Chapter 8
Why does Gatsby ask his gardener to wait before draining the pool?
Gatsby wants to go for a swim.
What does Nick do immediately when he wakes up? Who does he go to see and what do they do?
He goes to Gatsby's house to find out what happened. He has breakfast with Gatsby, and Gatsby talks about his past with Daisy.
What does Nick do on his last night in West Egg before moving back to Minnesota?
He looks out over Long Island Sound
What does Nick realize Tom does not know after talking to him?
That Tom is in the dark about who was driving Gatsby’s car that night
Which of the following people shows up to Gatsby’s funeral, much to Nick's surprise?
Owl-Eyes
How are Gatsby and Wilson found after Gatsby goes for a swim?
Gatsby is found shot dead in his pool, and Wilson’s dead body is close by in the grass.
What aspect of Gatsby’s life did Nick respect, despite his disapproval of Gatsby’s lifestyle?
The purity of Gatsby’s dream.
Nick is in New York and is anxious to get back to Gatsby’s. Why is he anxious?
He feels a premonition of danger after a sleepless night and wants to warn Gatsby about how unstable the situation is with Wilson.
What does Mr. Gatz’s arrival and appearance at Gatsby’s mansion reveal about Gatsby’s background?
That Gatsby abandoned his past in order to achieve the American dream
When Daisy and Tom are called by Nick, we find out that they did what? There are three things that were listed in the novel.
Left no address to their destination, say when they would be back, and any information on how to reach them.
What aspect of Gatsby’s life did Nick respect, despite his disapproval of Gatsby’s lifestyle? How does this connect to the American Dream?
The purity of Gatsby's dreams to win back Daisy, even though he disliked how Gatsby did illegal things. This connects to the American dream as it shows the desire to get what one wants and their pure intentions. But it also shows how the desire and dream can be corrupted by the people around you and how you choose to achieve your goal.
What do the eyes on the billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg represent in chapter eight? How does this provide a commentary on the American dream?
To George Wilson, the omnipotent eyes of God, who is watching down over everyone. For George, it shows him that god is watching everyone and that it is a judgmental force that is watching over the moral decay in the Valley of Ashes. It also represents a divine authority that witnessed his wife cheating on him, which leads him to demand vengeance on the person who killed her.
Why does Gatsby ask Nick if he wants to swim?
What is the significance of Gatsby's statement that he hasn't even used it all summer?
1. Gatsby is feeling defeated and is reminiscing about his past and wants to spend some time with Nick, someone who hasn't left him.
2. He feels like he allowed everyone to have fun this summer at his expense in his quest to get Daisy. He wants to at least enjoy it one time before they have to drain the pool for the winter.
This is relatable to the idea of the American dream. Gatsby's American dream is to win back Daisy and get her love. Many who read this novel would say he already achieved it by getting rich. This is a take on how the American dream can be corrupt.
What does Nick describe The Great Gatsby as a story about? Think about the backgrounds of the key characters?
The West, because he realizes all the main characters are Midwesterners who moved to the East seeking the American Dream, only to find out how the East is corrupt, and many are unable to truly fulfill their aspirations.
What is Klipspringer’s reason for not attending Gatsby’s funeral? How is this representative of the people who are now distancing themselves from the Gatsby "situation"?
His excuse is that he needs to go to a picnic. He even asks for his tennis shoes shamelessly while Nick is trying to get him to attend Gatsby's funeral. This is representative of the people who are distancing themselves from Gatsby after his death because it shows how they don't take responsibility for anything. Now that he is dead, they move on, not caring about the past. This is connected to a big idea we talked about, where the rich old money characters make big messes but don't clean up or help clean them up. Their lives don't change, but others are affected.