The 1920s & Novel Basics
Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald?
This is the first AND last name of the narrator
Who is Nick Carraway?
What is the location/geography/setting?
"'He's a bootlegger'", and "'One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil'" are just a couple rumors about this character at the beginning of chapter 4 (61).
Who is Gatsby?
This is what Gatsby offers Nick at the beginning of chapter 5
A job/way to make money:
"'I carry on a little business on the side...it wouldn't take up much of your time and you might pick up a nice bit of money...rather confidential sort of thing...wouldn't do any business with Wolfsheim'" (82-83).
This is the time (the year) and place (the state) of the novel
What is New York in the summer of 1922?
The first and last name of Nick's second cousin and their husband
Who are Daisy and Tom Buchanan?
This is the person speaking in the following quotes: "'Gratulate me,'" she muttered. 'Never had a drink before, but oh how I do enjoy it...Here, deares'...Take [the string of pearls] downstairs and give 'em back to whoever they belong to'" (76).
Who is Daisy?
This is the name (first and/or last) and profession of the business associate/friend Nick meets at lunch with Gatsby
Who is Meyer Wolfsheim, gambler?
What is nervous/anxious?
This was a nationwide ban on production, importation, transportation, and sale of any alcoholic beverages
What is prohibition?
This is the first and last name of the woman Tom's cheating on Daisy with
Who is Myrtle Wilson?
This motif often matches/reveals the emotional tone of scenes in the story
What is weather?
We can infer this about Gatsby through the following interaction he has with a police officer on the way to lunch with Nick: "...We slowed down. Taking a white card from his wallet, [Gatsby] waved it before the man's eyes. 'Right you are,' agreed the policeman, tipping his cap. 'Know you next time, Mr. Gatsby. Excuse me!'
'What was that?' [Nick] inquired. 'The picture of Oxford?'
'I was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year'" (68).
What is that he is very powerful/influential, and/or might be a part of some type of illegal activity, considering the corruption of the police force at the time
These are the moods the weather pattern (rainy, sunny, rainy (again)/misty, then stormy) in chapter 5 reflects
What are worried/anxious, then happy/relieved, then scared/anxious/at a loss, then expecting/intense/eager/overwhelmed? (points awarded at the teacher's discretion!)
This is the illegal manufacture, distribution, or sale of alcohol
What is bootlegging?
These are the personality traits reflected through Nick's description of George Wilson in these quotes:
"[Myrtle] smiled slowly and, walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom" (26).
"...Wilson agreed hurriedly, and went toward the little office mingling immediately with the cement color of the walls. A white ashen dust veiled his dark suit and his pale hair as it veiled everything in the vicinity" (26).
(Any of these -- teacher's discretion): What are unremarkable, wallflower, passive, timid, overlooked, sad, pushover, hard-working, detached
This motif represents danger and excess
What are cars?
After Jordan asks Nick, to ask Daisy, to come to tea at Nick's place, so that Gatsby could also come over and surprise Daisy-- how does the chapter end? (A relationship development)
What is Nick kisses Jordan?
This is why the following quote is significant: "'You're acting like a little boy,' [Nick] broke out impatiently. 'Not only that, but you're rude. Daisy's sitting in there all alone'" (88).
These are the 4 main settings in the novel and what they represent
(Must list each location and correctly identify what each represents to get points -- no partial points)
What are East Egg (Old money), West Egg (New money), The Valley of Ashes (The very poor/poverty), and The City (Middle/working class)?
This is the first and last name of the girl whose "chin [was] raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall" and the name of the personality trait that Nick is describing in the quote (8).
Who is Jordan Baker, and what is snobby/stuck-up/uppity/stand-offish?
This is the big idea is reflected in Nick's description of New York City as he and Gatsby go to lunch: "'Anything can happen now that we've slid over this bridge,' I thought; 'anything at all...' Even Gatsby could happen, without any particular wonder" (69). **Hint: think about the location in a historical context...why was New York important back then?
What is the American Dream?
This secret about Gatsby (and his motivations) is revealed after Jordan Baker tells Nick her story about Gatsby and Daisy's past relationship at tea
What is that Gatsby bought his house so Daisy would be right across the bay/so that he could be close to Daisy
This is the significance of the following scene (answers will vary, points awarded at teacher's discretion):
"'If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay,' said Gatsby. 'You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.' Daisy put her arm through his abruptly, but he seemed absorbed in what he just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one" (92-93).
Answers will vary