Characters
Who is the unreliable narrator of The Great Gatsby?
Nick Carraway
List two important things that happened in Tom and Myrtles apartment in NYC.
Myrtle angers Tom by talking about Daisy and Tom hits Myrtle in the face.
What image is used to describe Jordan in Chapter 1 and why does Fitzgerald use this comparison?
He describes her as a cadet to show that she is stiff and uptight.
How does Tom perceive Myrtle Wilson?
As his possession
What is the American Dream?
The idea that anyone can work to achieve success and attain a better life.
Which quality shown by individuals of the lost generation does Nick Carraway display in chapter one?
Disillusionment
What does the Valley of Ashes represent on a symbolic level?
It represents the poor, working class and the death of the American dream.
How do we know Myrtle is not educated?
She is obsessed with material possessions, she mispronounces words and misuses cliches, and she is loud and obnoxious.
How does Daisy react to Tom's mistress calling during the dinner party?
She tries to ignore them, but she is uncomfortable and embarrassed that everyone knows.
What is the purpose in including all of the rumors about Gatsby in the story before we meet him?
It builds suspense around the character.
How does Jordan Baker reveal herself to Nick as being from “old money”?
Jordan seems bored by her surroundings.
East Egg
What is the special day coming up in two weeks that Daisy looks forward to in two weeks?
The longest day of the year.
How do Gatsby and Nick know each other?
They both served in World War 1
How does Gatsby's party differ from Tom and Daisy's dinner party?
Gatsby's party is gaudy, crowded, and flashy. The dinner party is intimate, quiet, and elegant. It shows the difference between old and new money and how they show it off.
George Wilson is frail, poor, lower class, and lives in the Valley of Ashes.
Why does the author choose to tell the story from Nick Carraway’s point of view?
To influence the feelings that readers have toward certain characters
How does the narrator’s father’s advice relate to Isaac Lidsky’s message in the video What Reality Are You Creating for Yourself?
It shares Lidsky’s belief that we must open our hearts to understand reality.
How does Nick feel towards Jordan Baker at the end of Chapter 3?
He is attracted to her but he dislikes that she is dishonest. Even though he doesn't blame her, he judges her. He struggles with curiosity, attraction, and dislike.
Why is there surprise over Gatsby's library?
Owl eyes believed the books would be cardboard because he did not believe Gatsby read. Most people with money faked their intelligence to look better.
What are the three rumors being spread about Gatsby?
What city is characterized by those with gaudy, showy appearances of wealth?
What literary term is this quote from Jordan Baker and what does it mean? "I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy."
It is a paradox. This means that in a large party, it is easier to slip away and go unnoticed, but at a small party, there is no chance to be unseen.
What are the differences between Daisy and Myrtle?
Daisy was born privileged and upper class. She is quiet, small, and lives in East Egg. Myrtle has always been lower class, is a gold digger, uneducated, loud, and lives in the Valley of Ashes.
What does Daisy's quote, "that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool," mean?
Daisy's society values women that are vapid and foolish rather than headstrong and intelligent. It also shows that Daisy chooses to be foolish to fit in.