The Great Gatsby – Ch.

1
Completely and thoughtfully answer the following questions. If you need more space for an answer, feel free to continue your
answer on the back of the paper.
1. What was the advice given to Nick by his father? How, do you suppose, this makes him a good person to tell this
story?
That when you were going to criticize someone, thinkthat they may be were not as
privileged as you. This could make Nicka good narrator because he will have
a broader perspective and
compassion.
2. What is Nick’s social class/background? How did his family make its money?
hardware business
His
family was prominent, so high class. His family made money with a

3. When Nick returns from the war, why does he decide to go East?

To learn the Bond Business

4. How is West Egg different from East Egg?

the West less fashionable
Egg was

5. Before meeting him, what does Nick tell us about Tom Buchanan?

He was an amazing football player and

extremely wealthy
6. If you were going to pick one color to connect with Daisy Buchanan, what color would it be? Explain your reasoning.

I would pick color because I believe

they have a sense of
any pastel
and pretentious, likeher. I would also say whitebecause of her
being fancy
delicacy.
7. We find out that Tom has “some woman in New York.” What unflattering feature of Jordan Baker’s personality is
revealed in this scene?
because she was able to lie just to
She is revealed to be dishonest
and deceptive
social status and reputation
protecther
 8. What’s the name of the book that Tom wants to discuss at dinner? What does this book’s content show us about
Tom?

The rise of the colored Empires. It shows us that he is racist in his

nature, he says to watch be

out the white
race is
being threatened.

9. What is the reader left to think about Daisy’s emotional state and her relationship with Tom?
I'd
say Daisy's depended
emotional state on Tom's presence. When he wasn't there,
and happy.
she would be glowy

10. Who is Jordan Baker? What has Nick heard about her?

She is known-athlete, Nickheard her.

about
a an
story
unpleasant

11. At the end of this chapter, Nick sees Gatsby on the lawn and is about to call to him and introduce himself, but he
does not. What stops Nick? What does Gatsby’s “trembling” suggest?

Nickstops because Gatsy seemed to be alone. His

want
to tremblings
could be he was sickor old

12. The green light that Gatsby is staring at will become an important symbol in the book. What symbolic associations
do you connect to the color green?

nature, life, hope

 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 2
1. The description of the “valley of ashes” opens this chapter. Literally, what is the valley of ashes? What might it
represent on a symbolic level?

ashes from train?Butmetaphorically it

Literally means the may mean

an urban city

2. Compare and contrast George Wilson and Tom Buchanan. Then, compare and contrast Myrtle Wilson and Daisy
Buchanan.
(G)
Tom seems more confidentand powerful than George. He seems shy and easy to

manipulate. Myrtle is more demanding and more confidentthan Daisy. She

wore colors and did

dark exaggerate her beauty.
not

3. How do we know that Myrtle Wilson is not an intellectual?

She is portrayed as vain she values
and that material possessions over
everything
else. She seems interested fashion and
about status, convince,
only is
very easy to
and in
general is very superficial.
4. Notice how often and in what context Doctor Eckleburg’s eyes are mentioned. Symbolically, what might those eyes
on that billboard represent?
It
may represent the atmosphere of the Roaring 20s. The descriptions used for the eyes

suggestthatthey have
been present throughouta society
decay "paintless days"),
and overall have a negative description that
serves as a symbolism for the era.

5. What’s up with the puppy? Why do you suppose Fitzgerald included it as an element in this chapter?

Tom used the puppyto takethe

he would threatento
manipulate Myrtle,because
puppyaway when she behaved of
out line. showed the
It objectification of women by
men
during that
time.

6. Do you think Tom will leave Daisy for Myrtle? Support your answer.

I don't thinkso because it would

deeply damage his reputation B

status a lot.
and he also values that
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 3
1. Nick describes the people who attend Gatsby’s parties and says “that once there, the guests conducted themselves
according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks.” Given this, what can you conclude is Nick’s
opinion of Gatsby’s party guests?

He dislikes their self-absorbedness, shallowness

Its a
negative opinion, certainly.
also likes their wealth and
and vainess but glamour

2. Why does Jordan want to leave the group from East Egg? Why does Nick want to leave the group?

She wants to
leave because she doesn't
seem the
into conversation at
all Nickbecause he does not their values and feels of
out place.
and agree to

3. Who is Owl-Eyes? What surprises him about Gatsby’s library? Why would this impress him?

He is a
guest.
party He is surprised they
that actual
are books and not just
covers, since the overall thing these
at parties was the
superficiality everything
of

4. What unexpected common bond do Gatsby and Nick share?

both served World War I.
They in

5. Nick says, “I was looking at an elegant young roughneck...whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being
absurd. Some time before he introduced himself I’d got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care.”
What is Fitzgerald trying to convey here about Gatsby? How should we feel about Gatsby here?

Thathe was changing his normal talking fitthe girl

to

6. Why do you suppose that Jordan does not believe Gatsby when he says that he had attended Oxford College in
England?
his past did not match with that.
his stories of
Because
7. In what ways is Gatsby’s behavior at his party quite unlike the behavior of most of his guests?

drink, stays and focused

He does not apart on
Daisy.

8. Toward the end of the party, we have the unflattering description of husbands and wives and also the drunk who
has crashed his car. What is Fitzgerald’s deeper message to us here?

He says thisto the corruption

talkabout during the 1920s.
They were wreckless

and irresponsible, justlike scene.

in that

9. Jordan declares to Nick that she “hates careless people.” Explain the irony here.

Its ironic because she is careless as well. She lies and is

hipocritical.
constantly
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 4
1. Looking through the list of party-goers, find and paraphrase at least three pieces of evidence that the old money is
in East Egg and the new money in West Egg?

East separated from the rest, their exclusivity

eggers were
suggesting
which is linked to old $5. West eggers
were look and fun, new
money is
often B reckless whilethe old is focused on maintaining status.
crazy

2. What is weird about Nick’s drive into New York with Gatsby? List at least three things about Gatsby in this scene
that strike you as odd.
breakthe law and
Gatsby kepttalking about
his past, he was
eager to

overall seemed nervous.

3. What two things does Nick see on/near the Queensboro Bridge that make him think that Gatsby is, perhaps, telling
the truth?
of his illusion
"colossal vitality
and the dust

4. Who is Meyer Wolfsheim, and what do we know about him?

jewish and father figure for Gatsby.
He maybe is part ofa crime, is a

5. Gatsby disappears when which other character unexpectedly arrives at lunch? Take a guess as to why Gatsby
doesn’t want to see this character.
He disappears when tom arrives. Gatsby is afraid thathe'll find outabout
Maybe
Daisy.

6. Jordan recalls the time in 1917 when she saw Gatsby and Daisy together. From Jordan’s description, do you think
Daisy was genuinely interested in Gatsby?

the attention
I thinkshe enjoyed
 7. How does Daisy behave the night before her wedding? Why?
Sie behaves kind ofcrazy. She gets drunk, frustrated and

as she feels forced and in

stuck the marriage.
angry. seems
It

8. Who, do you suppose, sent the letter that caused Daisy to become so upset? What do you think the letter may have
said?
his love for her
Maybe it was
Gatsby declaring

9. Nick says, “Then it had not been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night” when Nick first spotted
Gatsby reaching out across the bay. What does Nick now realize about that night and about Gatsby’s real estate
purchase?

Gatsby
He realized that did everything for Daisy.

10. What’s happening between Nick and Jordan?

They startto engage in a

relationship, he feels

he is in love but
then he isn't.
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 5
1. What steps has Gatsby taken to ensure this reunion day is perfect?
he ordered flowers, Nick's lawn mowed B his

clothes.

2. What’s the weather like at the beginning of the chapter? Symbolically analyze this element of the scene.
life
was rainy, which
It may simbolyze the imperfectness of

and how Gatsby can'tcontrol them.

3. Why does Gatsby take Nick and Daisy the long away around his house to the front door instead of just cutting
through the back lawn?
He wants to show them his wealth to
impress Daisy
4. When Nick asks Gatsby what business he is in, Gatsby responds, “That’s my affair,” before he realizes that this is
not an appropriate reply. Why does Gatsby give that answer, and why is not it an appropriate reply?
He was doing something that the others
he didn'twant
learn. Itwas
very rude
to

5. Okay, let’s talk about that scene with the shirts. Obviously, Daisy’s not crying because of the actual shirts.
Analyze the passage and explain what, exactly, has caused Daisy to become so emotional as she wraps herself in
all those shirts.
leftbehind and everything she lostmarrying too
She realizes the life she
She compares her life with Daisy and with tom.

6. As the three of them look across the bay toward Daisy’s house, Nick tells us, “Possibly it had occurred to him that
the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to that 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.” First, explain
what Fitzgerald means by “the great distance” between Gatsby and Daisy. Then, explain the significance of the fact
that the green light is now just a light on a dock and that Gatsby’s “count of enchanted objects had diminished by
one.”
in social classes and how he
The distance could mean the
gap
was
trying to close the gap.
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 6
1. In the first few pages of this chapter, we learn about Gatsby’s background. When did James Gatz change his name
to Jay Gatsby? Why did he leave college after just two weeks?
When he was 17. He felt undeapreciated and that he deserved
move.
2. Nick says, “So he [Gatsby] invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to
invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.” For James Gatz, what does he expect the future Jay Gatsby’s
life will be like? Specifically, at night, what sets James’ heart “in a constant, turbulent” riot?
He wanted a luxurious life. He has a
young vision ofwealth and that

it and blitz.
means glam
3. To young Gatz, what does Dan Cody’s yacht represent?

in the world.
The yachtrepresents all the beauty and prestige

4. Why does Gatsby not get the $25,000 left to him in Cody’s will? What lesson did young Gatsby likely learn from
this incident?
makes sure that he doesn't. He learned to make
his own
Ella kaye
wealth, to
not depend on anothers.

5. After crossing paths with Gatsby, Tom says, “I may be old-fashioned in my ideas, but women run around too much
these days to suit me.” What’s interesting (and hypocritical) about this line?
It's hypocritical because he is interested in these women, Myrtle fits the

description.
6. What is Daisy’s opinion of Gatsby’s party?
pretends. She doesn't find itclassy, but obnoxious
She doesn't really like it, just

7. While the reader can have easily predicted Daisy and Tom’s reactions to his party, Gatsby cannot. Why not?

He doesn't understand the por of those actually wealthy. He has his artificial
self
vision of wealth from his 17-year-old

8. What is Nick’s view of repeating the past, and what is Gatsby’s opinion? Why is Gatsby’s opinion unrealistic?
Nick believes that
you can't repeat
the
past, butGatsby wants to repeat it.
It's unrealistic be people and life change and you can'tjust return.
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 7
1. Why, do you suppose, Fitzgerald links the behavior of the characters to the hottest day of the summer?

explode. Everyone
is angry.
Because its the climax, everything is about
to

2. When Gatsby briefly meets Daisy’s little girl, he is somewhat unnerved. Symbolically, what does the little girl
represent?
She represents that Tom B Daisy are actually together and
that Daisy is not
with him.

3. What causes Tom to realize that his wife has been having an affair with Gatsby?
When she said she loved him Brom saw.

4. What does Gatsby understand about Daisy’s voice that Nick does not?
Thatshe is tree because she has the money to get
worry
she wants.
what
5. Describe the driving arrangement that brings the five characters into the city.
Daisy+ Gatsby =
Tom's Cars

Jordant TomtNick= Gatsby's car

6. Why, do you suppose, Tom decides to let Wilson finally have the car he has been promising him?

He feels bad for Wilson that

he found out about the cheating.
7. What indication is there at this point that, in Myrtle’s mind anyway, Tom has been more than a fling?
When she didn't tomove with Wilson, stay
want
just
with tom.

8. Besides Myrtle’s, what other eyes “kept their vigil” on the activities along the roadway?

T.J. Eckleberg's eyes.

9. As always, there is a grain of truth in what Gatsby says. In what sense is he an Oxford man?

He there
went for five months as a soldier's opportunity.
10. Daisy says that Tom is “revolting.” To what, can you imagine, is she referring?

When he declared reveals that

his love for her, but he is cheating.

11. Why does Daisy have a tough time saying, as Gatsby wishes, that she never loved Tom?
are

lovehim,but lovedfathere
Because she did once
12. Why is it so important to Gatsby that Daisy say she never loved Tom?
their love
that
He felt was pure and unique,

13. How has Gatsby earned most of his money, and what does Tom say that startles Gatsby?
(street)

HeandWorshem,solddrugsandgrainalcoholTom anener
14. What is Daisy’s reaction to this news?
Gatsby
thought like that.
She's terrified because she had not

15. Describe the hit-and-run scene.

Myrtle was killed

16. Why does Tom make the point to Wilson that he just drove the coupe from New York and the yellow car does not
actually belong to him?
So that he wouldn'tbe suspected of Myrtle's death.

17. What indication is there that Tom really was fond of Myrtle?

He shared sad reaction, he

a was
crying.

18. What does the reader learn that Tom does not know?
That the driver in the accident, not Gatsby
Daisy was

19. What is the scene that Nick observes taking place between Tom and Daisy in the kitchen?
his suspicious
Tom has hand over Daisy's, they seem

as if crafting what
to
they were
say.
20. Why does this scene suggest ill for Gatsby?
close and
would get
Thathe would be excluded.Tom and Daisy

leave him out.

 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 8
1. Why was the young Gatsby drawn to Daisy?
be she was
her
of beauty and kindness. She was a prize
loved by men.

2. What is the cause of the problem between Jordan and Nick?

sick
Nickstarts to see how similar she is Tom B
to Daisy and
gets
allof
of them.
3. In what context do Dr. Eckleburg’s eyes appear in this chapter?
God's.
They are shown before
just Myrtle's death, as if
they were

4. When Wilson disappears for three hours, where do you guess he might have gone? (You won’t know for certain
until later.)
Probably to tom who told him about Gatsby'sstory.

5. Gatsby asks the groundskeeper not to drain the pool. Why? In light of what happens at the very end of this chapter,
how is this exchange symbolically meaningful?

he used it. He the end

shotat
Because never
got

6. How can Wilson’s actions at the end of this chapter be explained?

He was crafted a lie

by tom Gatsby killed
and thought

Daisy, so W killed G and then himself be he couldn't

bear

living without
him.
7. What were Nick’s final significant words to Gatsby? Why is this a fitting goodbye?

"They're a written crowd,

you're worth the whole damn bunch put

together
Nickwas the only
realized that
truly cared about
that
fatsby had ever told him.
I
him.That
was the only compliment
 The Great Gatsby – Ch. 9
1. Why does Nick feel responsible for getting people to the funeral? Why do you suppose Wolfsheim reacts the way
he does? true friend. 4 Because of his priorities
Nick considered himself as hatsby's only
bad outcome.
business man, he feared a
as a

2. What does young Jimmy Gatz’s daily schedule say about him?

That
he was working towards self-improvement.

3. Is Nick surprised that Daisy has not sent a message or flowers? Are you?
he knew how fake, vain, and
He is not surprised because
already
Me neither.
superficial everyone was.

4. Nick’s fantastic dream involves El Greco figures. What is the dream, and what might this dream represent in regard
to Nick’s present feelings about the East?
did know
not where
The dream is about men helping a drunkwoman but they
It
shows us Nick's por that
to take her be no one cared her to know.
about

the East
Eggers were heartless and superficial.

5. What shocking piece of information does Nick receive in his chance meeting with Tom? What is Nick’s final feeling
about Tom and Daisy?
acted without
Tom sent Wilson instead. That they were careless who
regards for the consequences. He can't be mad be they simply are like that

no matter what
6. In the last four paragraphs, Nick makes the symbol of the green light very concrete. What does the green light
symbolize?

The future that's close, yetso far. People toward them

work but getstuckin the past.

7. Keeping the last few paragraphs in mind, what does the last sentence in the story mean?
of
People try so much move
to they repeatedly go the pastin hopes
on but to

dreams.
reliving it. They really
aren't moving they
on if
go
didn'tlet their past