man who’s body and aggressiveness is the key them to his character. He is strong and expects things to go his way from what we learn of him in the first chapter. He was a football player in college too.

Daisy Buchanan     Adjective ___________musical___________________

Supposed to have a voice that draws people in due to its musical qualities and this is a theme to her character. She made many men who “cared for her” fall in love with her because of this.

Jordan Baker           Adjective ___________independant___________________

 More independent and stronger than Daisy but still beautiful according to Nick. We learn she is a professional golfer.

Jay Gatsby               Adjective ____________mysterious__________________

Nick does not meet Gatsby in the first chapter but he sees him on the pier staring at the green light near Daisy’s dock. Longing for something.