Symbolism
What do East and West eggs represent?
Old V.S. New Money.
Which egg does Gatsby live in?
West Egg.
Who is Myrtle having an affair with?
Tom Buchanan.
What is Nick's house like?
a small, weather-beaten bungalow in West Egg, "squeezed between two huge places" that are much grander mansions.
Jordan cheated in what sport?
Golf.
What character is most associated with the color white(Purity)?
Daisy Buchanan.
What is the significance of the green light to Gatsby?
a powerful symbol of Gatsby's unattainable dreams, primarily his hope of reuniting with Daisy and recreating their past.
Who murdered Myrtle Wilson, and how did it happen?
Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle mistook the driver of the car to be Tom Buchanan and ran out into the road.
How does Nick's relationship with Gatsby evolve, and why does he ultimately admire Gatsby?
evolves from initial curiosity and skepticism to a deep, loyal friendship and ultimate admiration.
What is Jordan Baker's biggest flaw?
She's a liar.
How does Fitzgerald use color to depict the Valley of Ashes?
He uses Grey to describe the poverty in the area.
Why was Gatsby so nervous to meet Daisy Buchanan?
The reunion represented the culmination of his life's dream and his idealized vision of the past.
What was Tom Buchanan's reaction to Myrtle Wilson's death?
He was distraught over Myrtle's death, but ultimately chose Daisy by lying to George Wilson about who killed Myrtle.
What does Nick find appealing about Jordan Baker, and why does his interest in her change?
Nick is initially attracted to Jordan Baker's sophistication, self-sufficiency, and modern "flapper" lifestyle, but his interest changes when he becomes disillusioned with her fundamental dishonesty and carelessness.
How does Jordan Baker contrast with Daisy Buchanan?
Jordan embodies the independent "new woman" of the 1920s, in sharp contrast to Daisy's more traditional, passive femininity.
Give an example of how Fitzgerald uses weather and time as symbolic elements.
The rain during the reunion of Gatsby and Daisy.
Even though Daisy killed Myrtle, Gatsby was blamed. Why did Tom Buchanan tell George Wilson that Gatsby killed Myrtle?
Tom was already furious with Gatsby for having an affair with Daisy and for challenging his marriage. By painting Gatsby as both a murderer and a philanderer to a grieving and enraged George Wilson, Tom effectively put a target on Gatsby's back, leading to Gatsby's murder and eliminating his rival for Daisy's affection.
Myrtle lacks the "ash-grey dust" that covers everyone else in the Valley of Ashes. What does this imply about Myrtle?
Unlike the other residents of the Valley of Ashes who have resigned themselves to a life of poverty and hopelessness, she still possesses vitality and an active ambition to escape her social standing.
At the end of the Great Gatsby, Nick left the city and returned to the Midwest. What does his departure from the city and East Egg represent?
his disillusionment with the superficiality, moral decay, and empty promises of the American East and the "Jazz Age" society.
What does her history of cheating in a golf tournament and her attitude suggest about the moral code of her social class?
She is superficial and characterized by carelessness and a lack of accountability.
What is the symbolism of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's eyes on the billboard?
The loss of spiritual values in America acts as a judgmental, all-seeing eye that observes the moral decay and materialism of the era. They represent an absent God, or at least a faded, materialistic version of God, watching over the valley of ashes as a silent witness to the characters' actions and the hollowness of the American Dream.
During Gatsby's funeral, there were only a few attendees, which included Nick Carroway and Henry C. Gatz. How does the small funeral contrast with Gatsby's huge house parties?
Gatsby's parties were characterized by their opulence, large crowds, and a general air of gaiety and excess. People from New York's high society flocked to his home uninvited, drawn by his wealth and reputation. They enjoyed his hospitality but had no real personal connection to him.
Myrtle changes her dress three times during the apartment party. What do the dress changes reveal about Myrtle?
The dress changes reflect her desperate attempts to project a higher social status and a different identity, revealing the fundamental superficiality of the elite world she yearns to enter.
Nick claims that he is objective and non-judgmental. Is this true, and how does this affect the narration of the book?
the narration throughout the book reveals that he is biased and frequently judgmental, especially toward the moral decay he observes in the wealthy East Coast society.
Jordan says to Nick: "You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver? Well, I met another bad driver, didn't I?"
What is this conversation ACTUALLY about? And what does it reveal about Nick?
This is Jordan and Nick's breakup. She is calling him a "bad driver"--meaning he is just as careless and dishonest as she is.