Chapter One
What was the advice given to Nick by his father? How, do you suppose, this makes him a good person to tell the story?
Not to judge others because they may not have been given the same opportunities he was given. This makes him a good person to tell the story because he is nonjudgmental.
What is the Valley of Ashes?
The industrial area that separates the East and West Egg from Manhattan.
Who is Meyer Wolfsheim, and what do we know about him?
Meyer Wolfsheim is a shady businessman. He fixed the 1919 World Series.
What is Daisy’s opinion of Gatsby’s party?
Daisy thinks the party is tacky.
How can Wilson’s actions at the end of this chapter (8) be explained?
He is driven by rage, his wife's infidelity and grief, the loss of his wife.
When Nick returns from the war, why does he decide to go East?
He wants to try his hand in the bonds business.
Notice how often and in what context Doctor Eckleburg’s eyes are mentioned. Symbolically, what might those eyes on that billboard represent?
The eyes of God watching the sins of people that pass through.
Gatsby disappears when which other character unexpectedly arrives at lunch?
Tom Buchanan
While the reader can have easily predicted Daisy and Tom’s reactions to his party, Gatsby cannot. Why not?
Because Gatsby is New Money, whereas Tom and Daisy are Old Money.
Why was the young Gatsby drawn to Daisy?
So many men wanted her, her home was beautiful... these things made him want/love her more.
We find out that Tom has “some woman in New York.” What unflattering feature of Jordan Baker’s personality is revealed in this scene?
It shows us that she is a gossip.
Why does Jordan want to leave the group from East Egg? Why does Nick want to leave the group?
Jordan wants to leave the group from East Egg because they are boring her and her date is coming on too strong. Nick wants to leave to introduce himself to Gatsby and thank him for the invitation to the party.
How does Daisy behave the night before her wedding? Why?
She gets drunk and cries, while holding onto a letter. She also ruins a pearl necklace that Tom has given her as a wedding present.
Why, do you suppose, Fitzgerald links the behavior of the characters to the hottest day of the summer?
They are irritable and uncomfortable, as is the situation.
What is the cause of the problem between Jordan and Nick?
She is selfish and Nick is not, so they do not see eye to eye.
The green light that Gatsby is staring at will become an important symbol in the book. What symbolic associations do you connect to the color green?
money, envy/jealousy, Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future
Who is Owl-Eyes? What surprises him about Gatsby’s library? Why does this impress him?
Owl-Eyes is a drunk, older gentleman that is sitting in Gatsby's library. He is surprised by Gatsby's library because his books are real. This impresses him because most people would have had blank books, there as props.
Nick says, “Then it had not been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night” when Nick first spotted Gatsby reaching out across the bay. What does Nick now realize about that night and about Gatsby’s real estate purchase?
He purchases this home because it is across the Sound from Daisy.
When Gatsby briefly meets Daisy’s little girl, he is somewhat unnerved. Symbolically, what does the little girl represent?
Daisy's little girl represents her marriage to Tom, the time that has passed and is a symbol of Daisy's having moved on.
what does the last sentence in the story mean?
answers will vary...
What’s the name of the book that Tom wants to discuss at dinner? What does this book’s content show us about Tom?
The name of the book is 'The Rise of the Coloured Empire'- It shows that Tom is a racist.
In what ways is Gatsby’s behavior at his party quite unlike the behavior of most of his guests?
Unlike his guests, Gatsby does not drink.
What steps has Gatsby taken to ensure this reunion day is perfect?
Has his gardener cut the lawn, has fresh flowers brought over to Nick's, has tea and biscuits available.
When Gatsby briefly meets Daisy’s little girl, he is somewhat unnerved. Symbolically, what does the little girl represent?
He feels guilty about having an affair with George's wife, Myrtle.
In the last four paragraphs, Nick makes the symbol of the green light very concrete. What does the green light symbolize?
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It is eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--"