The Great Gatsby Study Guide (Comprehension)

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 not repeat the past, where Gatsby thinks that he can repeat the past and Daisy hasn't changed at all and moved on with her life by marrying Tom and having a baby.

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?

Nick dreams of a dunk women who lays cold on the ground and two men carrying her on a stretcher, they drop her body off at a random house, simply because they do not care. This dream represents the East being a cold hearted place where people will often only think of themselves.

Why does Nick feel responsible for getting people to the funeral? Why do you suppose Wolfsheim reacts the way he does?

Nick felt responsible for getting people to the funeral because he was Gatsby's only friend and he wanted people at Gatsby's funeral to honor Gatsby's life. Wolfsheim reacts the way he does because he's afraid that if he goes to the funeral that he is going to miss an important opportunity for his business.

What's happening between Nick and Jordan?

Nick is attracted to her, even if she doesn't really like/respect her. They have a romance brewing, but it's more of a summer fling than the real thing.

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

Nick is getting tired of her because she's just like Daisy and Tom and after last night with all the commotion he's sick of all of them.

Is Nick surprised that Daisy has not sent a message or flowers?

Nick is not surprised but he is disappointed.

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

No, I do not believe Tom will leave Daisy for Myrtle. He only wants her to use. He treats her badly and even though he abuses Daisy also he does not do it in public. Also, while Myrtle is talking about how she made a mistake to marry Mr. Wilson, Tom does not say it is a mistake that he married Daisy.

What's up with the puppy? why do you suppose Fitzgerald included it as an element in this chapter?

Puppy symbolizes that Myrtle wants to be used to being rich, while George thinks about the budget.

How does Daisy behave the night before her wedding? Why?

She gets roaring drunk and attempts to throw away an expensive pearl necklace that Tom gave her.She's having second thoughts about carrying Tom and has received a letter that has caused her to become very upset.

What is Daisy's reaction to this news?

She stares terrified between Gatsby and her husband and she starts to withdraw into herself. She's never seen this side of Gatsby before and it scares her.

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

Since Gatsby attended a program at Oxford for former officers for five months, there is a grain of truth to his contention that he is an "Oxford man," just like every story he relates about himself

Why is it so important to Gatsby that Daisy say she never loved Tom?

So, Gatsby won't get hurt or feel betrayed by Daisy loving Tom.

Why does Gatsby not get the $25,000 left to him in Cody's will?

Because Cody's mistress prevented Gatsby from getting what Cody had left in his will.

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

Because Gatsby thought they would be flashy with their money like the rest of their guest when really Tom and Daisy are just elegant and well behaved.

Notice how often and in what context Doctor Eckleburg's eyes are mentioned. What may be the significance of these eyes?

They are mentioned several times. The eyes always seem to be observing or staring at what is going on. They "see" Nick and Tom, Wilson's repair shop, and seem to "oversee" the "valley of ashes." The eyes are blue, in contrast to the omnipresent grey.

How is Tom Buchanan like Myrtle Wilson and Daisy Buchanan like George Wilson physically and in personality?

Tom Buchanan is like Myrtle Wilson because they are both cheaters and do not truly love their partners. They are also alike because they are both thick. George Wilson and Daisy are alike because the are both beautiful in face, slim in body, and very soft in character.

Why does this scene suggest ill for Gatsby?

Tom is going to blame Gatsby for killing Myrtle because it was Gatsby's car that they were driving when the accident happened.

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

Tom started crying when he went over to her, dead body.

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?

Daisy probably is sad because Tom hasn't bought her any nice shirts like the ones Gatsby has or he doesn't care about what he wears, like Gatsby does.. 'It makes me sad because I've never seen such- such beautiful shirts before. ''

At the end of the chapter, Nick sees Gatsby on the lawn and is about to call and introduce himself, but he does not. What stops him?

He seems content to be alone

What steps has Gatsby taken to ensure this reunion day is perfect?

He sends a bunch of flowers and someone to mow Nick's lawn in the rain. Gatsby is wearing a white suit, silver shirts and gold

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 gatby's party guests?

He does not have much respect for them, judging them, and this is the only time they have to party because of the prohibition

How can Wilson's actions at the end of this chapter be explained?

He then shoots himself because he can't live with what he did to Gatsby

Why does Gatsby take Nick and Daisy the long way around his house to the front door instead of just cutting through the back lawn?

He is boasting and wants Daisy to see everything that he has

Why is the young Gatsby drawn to Daisy?

He is drawn by her beauty, her home, and the fact that many men love her. Gatsby has always viewed life, and everything in it, in terms of worth. They only spent a month together and were falling deeper in love every minute of that time.

What is Nick's social class/background

He is not from the upper class. He has many tastes and advantages of the upper class, but not the money. He is not poor, though, as his father was a successful business man.

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

He is very rich, 30 years old, football hero at Yale. Very athletic, powerful body, arrogant, cruel

What lesson did young Gatsby likely learn from this incident?

He learned that you don't always get what you are promised in life

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

He lets Wilson have the car in order to assauge his own guilt.

What does young Jimmy Gatz's daily schedule say about him?

He was an extremely hard worker and dedicated to self improvement.

When Wilson disappears for 3 hours, where do you guess he might have gone?

He went to kill Gatsby

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?

James changed his named to Jay Gatsby after he met Dan Cody. Gatsby left College after two weeks because he was working as a janitor and that was an embarrassment to his pride.

What unflattering feature of Jordan Baker's personality is revealed in this scene?

Jordan Baker gets bored easily, yawning to express her boredom. As well as being dishonest, she has a sense of inner emptiness. She is also a gossip.

In what way does Fitzgerald indicate that Myrtle Wilson is not an intellectual?

Myrtle is convinced that she is truly loved by Tom and he would leave his wife for her.

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?

Tom told Wilson that he just drove the coupe from New York and the yellow car does not actually belong to him because he knows that he could go to jail if they think that he hit and killed Myrtle.

Daisy says that Tom is "revolting." To what, can you imagine, is she referring?

Tom, is revolting because he is cheating on Daisy, with Myrtle.

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?

Yes. She's so captivated by him in that scene that she doesn't even notice Jordan until she's just five feet away. Daisy and Gatsby were very into each other back in the day.

what unexpected common bond do gatsby and nick share?

both were in the third division in france during the war

What does the last sentence in the story mean?

despite the fact that humans can understand there is no way to go back in time, they will still try. It also may mean that the corrupt people of the world can try to get ahead as much as they want but they will only ever be going backwards. No matter how much we progress, we can't escape our past

In what context do Dr. Eckleburg's eyes appear in this chapter?

eyes symbolize God looking over a sinful land. In George Wilson's case the faded eyes can symbolize the death of the American dream or the American dream being an illusion to begin with. In either case, poor George Wilson has a life that is full of shattered dreams.

Why do you suppose that Jordan does not believe Gatsby when he says that he had attended oxford college in England?

he doesn't fit Jordan's stereotype of an oxford man. he's not naturally sophisticated, trying too hard

in what ways is Gatsby's behavior at his party quite unlike the behavior of most of his guests?

he doesn't party or drink, just watches the party guests.

Why does Jordan want to leave the group from east egg? why does nick want to leave the group?

it is too polite and reserved, and too boring, want to be where the fun is. Nick wants to find Gatsby and follows Jordan around because he does not want to be alone

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?

not very polished but looks formal and sounds very sophisticated. rough around the edges, words are practiced, something off

What shocking piece of information does Nick receive in his chance meeting with Tom? What is Nick's final feeling about Tom and Daisy?

of information does Nick receive in his chance meeting with Tom? Also, what is Nick's final feeling about Tom and Daisy? Nick learns that Daisy and Tom are cold hearted people who only care about themselves and when they create problems or cause trouble they simply just run away and leave it up to someone else to fix.

To young Gatz, what does Dan Cody's yacht represent?

represents his success and how hard he has worked to get to having such a rich careless life.

toward the end of the party, we have the unflattering description of husbands and wives and also the drunk who has crashed his care. what is fitzgerald's deeper message to us here?

rich people drive recklessly because they have a surplus a money. owl eyes gets into an accident and goes into a ditch because he was drunk. money doesn't make them happy, they have to go back to their normal boring lives

jordan declares to nick that she "hates careless people." explain the irony here

she cheats her way to the top and is the most careless person in the room, doesn't care for anyones' feelings except her own

Whats is the reader left to think about Daisy's emotional state and her relationship with Tom?

she's disturbed at Tom's affair and the fact she was faking the cynical outburst

What is the scene that Nick observes taking place between Tom and Daisy in the kitchen?

that they are just in shock from the accident.

who is owl-eyes? what surprises him about gatsby's library? why would this impress him?

that they are real books that have not been read because the pages still stick together

If you were going to pick one color to connect with Daisy Buchanan, what color would it be?

white since she is very lovely

Who, do you suppose, sent the letter that caused Daisy to become so upset? What do you think the letter may have said?

Gatsby. He was probably declaring his love for her in the letter.

Gatsby disappears when which other character unexpectedly arrives at lunch? Why doesn't Gatsby want to see this character?

Gatsby is avoiding Tom mainly because Gatsby is in love with Daisy or at least that he has a compelling reason to want to avoid Tom Buchanan.

What were Nick's final words to Gatsby? Also, why is this a fitting goodbye?

"They are a rotton crowd, your worth a whole bunch of them together." Gatsby wanted to be a part of a group of lousy and snobby people.

What was the advice given to Nick by his Father?

"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone" he told me "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."

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.

1. Gatsby overshares about his background, being sure to mention that he inherited family money, but that all of his people are dead now. Weird. 2. he emphasizes that he was "educated at Oxford," in such a way that it immediately makes Nick think that he's lying. He's even carrying around a photo of himself at Oxford to use as proof. Even weirder. 3. he says his people are from the mid-west, but then says they're from San Francisco. It doesn't take a geography expert to know that San Francisco is not in the mid-west. More weirdness. Finally (yes, here's an extra one for you), he's carrying around a medal of valor from Montenegro. Who does that? Someone who's trying too hard to impress others, that's who.

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?

1.The East Eggers named Blackbuck are snooty and flip their noses up at everyone. 2. East Eggers include legendary American family names, such as Voltaire and Stonewall Jackson, and people Nick knew from Yale. 3. West Eggers are mostly movie/entertainment producers and people with more-ethnic-sounding names like Poles and Mulreadys, making us think more of an immigrant class of people.

What causes Tom to realize that his wife has been having an affair with Gatsby?

By the time Tom clues in, Daisy and Gatsby are trying to hold back on the public affection. Gatsby, Jordan, Nick, Tom, and Daisy are lunching at Tom and Daisy's mansion. They discuss going into town and Tom notices the passionate gaze Gatsby gives towards his wife. Things really fall apart when Tom receives confirmation of his suspicions. Later that day in a hotel room, in front of pretty much everyone, Gatsby declares to Tom that he and Daisy are in fact in love and that Daisy never really loved him in the first place. Ouch!

Describe the driving arrangement that brings the five characters into the city.

Daisy and Gatsby drive Gatsby's car and Tom, Jordan and Nick drive Toms car.

What is Daisy's opinion of Gatsby's party?

Daisy thinks that Gatsby's party is tacky because East Egg people enjoy showing off their money, where West Egg does not this is why it offends her.

Describe the hit-and-run scene.

Daisy was driving Gatsby's car when Myrtle stumbled out in front of their car and Daisy tried to miss Myrtle, but Daisy ended up still hitting Myrtle.

Who is Jordan Baker and what has Nick heard about her?

Daisy's friend and a professional golfer. She is a cheater

Besides Myrtle's, what other eyes "kept their vigil" on the activities along the roadway?

Dr. T.J. Eckel Berg

How is West Egg different from the East Egg

East egg is old money. West egg is new money

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

Gatsby asks the groundskeeper not to drain the pool, because he wants to float on an air mattress in it. Also, in light of what happens at the very end of this chapter, how is this exchange symbolically meaningful, this is symbolically meaningful because the leaves falling around Gatsby's pool represent the fall of Gatsby's life, and how Gatsby dies in luxury. Another way to hold on to the past

What does Gatsby understand about Daisy's voice that Nick does not?

Gatsby describes Daisy's voice as "full of money." His description infers that she has never known want, that her wealth and education are reflected in her voice.

When Gatsby briefly meets Daisy's little girl, he is somewhat unnerved. Symbolically, what does the little girl represent?

Gatsby has been romanticizing Daisy. This romantic vision does not include a child. Having a child means Daisy is human and Gatsby prefers his illusion of Daisy rather than the woman herself. The child also reflects just how irresponsible and self-serving Daisy is. She never cares for her daughter, preferring instead to go to parties and live the life of a young socialite.

How has Gatsby earned most of his money, and what does Tom say that startles Gatsby?

Gatsby has earned most of his money by buying up pharmacies. Cover up to sell alcohol.

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 it not an appropriate reply?

Gatsby is a bootlegger and doesn't want anyone to know/It is rude to respond that way.

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 wants Daisy, but he also aspires to reach the higher social class that Daisy represents. Nick realizes that Gatsby purchased that particular house because it's adjacent to the Buchanans' house.

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 constant, turbulent" riot?

I think that Jay Gatsby thinks that he will live a lavishing and elegant rich night life.

When Nick returns from the war, why does he decide to go east

Nick wanted to learn the bond business and the midwest seemed like the edge of the universe

Nick makes the symbol of the green light very concrete. What does the green light symbolize?

The green light represents people dreams which are so close and how people often get sucked back into their past.

What does the reader learn that Tom does not know?

The reader learns that Daisy was the one who hit and killed Myrtle, not Gatsby.

Whats the name of the book that Tom wants to discuss at dinner?

The rise of the colored empires

The description of the "valley of ashes" opens Chapter Two. On a literal level, what is the valley of ashes? What might it represent on a symbolic level?

The valley of ashes is the railroads, houses and chimneys. On a symbolic level it represents absolute poverty and hopelessness.

What is the weather like at the beginning of Ch. 5? Symbolically analyze this element of the scene.

The weather is rainy - it symbolizes that nothing can be perfect.

Why, do you suppose, Fitzgerald links the behavior of the characters to the hottest day of the year?

The weather is very hot so the characters begin to become more uncomfortable and there passions and dreams soon come out.

What two things does Nick see on/near the Queensboro Bridge that make him think that Gatsby is, perhaps, telling the truth?

There's a somber funeral procession, but then they are passed by a limousine driven by a white chauffeur. Inside the limo, two African-American men and a woman are having a riotous time. This contrast makes Nick think that anything is possible in New York.

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

Time: the future that year by year resides before us

As the three of them look across the bay towards 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."

What Fitzgerald means by "the great distance" between Gatsby and Daisy, is that Gatsby and Daisy used to be so close but now they are far away from each other separated by life and there choices, which is represented by the bay. The green light is now just a light on a dock and that Gatsby's "count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.", because Gatsby has finally met Daisy once again and he's been staring at the green light for the past almost five years waiting to see Daisy again, and now he finally has.

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/hypocritical about this line?

What's interesting / hypocritical about this line is that Tom is having an affair with another women.

What indication is there at this point that, in Myrtle's mind anyway, Tom has been more than a fling?

When Myrtle runs into the street, we can assume she's running to catch Tom's attention and get away from her husband who has locked her up.

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

Wolfsheim is a shady businessman/gangster who Gatsby does business with. We know that he wears cufflinks made out of human molars (ew!) and that he was involved in the scandalous fixing of the 1919 World Series.