Amelia's Online Journal

Nick carraway is a young man (who turns 30 throughout the book) from Minnesota. He travels to New York in 1922 to learn the bond business. He lives in the West Egg district of Long Island, next door to Gatsby. Nick is also Daisy’s cousin

I am inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and made me the victim of not a few veteran bores.”- Chapter One

From this quote and throughout the book we learn that Nick Carraway is very tolerant in the fact that he feels he doesn’t like to judge people. As a result of this, the people around Nick realise this and so, therefore, tell him a lot of their stories and problems because they know he will not judge them. Making him a good person to be the narrator because he states him in unbiased.

“When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart. “ – Chapter One

When he came back from this whole story and everything that had happened he now wants the world to be on the same page with their morales and want everyone to stick to it and obey the morales like soldiers. Then he states that he wants no more crazy trips and is over being tolerant of hearing everyone’s stories.

“…wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine, Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square.”- Chapter One

Nick is being compared to as a chess or checkers piece as he is moved where the player wants him to be moved. He is like a pushover does what the person tells them to do so he gets lots of information.

I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” – Chapter Two

nick wanted to be part of it but he is repelled like degusted about how they were doing things.

“Most of the time I worked…I knew the other clerks and young bond salesmen by their first names…I even had a short affair with a girl who lived in Jersey City and worked in the accounting department, but her brother began throwing mean looks in my direction…” – Chapter Three

He needs the money so he works very hard doesn’t get easy money like the others. He cares for his workers and is friendly. But he cares what other people think as he ends his relationship because the brother sent him a look.

I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.”– Chapter Three

He has some kind of cockness about himself. Thinks highly of his honestly even though he actually isn’t truthful throughout the whole movie.

They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together!’ I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.”- Chapter Eight

This quote creates a contradictory about nick as he states he doesn’t like to judge but here he has said that he has disapproved from the start.

I shook hands with him. It seemed silly not to for I felt suddenly as though I was talking to a child.”- Chapter Nine

Nick decided to take the road with the lest conflict as he can get out with. Takes the easy option out.

“I sat there brooding on the old unknown world…” –Chapter Nine

Deep in thought, he is a thoughtful guy puts lots of time into what he thinks about.

Finally, consider how Nick changes throughout the story. He is not the same young man that he starts out as. Describe how Nick comes across as a different person towards the end of the story as opposed to the beginning. Explain the possible reasons for this change. 

Nick came into west egg stating that he does not judge and it allows him to have many interesting encounters with many different people whether he likes it or not. But comes out wanting “no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart.”. This is almost a full 360-degree flip and it all because of this extreme story.

The costume – James Gatz at 17 decided to recreate himself into a supposedly better person (Jay Gatsby). When you first meet someone, without even meaning or wanting to do it you create a judgement on how that person dresses to compare to how they are as a person. So I believe what Jay Gatsby first did was buy nicer ‘richer’ clothes to create this upper-class wealthy man. An example of his new and improved clothes would be “Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-coloured tie”. He wore this outfit when he was meeting Daisy for the first time in 5 years. That whole outfit is very over the top with the gold tie and a suit to match which just shows the personality of Gatsby as he is very extravagant in anything he does or wears.

The props – James Gatsby had many extravagant and big things throughout the book which show us he is fake and dishonest. His yellow car is one of these things, to even have a car in the 1920s was massive and to have a big fancy one just really shows us how wealthy and rich Gatsby is trying to show he is. Yellow in the book has been shown as fake gold so the fact that Gatsby has a yellow car just shows us more that he will always be trying to be like Tom and Daisy, rich. “It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hatboxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns.” This quote is from when Gatsby took Nick out to lunch in his yellow car.

The setting– The illusion of gatsby is a massive part of the story in the Great Gatsby. One of the biggest factors of his illusion is, in fact, his house. His house is massive and makes him look very very wealthy. But many people in the story see right through this illusion on of them being the guy is Gatsby’s library who said “This fella a regular Belasco”. Referring to David Belasco, a theatre producer known for his super realistic sets. Belasco took lots of time to make his set look very real. So basically just saying that his house is fake and a set which is exactly what it is.

Dialogue – When Gatsby speaks he speaks very forced and like he is trying too hard. The dialogue of how someone speaks is a key factor of how you create a judgment on the person. So the fact that Gatsby has seems to say unnatural and forced sayings and things just show us the kind of person he is and is trying to be. Which gives us the idea that he is once again trying to construct and create this new identity of James Gatsby. His father mentioned this in chapter nine when he was telling Nick about Gatz schedule at 5-6 he would  “practice elocution, poise and how to attain it”. Which just confirms it all.

The backstory – Peoples backstories are supposed to be what makes them the person they are. But Gatsby has tried to change his backstory and who he was when he was a child. Gatsby claimed a lot of different stories and there were many rumours throughout the book stating very different backstories for Gatsby.

Hi, my name is Amelia Holmes and i live in Wanaka. I have not lived in Wanaka my whole life as i moved from Southbridge (in Christchurch) 6 years ago in 2014. The things i enjoy about English is debating. I have two older brothers and both have gone through mac. Noah is 19 and he is like me he loves playing sports and just being outside then there’s Charlie who is good at maths and sciences but he is also pretty good at sports but doesn’t enjoy them as much. My favorite classes at school is math and PE and the sports i like to do outside of school is tennis, volleyball, football, touch and a some running when i can.

Explain how the director uses language features (film techniques) to communicate an important idea.

In the movie, The Adjustment Bureau Directed by George Nolfi, language features are used to communicate the idea of fate and how it gives the impression that everything has a plan set by the chairman (a higher power). In the film, Nolfi uses music, settings and lighting to do so. In this scene, David and Elise are being chased by the Adjustment Bureau Officers because they are not supposed to be with each but their love and will to risk everything for one another eventually changes this. 

In the film, the setting is used as a guide to show us where they are located and to show us that it is destiny that David and Elise are able to be together in the end. The setting gets us to understand the bigger picture of the movie and that we don’t have authority about what happens to us in life and everyone has a plan. In this ending key scene, they are running up the stairs to the top of a high building in New York. At the top, you can see the rest of the city and it all looks very silent and quiet like they are the only ones this high. I believe this resembles the meaning that they are the only ones that have really pushed and shown the people above/at a higher power that they are supposed to be with each other like the original plan says. New York is known for being important because it shows what it is like to live amongst many souls. It shows that if you were to bump into someone not knowing their number or not on a planned occasion that its really rare and the fact that David and Elise did this is just fate. Showing that they really are supposed to be with one another. This reflects back onto that everything has a specific plan and that it was all a plan that they bumped into each other again and again because everyone and everything has a specific plan. 

Nolfi has used lighting in this scene to show a clear understanding of the fate of the two lovers David and Elise. Lighting is one of the biggest clues to understand the feelings behind each scene and really get to know the characters and understand how their fate has changed during this scene. At the start of this scene at the top of the building, it is very gloomy and dull not many colours. The feeling of the scene is very quiet and calm. But this all changes when they kiss. After the kiss, the sun comes out, their faces are shimmering with golden rays of the sun and the whole feeling of the scene has changed. This for me defiantly resembles their fate because before the kiss just like the lighting they weren’t really supposed to be with one another but after it the whole mood changes. Everything becomes happy, bright and lively just like it’s supposed to. David and Elise were made for each other and even though they were told that this is not how it was meant to go they ignored this and still fought for each because they believed that them being together was meant to be. When David and Elise kept bumping into each other in NYC their love grew but if they were not too they would have just moved on this is just another sign of fate and that bumping into each other multiple times was all part of the plan for them to fall in love with each other.

Another main technique is Music. Music helps to set the mood and change the feeling behind each scene. For me, I feel like music can change so much about a scene because it changes it as a whole. After the kiss, the music goes dead until Richardson is told to leave and a silent violin starts to be heard and stays loud enough to be understood but not loud enough to take over the speaking. As soon as they are told the chairperson rewrote the plan so they can be together more instruments come into action to join the violin and the scene is more upbeat and happy. In this scene, the music changes a lot, to one second it is upbeat and happy the next it is dull and sad. This is an easy resemblance to fate as one moment David and Elise are scared and not knowing what is going to happen to the next when they are able to be together and super happy. Even though David and Elise were feeling like the whole world didn’t want them together it changed just like the music. But I think this was all part of their fate.

In conclusion, David and Elise were set on a plan to fall in love and it was followed through. But without Nolfi’s knowledge of techniques like Lighting, setting and music he wouldn’t of been able to. All these important techniques help get the main idea across of fate and it gives the impression that everything has a set plan from the chairman (higher power). This idea is important for viewers because it made the movie entertaining and it highlighted important spots where Nolfi wanted us looking or paying attention to.

eyeshot, long shot, zooming. Music was only noise soft and sad.

Close up of his tie then moves up to his face. Chatter and talk comes into the back round.

Music starts to get more upbeat and the shot is high on him and talking to the crowd. Cheering, hes going for senate gets mentioned. help us know that everyone likes him

People are intrigued to listen to what he has to say, people pleaser.

low angle to show he has the power, the hands reaching up to his to show they want to meet him.

In the first opening scene of the Adjustment Bureau many different frames are used to help us as the viewers understand his different personalities and character. These frames help us understand that he is running for senate. The lighting in the first frame has David as a solute standing in front of the light coming through a big window.

You step into the magical wonderland and a grand archway greets you. All the lollies you thought you could ever imagine were towered above your head. The sound of hundreds of gummy bears is carried through the air. Your feet step away from the concrete route and feel, the crushed Tim Tams that appear soft which confuses you because you think they would be hard. Your head catches glimpses of all the dreamy rides before your eyes.

 Gummy bears are greeting you left right and centre trying to shake your hands. To them, you are marvellous beyond imagination because they never get to see the real world people. Licking your lips you try and shake away this temptation remembering these are not ordinary gummy bears.  Blue, green and yellow is the three different colours of the gummy bears, all a different flavour and essence. You can smell a gummy bear coming before you see them.

 As you fade away into the faint smell of blue raspberry you soon realize the scent was coming from the most astonishing ride you had ever seen the ‘Wavy Blue Jelly Waterfall’. The lines are backing for miles, but lucky for you your pretty much royalty here. Feeling confined you start to get butterflies. Slowly you feel the chains start pulling you up and up and you are falling into the sweet smell more and more as you get closer. Finally, you there at the top of the world or so you thought until poof your breakfast this morning is up at the top of your head.  Spraying you the jelly is coming from either side making everything sticky but also delicious. Dizzily you try and step off. Soon remembering where you are, you do a wee skip of happiness. 

As you continue to skip with happiness a brief wind blows past you carrying your childhood Christmas treat. Running, you try and follow the peppermint scent. You come to a stop and the minty scents now make sense. Screams shooting through your ear and piercing into your eardrums as gummy bears are tossed and turned while riding this next roller coaster. You decide to pass on this seeing as the room you just had gone to before this was the Candy All You Eat Buffet. But you definitely don’t pass on this magical treat so you snap off part of a piece lying on the ground. 

Suddenly all the gummy bears start to push you out pointing towards a dark door. Confused you try and push back you still haven’t tried all the rides. But your strength doesn’t compare to hundreds of gummy bears. Red lights flashing on the door you soon realize what it says. EXIT. Struggling you try and wriggle out of there grip. But no sadly your trip to your best dreams are over. You quickly take one last big smell before you are fully out. The smell of blue raspberry, peppermint and all things sweet is gone and you are now back in the black dark tunnel where you first started.

On top of the bright blue chair, the little girl sits. Above the girl, there is a bright tall lamp that shines like the sun. Underneath the chair, there is a bold red carpet. Above the carpet, there are hundreds of different colored books stacked to surround the girl. In the sky, the pages are flying like the clouds. Behind all of this are high, large towers almost touching the sky.

Every raindrop is like a tear of sadness as the clouds are crying over the coldness. Umbrellas are up to shield people from the darkness that the rain brings with it. Every raindrop makes it own noisy, loud noise hitting something or rather.

Explain how Shakespeare explores the idea of “fate” in Romeo and Juliet through his use of language and/or literary devices.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet, Written by William Shakespeare the main idea of “fate” has been explored and explained to us through his use of language and/or literary device. In the script, there are many examples of this like, metaphors and coincidences. Shakespeare main idea of fate was that the people in the Elizabethan time believed that god or a higher power controls their lives and that everything happens for a reason. I have chosen three languages or literary devices to show this which are the prologue, foreshadowing, and metaphors.

In this script, the prologue is used as a guide to let us know the fate of the two main characters Romeo and Juliet. It allows us to understand the dramatic irony within the play and lets us know the ending to create tension, but also give us power over the characters. “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; ” This quote is in the prologue from Romeo and Juliet. Letting us understand that even from before they were even born they were destined to be a pair of “star crossed lovers” but that was also the reason for there death. Which by the end of the story you realize this is true. The reason I think Shakespeare has put a prologue in his script with letting us know the ending is because he wants us to read it for the journey but also for us to understand that in this play it was in Elizabethan times were everything was supposed to be already planned that it was “written in the stars”.

Foreshadowing is one of the main dramatic techniques in Romeo and Juliet.

And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Romeo is an impulsive character who lets his emotions dictate his actions. This is been shown in the play many times by Romeo changing his mind or doing things rationally without too much thought. An example is when Romeo kills Tybalt, he says this just before doing so “And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!”. This is meaning that his angry is his guide