Great Gastby - Chapter 5 HW CCSS Foundations of College English
Hitesh Kattula Anne Blaney
Today, we’re going to talk about foreshadowing, which is the way author’s suggest what will happen
later on in the story by the way they describe the present.
For each excerpt below, circle specific words and phrases that give you a sense of what might
happen now that Gatsby and Daisy have reunited. Then explain what you notice. What is Fitzgerald
suggesting about the future of their relationship, and how can you tell?
1. She turned her head as there was a light dignified knocking at the front door. I went out and opened it.
Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of
water glaring tragically into my eyes. (pgs 85-86)
I notice that regardless if Daisy knows who is at the door, deep down she is reminded of her feelings for
Gatsby. The degree to which Gatsby’s near presence can affect Daisy’s emotions goes to show that Gatsby
will win over Daisy.
2. “We’ve met before,” muttered Gatsby. His eyes glanced momentarily at me, and his lips parted with an
abortive attempt at a laugh. Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his
head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers, and set it back in place. Then he sat
down, rigidly, his elbow on the arm of the sofa and his chin in his hand. (pg 86)
I notice that Gatsby is nervous near Daisy because even though he is so wealthy and has connections with
very important people, he still needs Daisy’s acceptance because he loves her. Since Gatsby, a very
interconnected wealthy individual at his peak, is nervous around some girl, it shows that Gatsby is truly in
love with Daisy.
3. I went in — after making every possible noise in the kitchen, short of pushing over the stove — but I
don’t believe they heard a sound. They were sitting at either end of the couch, looking at each other as if
some question had been asked, or was in the air, and every vestige of embarrassment was gone. Daisy’s
face was smeared with tears, and when I came in she jumped up and began wiping at it with her
handkerchief before a mirror. But there was a change in Gatsby that was simply confusing. He literally
glowed; without a word or a gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little
room. (pg 89)
I notice that Daisy is able to emotionally open up to Gatsby but not Nick, this shows that Daisy has
enduring feelings for Gatsby to an extent that someone else can’t replace it (ie, Daisy is in love with
Gatsby). Due to the fact that Daisy is able to emotionally open up to Gatsby shows that they are really
close even though they hadn’t met in a while.
4. Daisy put her arm through his abruptly, but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it
had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the
great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It
had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of
enchanted objects had diminished by one. (pg 93)
I notice that Daisy and Gatsby are finally reunited. In fact they are compared (using a simile) to the
distance between a star and the moon. Fitzgerald says that in the future they will get closer and closer.
5. They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gatsby didn’t know me now at all.
I looked once more at them and they looked back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life. Then I went
out of the room and down the marble steps into the rain, leaving them there together. (pg 96)
I notice that Gatsby was so in love with Daisy that he is able to ignore Nick because he is in such a
trance. In addition, they are left alone by Nick and they both spend time together at the end which
foreshadows how they will be reunited happily ever after.
Based on all your evidence, how do you think Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship will turn out? Explain.
According to the aforementioned, I believe that Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship will turn out to be a
success because they both, through a series of events, find that they are meant for each other. Daisy knows
deep down inside that Tom is not the person for her, and Gatsby knows that Daisy is the person for her.
However, a caveat is that Daisy is being pushed towards Gatsby because Tom cheated on her. Is the
hiccup in her relationship with Tom going to be a bigger mistake if she leaves Tom? I don’t really know,
but for now it seems that Daisy and Gatsby will live happily ever after (hopefully).
