CHARACTER INSIGHT
This character claims to be “a little cynical,” yet Nick notes she is dishonest in subtle ways.
Jordan Baker
The bleak industrial wasteland between West Egg and Manhattan symbolizes the moral decay hidden beneath wealth.
Valley of Ashes
Tom insists that Daisy and Nick accompany him to meet Myrtle, reflecting this aspect of his personality.
His entitlement or need for control
Nick’s delayed introduction to Gatsby builds this narrative effect.
mystery or suspense
Nick opens the novel with his father’s advice about judgment, establishing this key theme.
moral reflection / the limits of judgment
Nick first describes this character’s voice as “full of money,” though he doesn't fully understand the meaning until later.
Daisy Buchanan
This recurring symbol is introduced long before its deeper emotional meaning is known, representing Gatsby’s longing.
the green light
George Wilson’s quiet desperation contrasts sharply with Tom’s aggression, highlighting this major theme.
the class divide / inequality
Nick’s first trip to New York with Tom and Myrtle ends in chaos, serving to expose this major truth about Tom.
his moral corruption or hypocrisy
Tom’s obsession with a racist book signals Fitzgerald's critique of this element of 1920s society.
White supremacy / Racism
This character’s physical strength and arrogance symbolize the brutality of the upper class.
Tom Buchanan
The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg come to symbolize this abstract idea in Nick’s growing understanding of the world.
the loss of spiritual values / moral oversight / judgment
Daisy and Jordan’s close friendship demonstrates the social expectations placed on women of this class.
The upper class / old money society
At Gatsby’s party, Owl Eyes is shocked that Gatsby’s books are real, not fake, symbolizing this theme.
authenticity vs. performance
Daisy’s comment about hoping her daughter will be “a beautiful little fool” reveals her understanding of this aspect of her world.
women’s limited power or societal restrictions
This character’s restraint and self-control sharply contrast with the chaos of his parties.
Jay Gatsby
Nick describes Gatsby’s mansion as “factual imitation of some Hôtel de Ville,” implying this quality in Gatsby’s lifestyle.
Artificiality or constructed identity
The violent moment when Tom hits Myrtle reveals the intersection of these two themes.
Gender and class power / dominance
Nick’s role as both participant and observer in early events emphasizes this narrative structure.
the unreliable narrator / limited subjective perspective
Nick describes Gatsby’s smile as having a “quality of eternal reassurance,” hinting at this deeper trait.
Gatsby’s ability to make people feel seen / his romantic idealism
Nick suggests this character is neither fully in nor fully out of the world of wealth, making him an outsider among the elites.
Nick Carraway
Gatsby’s parties—with their loud music, excess, and anonymity—serve as an early symbol of this specific cultural phenomenon of the 1920s.
the rise of mass culture / superficial hedonism of the Jazz Age
Gatsby’s hesitance to approach Daisy directly echoes this internal conflict introduced in the first three chapters.
The tension between illusion and reality
Nick’s list of people attending Gatsby’s parties (later in the novel) is foreshadowed in Chapter 3 through this structural technique.
Cataloguing of names / social taxonomy
Nick ends Chapter 3 by asserting he is “one of the few honest people” he knows, an example of this literary device.
irony or unreliable narration