Gatsby's Secret Past
What is Gatsby's real name?
James Gatz
Who was Dan Cody?
A wealthy copper magnate who owned a yacht.
Who arrives at Gatsby's party with Tom Buchanan?
Mr. and Mrs. Sloane.
How does Daisy react to Gatsby's party?
She is uncomfortable and does not enjoy it.
Who narrates Chapter 6?
Nick Carraway
Where was Gatsby born and raised?
In North Dakota, to poor farming parents.
Where did Gatsby meet Dan Cody?
On Lake Superior, when Gatsby approached Cody's yacht.
Why does Gatsby invite Tom and the Sloanes to dinner?
He is trying to be hospitable and include them in the party, despite their social distance from him.
What does Gatsby want Daisy to tell Tom?
That she never loved Tom.
What is the main dream that drives Gatsby?
Winning Daisy back and recreating the romantic past they shared.
How old was Gatsby when he first encountered Dan Cody?
Seventeen
What jobs did Gatsby perform while working for Cody?
He served in various personal roles aboard the yacht, including steward, mate, skipper, secretary, and even jailor.
What do Tom and the Sloanes do after Gatsby invites them to dinner?
They leave on horseback without actually taking Gatsby along.
What does Gatsby want Daisy to do about their past relationship?
He wants her to return to him and restore their relationship as if the years apart had not happened.
What does Gatsby's new identity symbolize?
The idea of self-invention and the belief that someone can remake themselves to achieve a dream.
What event inspired Gatsby to change his name and begin reinventing himself?
He saw Dan Cody's yacht on Lake Superior and recognized the kind of life he wanted. He changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby
Why did Gatsby never receive the inheritance Cody intended for him?
Cody's mistress, Ella Kaye, took control of Cody's estate, leaving Gatsby without the inheritance.
Why does Tom attend Gatsby's party with Daisy?
He is curious about Gatsby and his world, and he wants to see what is going on.
What does Nick mean when he tells Gatsby that he cannot repeat the past?
The past cannot simply be recreated because people and circumstances have changed.
What does Gatsby's insistence that the past can be repeated reveal about his character?
His determination and hope, but also his refusal to accept reality and change.
According to Nick, what does Gatsby's transformation reveal about his attitude toward his identity?
Gatsby refuses to accept the life he was born into. He creates a new identity based on his ambitions and ideal vision of himself.
How did Gatsby's experience with Cody shape him, and what is one important limitation of that influence?
Cody introduced Gatsby to wealth and the lifestyle he wanted. Gatsby learned from Cody's world but never inherited his fortune, so he had to pursue wealth himself.
How does Tom's reaction to Gatsby's party expose the social divide between East Egg and West Egg?
Tom looks down on Gatsby's newly acquired wealth and party culture. His attitude shows that money alone does not grant Gatsby the social status or acceptance associated with inherited wealth.
Why is Gatsby's ideal version of Daisy different from the real Daisy we see in this chapter?
Gatsby has built an idealized image of Daisy around his dream. The real Daisy has her own feelings, experiences, and life with Tom, which do not necessarily match Gatsby's expectations.
How does Chapter 6 develop the novel's larger message about the American Dream?
It suggests that ambition and self-invention can be powerful, but the dream of achieving perfect happiness through wealth and an idealized past can be unrealistic.