Characters & Relationships
Narrator and Daisy’s cousin; neighbor to Gatsby; participant and observer.
Who is Nick Carraway?
A bleak industrial area between West Egg and Manhattan covered in ash; symbol of moral decay.
What is the "valley of ashes"?
To pretend or give a false appearance.
In Chapter 1, what does "feign" most nearly mean?
Gatsby (standing on his lawn, reaching toward the green light).
Who does Nick first see standing with arms outstretched toward the green light?
Loud, lavish, crowded; orchestras, abundant food, and many uninvited guests.
How are Gatsby’s parties described in Chapter 3? (Two details.)
Myrtle Wilson.
Which character is Tom Buchanan having an affair with?
Gatsby’s hope and longing for Daisy / the American Dream’s promise.
What does the green light symbolize for Gatsby?
Irritable, difficult to control.
What is the definition of "fractious" as used in the novel?
Tom strikes Myrtle, breaking her nose.
What happens when Myrtle says "Daisy" in the apartment scene?
A guest amazed that Gatsby’s books are real, not just for show.
Who is "Owl Eyes" and what surprises him in Gatsby’s library?
She is considered dishonest (cheats in golf), modern, and socially aloof.
Who is Jordan Baker?
West Egg = new money (Gatsby, Nick); East Egg = old aristocratic wealth (Tom, Daisy).
How is West Egg different from East Egg?
Having confidential knowledge.
What does it mean to be "privy" to information?
Tom punches Myrtle and breaks her nose when she repeats Daisy’s name.
Which incident reveals Tom’s violent side in Chapter 2?
Rumors include that Gatsby is an Oxford man, a murderer, or involved in mysterious business.
What is one persistent rumor about Gatsby mentioned at his parties?
Deeply idealized love; Gatsby longs for Daisy and seeks reunion; mixture of obsession and nostalgia.
What is Gatsby’s relationship to Daisy as revealed across chapters 1–4?
Valley of ashes shows moral desolation beneath the glitter of parties; juxtaposes wealth and decay.
What is the symbolic contrast between the valley of ashes and Gatsby’s parties?
"Nick sought witnesses to corroborate Gatsby’s claims about his past."
What is an example sentence correctly using the word "corroborate" as it relates to Gatsby's story?
She says she hopes her daughter will be "a beautiful little fool."
What do we learn about Daisy’s feelings for her daughter? Quote the phrase she uses.
Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting with Daisy at Nick’s house.
What request does Gatsby make of Nick that reveals Gatsby’s deeper motive?
Meyer Wolfsheim.
Who is a gambler/fixer; suggests Gatsby’s ties to shady business?
The extravagant, ostentatious mansion filled for spectacle; parties full of strangers masking Gatsby’s loneliness.
What detail about Gatsby’s house contributes to the theme of appearance vs. reality?
Patronizingly haughty; Tom Buchanan often acts superciliously.
What is the meaning of "supercilious" and who is a character that displays this trait?
Through Jordan and Gatsby’s request; Gatsby reveals he loves Daisy and asks Nick to arrange a meeting.
How does Nick first learn of Gatsby’s connection to Daisy?
Wolfsheim is presented as a gambler and alleged fixer (e.g., fixed the 1919 World Series); suggests Gatsby’s wealth may come from illegal or morally dubious sources.
What is the significance of Meyer Wolfsheim’s introduction and what does it suggests about Gatsby’s wealth?