Quote: “When the shadow of the sash appeared in the curtains it was between seven and eight oclock and then I was in time again, hearing the watch.  It was Grandfather’s and when Father gave it to me he said I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it’s rather excruciatingly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit your individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father’s.  I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it.” 

It seems as though Quentin is stuck in time and is not going to ever move out of his horrible memories.  I think that one of the reasons he breaks his watch is to try to get rid of time and forget the bad memories, but it doesn’t work.  This quote stuck in my mind after reading it because it helped me understand Quentin a little bit more.  The whole chapter he is fixated on time.  I think that the watch holds a lot of significance also because it was passed down from his grandfather to his father to him.  The chapter also seemed important because it was yet another example of how the family has a time issue, although Benjy’s is a little bit different.  I feel like the only way Quentin felt like he could escape his bad memories was to commit suicide.  This also supports itself because while reminiscing about Caddy he attempts to kill her then himself, but he doesn’t do it.  The quote also says that at some point he should try to forget about time for a moment, and I believe the only time he feels he can do that is when he dies.   

Quote: “When the shadow of the sash appeared in the curtains it was between seven and eight oclock and then I was in time again, hearing the watch.  It was Grandfather’s and when Father gave it to me he said I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it’s rather excruciatingly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit your individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father’s.  I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it.” 

It seems as though Quentin is stuck in time and is not going to ever move out of his horrible memories.  I think that one of the reasons he breaks his watch is to try to get rid of time and forget the bad memories, but it doesn’t work.  This quote stuck in my mind after reading it because it helped me understand Quentin a little bit more.  The whole chapter he is fixated on time.  I think that the watch holds a lot of significance also because it was passed down from his grandfather to his father to him.  The chapter also seemed important because it was yet another example of how the family has a time issue, although Benjy’s is a little bit different.  I feel like the only way Quentin felt like he could escape his bad memories was to commit suicide.  This also supports itself because while reminiscing about Caddy he attempts to kill her then himself, but he doesn’t do it.  The quote also says that at some point he should try to forget about time for a moment, and I believe the only time he feels he can do that is when he dies.   

At the end of the book I think there where many significant parts.  I also think that the ending is very ironic.   The main points that stuck out to me where, Nick realizing it was his birthday, Daisy hitting Myrtle, the way that Gatsby dies and also Gatsby’s life all together.  The part where Nick realizes it’s his birthday during all the commotion sort of stuck out to me for a few reasons.  One being that while everything was going on, he must not have been paying much attention since he realized it was his birthday and another reason being, who doesn’t know it’s their birthday?  The next part that stood out in my mind is when Daisy hits Myrtle.  There is a pretty vivid description of what Myrtle looked like afterwards in the book.  I just thought it was sort of weird that the whole book Tom is having an affair with Myrtle and Daisy knows about it but acts as though she doesn’t care.  In the end, Daisy is the one who kills Myrtle by accident.  It was also weird that after their day, Tom and Daisy sat down and had a somewhat normal dinner.  How Gatsby dies is important also.  He gets shot by Myrtle’s husband.  I thought this was sort of ironic because Tom is the one who told her husband it was Gatsby’s car and Tom was the one having an affair with her.  It just worked out that Tom benefited the most from the situation when he deserved to the least.  Gatsby had ‘the life’.  He had it all; the car, the house, the parties, ect.  He lacked one of the most important things though, love.  His life was empty without it. I really feel that Tom and Daisy where very empty-hearted people and they almost deserve each other in the end.   

Cody & Kelly 1/17

amanda lea & dawn 1/30

Lauren M & Michelle V 2/8

Tammy & Kaylin 2/15

Cody & Kelly 4/15

Cody & Kelly 4/15

Courtney & Michelle V 2/24

Michelle V & Michelle P 3/2

Kelly & Dawn 3/15

Amanda Lea & Devon 3/22

Devon & Tammy 3/29

Amanda Lea & Alex 4/5

Cody & Kaylin 4/25

When I think of American Literature, I think of all the required texts we had to read in high school.  Some of these books included Catcher in the
Rye, Shakespeare, Lord of the Flies, anything by Poe, not really any women authors, and many more books.  When I hear American Literature, I think of older books that maybe have a good lesson or story line but may not hold the attention of someone who has to read it for a class.  State required is another thing that comes to mind when I hear American Literature.  The books that the state requires you to take a class on or read by the time you graduate.  Now that we’ve discussed it a little in class, it just reminds me of books in general and reading.  I like how it can include current books and not just those of the past.  Like how we are reading The Great Gatsby but then later in the semester, we are reading more current books or books that break that trend of popular reads.  American Literature is not just books of the past; it could be present books that are being read a lot that will soon be books that are required in the future.  I am glad that I now have a better understanding or definition of American Literature.  When I now hear those words I will think of all books that people read.    

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