The significance of the end of Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby - Literature Essay Samples

Luminosity and spiritual longing for something that had vanished a long ago are probably the two main characteristics of the last two paragraphs in Chapter 1 of â€Å"The Great Gatsby†. The scene takes place shortly after Nicks return from dinner at Tom and Daisys and is set in Nicks small garden, close to Jay Gatsbys mansion. It is then that Nick sees Gatsby for the first time, despite of the fact that he had heard so much about him before; that very first meeting is not quite as he expected, as he sees Gatsby from a completely different perspective than most people who would consider Gatsby to be a good acquaintance of theirs. Those last paragraphs illustrate Gatsbys real nature, as well as how the scene affected Nicks perception of Gatsby. Yet, in spite of the emotive mood, Nick is only describing the factual situation, not attaching any judgements to it just yet; the readers are the ones supposed to interpret Gatsbys behaviour.The image that dominates the scene is one of l ight and the visibly strong contrast between brightness and darkness. At first, the surroundings seem to be darkened by the â€Å"deep summer† night, but the references to â€Å"pools of light† and in fact, a â€Å"bright night† itself, create an image of something quite anachronistic, as if the night was interrupting the power of light rather than the light disturbing the lonely, sombre night. The darkness does indeed seem inadequate, as at this time it is still â€Å"loud† and â€Å"wings are beating in the trees†, even the â€Å"frogs† are â€Å"full of life†. The omnipresent noise creates a sort of perplexing mood, as despite of the superficial feeling of brightness, it is difficult to locate the source of the noise, and as nights are often associated with silence, the atmosphere becomes yet more mystical, as if the commotion were a means to conceal a great secret and grant anonymity. Connotations of the night are normally ones th at may imply a level of mystery, tranquillity and contemplation, which therefore means that the night which is being described here is not a typical, everyday one – the image is somehow oxymoronic. It seems that the whole scene is surrounded by flourishing life and hope, illuminated even further by the persistent vision of light, something which in fact gives life and allows humans to survive; the light also makes the descriptions less insipid and gives the setting a sense of divinity or being raised to higher levels of existence, a sense of emotional depth. This in turn arouses suspicion in the reader; it is unclear what is being anticipated, but the whole scene is like an omen for something unforeseen.Another distinctive characteristic of the scene is the overpowering loneliness which both the characters seem to be experiencing. The â€Å"abandoned grass roller† on which Nick sits as if to keep the meaningless object company, and the â€Å"silhouette of a moving cat † illustrate the sad, profound reality of being alone. The fact that the readers might perceive the two images as worthless, hollow ones only emphasises the sorrow and the sense of abandonment, seeing as the images are being degraded by the readers to the point that their symbolic value is disregarded. Yet they may be an allegory for Nick and Gatsby – the â€Å"grass roller† being a solid character that offers support to others to the point of self-sacrifice (in the novel Nick seems to possess that kind of personality) and the â€Å"silhouette of a moving cat†, being an allegory for Gatsby and his enigmatic, almost elusive aura; the noun â€Å"silhouette† suggests only an outline, nothing specific (after all, Gatsbys â€Å"essence† is never revealed completely) and the adjective â€Å"moving† implies a constant change, perhaps even an escape from reality Despite of the fact that Nick says: â€Å"I saw that I was not alone† when Jay Gatsby first appeared, both of them are indeed completely alone emotionally, as if they were missing something significant or as if they were expecting a miracle to occur and alter their empty lives: this is especially true for Gatsby.When he sees that â€Å"a figure had emerged from the shadow† of his â€Å"neighbours mansion†, Nick is convinced that it is the â€Å"Great† Gatsby, the man who seemed so well-known in the area. The act of emerging â€Å"from the shadow† is portrayed beautifully in the scene, particularly if this is connected to Gatsbys persona which is certainly an enigmatic one; here, he seems to be linked to darkness, as if that hollow emotion were a deeply engraved part of him. He was â€Å"regarding the silver pepper of the stars†; despite of his â€Å"darkness†, he seems attracted to the elusive light in the sky, the faraway objects in space that he could never reach. This longing for something unattainable could be a metaphor for his love for Daisy – she seems like one of those stars in the sky, so incredibly captivating, yet hopelessly distant. When watching the stars, Gatsby does not seem like the person he is seen as sociable, throwing parties and engaging himself in shallow conversations with his guests. Instead, he is now perceived by the readers as a sensitive man, perhaps tired of people and their narrow mentalities; it seems that he only feels comfortable when he is alone, which is supported by his â€Å"leisurely movements† and the â€Å"secure position of his feet upon the lawn†, as if he could finally rest and stop acting in front of those enchanting stars which resemble Daisy so much.We are also confronted with Nicks sensitivity and good behaviour in the last two paragraphs of Chapter I. He had a pretext to â€Å"call to Gatsby† and even decided he would do so. But when he observed that Gatsby â€Å"was content to be alone†, he got a feeling that at this moment he would be seen as an intruder, disturbing Gatsbys silent contemplation. This is similar to another situation which took place at Daisys, when Nick almost â€Å"murmured an apology† to Miss Baker simply for having set his eyes on her; through both these events we can see how apologetic and tactful Nick is, perhaps even to the point which would suggest being intimidated by doing something if he is not encouraged or clearly invited to do it. The way in which he behaved might also imply him seeing himself as inferior to or admiring characters who are more confident and bold, who can speak out for themselves (for example Jay Gatsby).â€Å"He stretched out his arms toward the dark water† this portrait of a man making a gesture so irrational and abstract is strangely captivating. At first, we know nothing of the â€Å"single green light† shining from â€Å"far away†, but that is probably the most momentous element of the whole scene. On a phys ical level, Gatsby seems to be reaching out towards the green light in the distance, as if he wanted to capture it (which is naturally impossible); the â€Å"dark water†acts as an antithesis to the light, causing it to appear more saturated and vivid, which further emphasises the profound meaning of that â€Å"green light†. But on a deeper level, one can see how moving that gesture is in reality. Gatsby is stretching out his arms in an embrace, as if he wanted all of that â€Å"minute† light to himself and could not satisfy himself with only a small, elusive fragment that he imagines to be getting. One interpretation of this could be that Gatsby is desperately looking for support or at least some faith, something he could hold on to in life, hence the â€Å"green light†, seeing as the colour green often connotes rebirth and hope. What strikes me about this is the way Gatsby is clinging on to something virtually non-existent: the light is evidently only a visual phenomenon and the only kind of hope it could give to someone is vain, temporary hope. Perhaps the concept of escapism is suitable in this context – Gatsby seems to not completely accept his own reality, as if he himself was an anachronism and belonged to a different life. The green light visible in the distance might let him leave his own self momentarily and lose himself in a world of illusion, dictated by the game of lights on that â€Å"deep summer night†. Even though Gatsbys behaviour might now seem meaningful, in my opinion there is a much sadder, deeper meaning. I believe that the light being embraced by Gatsby is a metaphorical representation of Daisy, a woman whom he still profoundly loves, even though now this love may have become platonic in nature. Deducing facts about Daisy from earlier descriptions of her, we can compare her quite easily to the light that Gatsby is embracing: whenever Nick described her presence in the room, the room seemed filled with positivity and beauty, Daisy herself being a metaphorical light which creates an optimistic, bright atmosphere – Nick writes that she had a â€Å"glowing face†, that a â€Å"stirring warmth flowed from her†, that she had â€Å"bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth†, all these phrases describing Daisy as an extremely charming woman who seemed to shine like a diamond. Therefore, Fitzgerald managed to create a beautifully suitable metaphor for her – the sense of hope contained in the â€Å"green light† even alludes to the hope and happiness that she could bring to Gatsbys life. Following this interpretation, by attempting to embrace the light, Gatsby was in fact embracing an imaginary picture of Daisy, believing that she is pure light. Her gentleness and daintiness resemble the fragility of the light.There are some clear similarities between Daisy and Gatsby, visible as soon as in Chapter I: they both cling on to things which are not r eliable at all. While Gatsby is hanging on to the light, Daisy seems to be addicted to words, her own and the ones that others utter. Another quality of theirs is that they are both actors in front of other people – they make themselves look strong and confident, but in reality they are only weak and seem to not be able to cope with life; their essence is concealed behind fake appearances and superficial behaviours. These peculiar insecurities almost suggest that perhaps they are destined for each other: seeing as they are both vulnerable, sensitive characters, they would surely discover their real selves together.Gatsbys sudden disappearance from his lawn is unexpected for Nick: â€Å"he had vanished†, he writes, as if Gatsby were a ghost or illusion, vanishing softly, unnoticed. The use of the word â€Å"vanished† creates an even more enigmatic and secretive atmosphere around him, as if he really was a â€Å"silhouette of a moving cat† or a madman tryin g to embrace light. His disappearance was as unforeseen as his appearance. Then Nick â€Å"was alone again in the unquiet darkness†. The adjective â€Å"unquiet† used in this context seems to refer to the emotional meaning of the word, rather than physical (â€Å"noise†). Because of the vagueness of the scene, Nick is left confused, his thoughts are â€Å"unquiet† and he seems to be experiencing mental chaos. Somehow Gatsbys short appearance did have an effect on Nicks state of mind, forcing him to change his views.In conclusion, stories about Gatsby and the way others view him made him seem inaccessible, grand and pretentious, yet this scene shows him as a vulnerable man, more personal and human-like. In a way, this is disillusionment for Nick (as well as the readers), as at that point he should have stopped idealizing Gatsby, because his weaknesses were exposed and it was evident that Gatsby is not the man that others have portrayed – that is the new, realistic impression we get. Yet this does not mean that Gatsbys personality is revealed; quite the opposite, he now becomes even more enigmatic as we can see that there is a part of him which cannot be understood easily. Light plays a vivid role in this scene, as it illustrates that revelation and creates a more dramatic mood, highlighting the significance of each event. The atmosphere and symbolism are possibly the most beautiful elements of the scene – the night seems to represent reality, whereas the light symbolises illusion. When the two are imagined simultaneously, especially with the sense of abandonment and loneliness, a magnificent portrait is painted – one of silent tragedy.

Pros and Cons of GMO Use - Free Essay Example

Statement of Issue: Genetically modified (GM) foods are a hot topic of debate and have been for over two decades. Currently, there are hundreds of millions of people in third world countries suffering from malnourishment. This is due to the fact that our world’s population is growing far too fast and more food is required in order to sustain it [1]. There are various benefits and potential risks associated with the use of genetically modified organisms, and at times the research is not in clear support of one side over the other. One benefit of GM foods is that they can increase crop yields, resulting in higher food production and potential profits for farmers [2]. However, some experts believe that these claims may be either unsubstantiated or overexaggerated and the use of GM foods alone will not solve world hunger; there are more complicated issues involved [3]. Scientific Introduction and Background: The US FDA defines genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as â€Å"animals or plants created through genetic engineering†, or direct and specific manipulation of the organism’s genome [4]. Traditional crop breeding involves the exchange of genes between two plants to create a new plant that has desired traits from one or both of the parent plants. To make this happen, male pollen is transferred to the female flower organs. This type of breeding is limited in that it can typically only be done between similar or related species. To get desired results, it can take a very long time, and even then the desired genes may not exist in compatible breeders. GM technology is novel because it allows for the artificial transfer of desired genes from one plant to another, regardless of breeding capabilities via biotechnology [2]. There are four key steps involved in the creation of a GMO; identifying what gene is of interest, isolating that gene, inserting DNA of that gene into a new organism, and the finally keeping that organism alive and reproducing. In order to identify a gene of interest, the key is often referring back to nature to see what plants are already capable of surviving in the environment the new organism is slated to survive in. for example, in the case of Roundup Ready plants, a gene was isolated from bacteria able to survive adjacent to a herbicide factory and was subsequently implanted into crops, conferring the resistance seen in the original bacteria [4]. In order to isolate the gene, or find the specific DNA sequence of interest, comparative analysis is used to compare genomes of the plant with the desired trait to the plant without the trait in order to find the portion unique to the plant with the trait. This gene is inserted into new plants in one of two ways. A gene gun can be used to insert metal particles coated in DNA from the gene of interest into the plant, where it gets incorporated into the genome. Alternatively, it is possible to engineer a plasmid containing the gene of interest and induce its uptake by bacteria known to invade the plant of interest; the bacteria can then insert the new DNA into the plant’s genome. From there, the new GM crop needs to genotypically checked to ensure that it is expressing the gene of interest, and carefully grown in controlled chambers [4]. Benefits of GM crops include reduced farming costs, increased profits, higher yields, better quality food, and less environmental harm. More specifically, first generation GM crops can decrease production-associated costs via tolerance to herbicides and insect resistance; second generation crops offer more direct benefits to consumers, such as increased nutritional content, non-bruising fruits, and healthier corn oils [2]. In the case of developing countries, the ability of GM crops to increase food production could potentially be beneficial. Critics of GM use in third world countries state that there must be enough food and that we must distribute it better, but this cant be the sole solution because even countries with surplus food distribute it poorly. GM crops could make it possible to increase their food production in order to not only increase supply, but improve their economies and decrease dependence on other countries [1]. However, a major issue is that the majority of de veloping countries have other confounding issues such as insufficient scientific capacity, insufficient regulatory capability, and lack of economic expertise [2]. When looking at the safety of GM crops, both human health and environmental risk must be considered. GM food safety is treated differently than traditional foods because the organism’s characteristics may have been modified, for either better or worse. Human health areas of concern include toxicity, allergenicity, stability of the gene transferred and the probability of further gene transfer, and unintended effects. Environmental concerns stem from the potential for genes to enter wild populations, decrease biodiversity or encourage invasive species, and increase the use of pesticides. From the perspective of public opinion, people are concerned about GM foods because up until the early 1990’s most people had little understanding of molecular research. Further, outright benefits to the consumer are few, since the food isn’t cheaper and doesn’t last longer. In Europe specifically, several food scares have made people distrust risk assessments, particularly if there is little information on long-term effects [5]. GM crops currently usually fall into one of 3 categories: resistance to viral infections, resistance to insect damage, or tolerance to herbicides. In the near future, it is likely to see GM foods with increased nutritional content. Scientists are also working on other beneficial traits such as resistance against drought and other enhanced growth characteristics [5]. Around 30 countries produce GM crops, but just 5, including the US and Brazil, are responsible for 90% of the production. Corn, cotton, canola, and soybeans account for 99% of GM crops grown, with soybeans being roughly 50% [6]. In Favor of the Use of GMOs It would be amiss to not discuss the inherit benefits of GMOs before deciding whether or not their use is appropriate to alleviate world hunger. Benefits include increased crop production, herbicide tolerance and use of tillage systems that is beneficial for the environment, reduced pesticide use, economic prosperity, and the potential for increased human health. In terms of productivity, GM seeds are designed to increase productivity and profitability because the resultant plants are supposed to be more efficient and resilient [6]. One way this is done is through the introduction of genes that cause resistance against plant diseases or that can increase tolerance to pesticides. One example is the conferral of insect resistance. A gene for toxin production from the bacteria bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is added to plants. It is a common insecticide and safe for human to consume. When crops produce this toxin they require less pesticide to be protected. The same principle applies to the insertion of viral genes to confer resistance against said viruses [5]. As a result, the need for external pesticide use is reduced, making crops easier to manage, resulting in less loss of yield, and thus making farming more sustainable. In fact, studies done by the USDA have shown a relationship that links the use of herbicide resistant and pesticide tolerant GM crops with increased crop yields. Similar benefits have been seen not only in the United States, but also as far as India, South Africa, and the Philippines [6]. In terms of environmental benefits, the reduced use of pesticides results in reduced water and soil pollution. Herbicide tolerant (HT) crops have been successful at improving methods of weed management. Mixtures of different herbicides can control many different weeds but are not always reliable and are often expensive. Many HT crops allow for the use of a single, nonspecific herbicide for all weeds [6]. By keying in on just a few methods rather than many diverse methods of herbicides, HT crops have made weed control much simpler and has been suggested to have led to an overall decrease in herbicide use [7]. There are many obvious benefits to reduced pesticide use, including less exposure to farms, less residue in food or in feed crops, less chemicals being released into the environment, and increased pollinator diversity [6]. The use of little to no tillage is beneficial for decreasing soil erosion, and while it is a correlation not a causation, studies have shown that farmers who use GM crops are more likely to practice conservation tillage, and those who use less tillage were more likely to use GM seeds [6]. This farming technique conserves soil and moisture, while decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, leading to an overall decreased environmental footprint [8]. In fact, GM crop-associated fuel reduction has decreased carbon dioxide emissions the equivalent of taking 500,000 cars off the road [6]. In regards to human health, reduced exposure to insecticides is always beneficial. Even when insecticides are still used, GM crops usually utilize glyphosate, which is fairly-nontoxic [6]. On top of crop loss, insects can carry diseases harmful to humans. Crops that are pest resistant due to the Bt toxin genes protect against specific insects and are harmless to humans. Bt technology has the capability to reduce levels of mycotoxin contamination that can be found in grain, lowering nutritional quality of food and limits weight gain in farm animals being used for food [9]. All GM foods on the market must pass regulatory approval from the US FDA or the European EFSA. Most interestingly, GM crops can be modified to improve health and nutritional quality. This may lead to a decrease in allergens, or increased protein or nutritional content. This can have applications in developing countries where hunger is prevalent. Finally, when considering the economy, GM crops have value because of o perational benefits to farmers, including cost reduction from using less pesticides and increased crop yields [6]. Continued adoption of GM crops has led to economic advantages and farm profitability in both the US and developing countries [8]. All of these benefits must be considered when determining if the use of GM crops is appropriate for third world countries and the amelioration of hunger, both from a safety standpoint in general as well as more specifically and situationally. As mentioned, the world’s population is rapidly growing and is expected to hit 11 billion by 2100 [6]. Some people believe GM seeds can help in feeding this growing population. Even countries that produce surplus amounts of food have a tendency to distribute it poorly, and thus poor countries must find a way to increase their food production. Food production on a global scale requires that crops are able to be grown in more tropical and less temperate climates. These areas are often riddled with pests, plant diseases, and poor-quality soil. Due to the prevalence of insects, post-harvest losses can be extremely high. Further, there are rarely adequate storage conditions, which can lead to further food lost. In these cases, GM foods that ar e fortified against pest resistance and strengthened for extreme climates can help this problem [1]. Weed management is a massive undertaking. In developed worlds, we have plenty of technology, but in developing countries there is a lot less infrastructure, and long labor hours in the fields are often required. In regardless to the lack of appropriate technology, there is either a lack of resources to adapt new technology, or the technology does not exist because major research companies have no financial incentive to find solutions for weeds that are specific to crops grown in African or Asian countries. As a result, HT or Bt crops play a huge role as they are one of the few labor-light options for superior crop growth [9]. As new novel GM crops are being developing, one with massive potential is drought-tolerant crops. These crops have the potential to increase food production by 35% in dry conditions. This is important because a drought in TX in 2009 led to crop losses that cost over $3.5B. The situation is far worse in developing countries such as Sub-Saharan African where there is little to no rainfall, and little use of irrigation systems. Here, the potential of these crops is enormous [9]. By not finding better solutions, the environment is put at risk in the sense that millions of hectacres of tropical forests are being leveled yearly in the attempt to find better farm land [1]. The majority of farmers in third world countries who live rurally rely on subsistence agriculture, or the production of just enough food to get by. If productivity is increased, they have the potential to not only survive, but to develop a form of income. Most subsistence crops are rice and corn, and thus Bt corn has a role. When farmers are able to financially benefit from the use of these crops the economy can be stimulated. Looking into further impacts, if farm yield is increased, families can profit enough to be able to afford to send their kids to school; easier field management would also mean that women and children are free to get an education [9]. Before the wide-spread use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, no one ever considered that world hunger could potentially be eliminated. The introduction of crops that could grow with the use of these chemicals was called the Green Revolution. Some analyses have shown that hunger decreased by 16% during the two subsequent decades, and now people are calling for a new Green Revolution, this time using genetically altered plants [3]. For the reasons previously described, and for ones not yet presented, there may or may not be a place for GMO technology in solving world hunger. But there is no doubt that plant biotechnology can positively affect developing countries in other ways. As malnutrition is a major issue for both women and children, fortification of foods can help. An excellent example of this is the existence of Golden Rice, a crop enriched for Vitamin A, which is needed for both vision and the development of an immune system. Vitamin A Deficiency leads to 2.2 million deaths/year. Finally, plants can be used to produce cheap oral vaccines that are often temperature stable. Through plant biotechnology, vaccines have been developed for Hepatitis B, rabies, and even diarrheal diseases, which is largely significant considering diarrheal diseases account for a huger number of under-5 deaths in developing countries [9].