ANIMAL NAMES: Nick records a list of all the guests/visitors that passed through Gatsby’s during the summer. Coincidently, a number of these people had names associated with animals. Large collections of animals usually are found in a zoo, when thinking of zoos and large groups of animals we instantly think of chaotic behaviour. People observe the animals at a zoo, if Gatsby’s parties are like a zoo with the people being the animals then Gatsby is the observer. From this, we can gather that the guests behave like ‘animals in a zoo’ when they are at one of Gatsby’s parties. The more people that go to and talk about these parties the more outsiders want to see and experience one themselves. Nick also goes on to describe the guests behaviour as …”behaviour associated with amusement parks.” which is generally excitement, hyperness and loud.

COSTUMES: Costumes are worn when people are trying to impersonate or be others. They suggest that people are to be different from their true selves. When in New York in Toms apartment and they are having a small party Nick notices a difference in Myrtle after a wardrobe change, “with the influence of her dress her personality had also undergone change” this proves that with a new outfit personality is adapted to fit. Nick clearly identifies how with a change in dress there are noticeable changes in personality, if it is easy to slip into a new person when you put on new clothes it becomes alert to us that people may not be just using clothes as a costume but alsocustomizing personalities along with it.

DAVID BELASCO+LIBRARY: David Belasco is well-known for his realistic set designs in the theatre world. In the library, owl-eyes can’t believe that the library contains real books. He’s surprised because people used to use cardboard cutouts to imitate big quantities of library books. By saying that Gatsby is a “regular Belasco”we are alerted to the effort he put into making his life + home appear realistic even though it may not be ‘real’ It is a ‘triumph’ because with an illusion so realistic Gatsby can fool people into thinking he is someone that he perhaps is not.