Farewell

If I learned nothing else from my trip to New York, it was that the world is a cruel, unfeeling place. People are like parasites, feeding off of Gatsby's parties without offering a single thing in return. Each looks only to himself, discarding acquaintances like dirty rags. I owed it to Gatsby to get people for his funeral, but even the best persuasion could not overcome years of this social conditioning. In this world full of gaiety and laughter, Gatsby was completely alone. In this apathetic world, we have no choice but to go on. 

Valley of Ashes

The no-man's land separating West Egg and New York was where I first met Myrtle. The desolation of this place provides a stark contrast to the two opposing societies.

The Final Cleansing

The pool where Gatsby died, during his final and only swim of the summer. This was also the final event critical to my stay in West Egg. 

Extravagence

Gatsby's dress shirts represent his social status, especially considering how taken Daisy is with them.

Mantelpiece

My mantel-clock that Gatsby nearly knocked over, in his attempts at impressing Daisy.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Dr. TJ Eckleburg's eyes were treated as omniscient, leading to superstitions.

American Dream

The green light near Daisy's house represents the distant American dream that Gatsby strives for

Lost Love

 I haven't been spending a lot of time with Jordan Baker lately, and I have to confess, my world has been immersed in a void of conflicting emotions. I don't love her. I feel like I should love her, but that feeling that I first felt when we met is no longer there. It's like I've been playing a guitar that has slowly been going out of tune, and I don't know how to bring the music back again. I realized that our joining was no longer favorable, and in every nook and cranny of the world around me, signs tell me that we weren't meant to be. I knew that the end was near, and I hope to break it off now before our relationship descends into drama and hysteria. So I called. The conversation was calm, but surprisingly cold. But I didn't really care. I had long realized that if there was any semblance of love between us, it had long dissipated into nothingness.

Gatsby's Car

Gatsby's yellow car, a symbol of both his wealth and downfall

Gatsby's Dream

I've discovered Gatsby's secret. To be honest, I was unimpressed at this side of Gatsby that I hadn't seen before. He took me out to lunch today, but it was only until I met with Jordan Baker that I was able to learn why Gatsby seemed so interested in me. It appeared that Gatsby had a thing for Daisy, a devotion that had survived five years, like a weed that refuses to be trampled by cruel reality. So I invited Gatsby and Daisy over for the afternoon. Gatsby acted like a teenager on his first date, and not a fully grown man and veteran soldier. I hate to tell the old sport, but it's a lost cause. Daisy isn't what he wants her to be. His fancies have far outgrown the capabilities of any women to match. After all, Gatsby disappointed me, too.

Trinity Quad, Oxford

The location where Gatsby took the picture with the Earl of Dorcaster.