the great gatsby
What is Gatsby's reaction when Nick says, "I wouldn't ask too much of her...You can't repeat the past."
"Can't repeat the past?" "Why of course you can!"
In the episode in the garage, what question does Michaelis continually ask Wilson? When Wilson explains how he told Myrtle, "you may fool me but you can't fool God," whose eyes is he staring out at? What might be the significance?
"Have you got a church?" Wilson is staring at the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
What words does Gatsby want Daisy to say?
"I never loved you" - To Tom
What introduction does Gatsby make of Tom Buchanan at the party that he doesn't like?
"The polo player"
At their parting, what does Nick tell Gatsby that he's "always been glad [he] said"? Why is it ironic?
"They're a rotten crowd...You're worth the whole damn bunch put together."
Write the piece of advice the narrator was given by his father when he was "younger and more vulnerable."
"whenever you feel like criticizing anyone just remember that all people in this world haven't had the advantages you've had."
When did Gatsby change his name? (age)
17
During what year did the narrator come East?
1922
How old is Tom and Daisy's child?
3
How old is Tom Buchanan?
30
Who is Mr. Klipspringer?
A boarder who stays at Gatsby's house
After Wolfsheim tells the story of Rosy, he does he say he thinks Nick is looking for?
A business "gonnegtion" (connection)
The Valley of Ashes
A fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.
Because the narrator "reserves all judgments," what has he opened himself up to?
A few bores, curious natures, people who confide in him.
When Nick follows Gatsby's stare, what does he see?
A green light
What does Gatsby produce to prove he is attended Oxford?
A picture`
What is happening beneath the parlor suite at the Plaza Hotel as Tom and Daisy's marriage is dissolving? What literary device is being employed here?
A wedding - Irony
When did Gatsby return to Louisville? What did he do when he returned there?
After the war and Oxford - he retraced his steps with Daisy.
What did Dan Cody's yacht represent to Gatsby?
All the beauty and glamour in the world
After Nick tells Gatsby he will invite Daisy to tea, what does Gatsby offer him
An opportunity to make money
How does the narrator describe him physically?
Arrogant eyes, sturdy straw-haired man, powerful of body, cruel body, enormous
Why does Gatsby drink so little?
Because Dan Cody drank so much
Explain: "I {Daisy} did love him {Tom} once—but I love you too."
Daisy can't admit she's never loved Tom
After second guessing the entire plan, what does Nick say that makes Gatsby confidently walk back into the room with Daisy?
Daisy is embarrassed
Where has Tom's violence toward women been hinted at previously in the novel?
Daisy's knuckles were black and blue in chapter 1
Explain: "Her voice is full of money."
Daisy's voice has no sign of struggle or want in life—it's a voice that reflects her easy life
Whom did Gatsby meet at the age that caused him to change his name?
Dan Cody
According to the narrator, what does Gatsby represent?
Everything for which he has an unaffected scorn
What does Gatsby do with all of his servants?
Fire them
Where did Tom and Daisy Buchanan live for one year? Why?
France No reason
Who wants to speak to Jordan alone?
Gatsby
How is this connected to Gatsby's Dream and the green light?
Gatsby , too, had his own version of the American Dream. Reaching toward the light was Gatsby reaching, or trying to reach, this dream—and he couldn't grasp it. The dream included acquiring money to win Daisy, but it didn't become a reality. Despite his money, Gatsby never truly had Daisy. But, as Nick says, all people have a dream for which they try to reach but don't. The dream is just a dream - not reality.
Explain what Nick means when he says of Gatsby: "But his heart was in a constant, turbulent riot."
Gatsby knew he was bound for better and grander things in life
Explain: He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right though to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock.
Gatsby looks like his is letdown after all this time of waiting for Daisy
Tom believes Gatsby has killed Myrtle. What action does he suggest to be the reason why he identifies Gatsby as a coward?
Gatsby never stopped the car.
What plan does Gatsby want Nick involved in (regarding Daisy)?
Gatsby wants Nick to invite Daisy to tea
When Nick and Jordan go to Gatsby's library, what is the man with the owl-eye glasses so surprised about?
Gatsby's books are real
Who is waiting in the bushes outside of the Buchanan's house? Why is he there
Gatsby- He is watching to see if Daisy turns the light on and off to indicate Tom is giving her trouble.
What little lie does Nick catch Gatsby in?
He catches him in a lie about how he made his money
For what reason does Nick doubt that Gatsby actually attended Oxford?
He didn't say the phrase "educated at Oxford" convincingly
How does the narrator feel about people confiding in him?
He doesn't like it - He sometimes pretends to sleep
Why does Gatsby have a look of bewilderment on his face?
He doubts his present state of happiness
How does Nick feel about New York and working there?
He enjoys it
What happens for the second time in Nick's life at Tom's apartment in New York?
He gets drunk
What does Nick imagine about the island itself on which he is resting?
He imagines the first settlers to America (The Dutch sailors) and what dreams they may have had for this place.
What did Tom's investigation into Gatsby's affairs turn up?
He is a bootlegger and sold grain alcohol over the counter - also a gambler illegally
In light of this, what might Tom have been saying when he mentioned that you can buy anything at a drug store these days?
He is commenting on Daisy's explanation for how Gatsby earned all of his money.
What does Nick say about himself at the end of the chapter?
He is one of the very few honest people he knows
In the last episode of the book, where is Nick sitting?
He is sitting on Gatsby's beach
What does Nick, and the reader, see for the first time in Gatsby?
He is unsure of himself
For what reason does Nick not leave the party even though he wants to?
He keeps getting pulled back in to wild arguments and conversations
What "change" does Nick see in Gatsby after he leaves him and Daisy alone?
He literally glowed
What does Jordan say about the way Gatsby looked at Daisy in her white car?
He looked at her the way every young girl wanted to be looked at
How did Tom find out information about Gatsby?
He made an investigation into his past
Why is Gatsby shocked when he sees Daisy's daughter?
He never believed in her existence before
When Nick says, "I'll get somebody for you, Gatsby," what does he mean?
He promises to find someone to mourn his death.
Why does Tom allow Gatsby to ride home with Daisy?
He realizes that Daisy will never leave him for Gatsby.
What does Nick see in the neighboring mansion?
He sees Gatsby reaching out toward the water
When Nick sees Tom Buchanan "[o]ne afternoon late in October," does Nick feel anger or pity toward Tom? What does he ultimately conclude about people like Tom and Daisy?
He sees him as a child (pity); someone who doesn't know any better and he concludes that people like Tom and Daisy smashed up things and people and then retreated back into the safety and security of their money and made others clean up the mess they made.
What is the real story of Gatsby's time at Oxford?
He spent 5 months there and left
How did Gatsby feel about Tom Buchanan being at his house?
He was "profoundly affected" by his presence
Name two rumors that Nick hears about Gatsby at the party.
He was a German spy He killed a man
Nick describes one of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of Chapter 3. Nick is different from most, if not all, of the guests there. Why?
He was invited
How did he pay his way through college?
He worked as a janitor
Name two rumors about Gatsby brought up by one young lady.
He's a bootlegger and he killed a man
Explain: "What kind of row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?"
He's calling out Gatsby for the affair
What is Nick's reaction to the story?
He's happy to hear it
What happens in the final conversation between Jordan and Nick? What does Nick conclude about "honor"?
He's lying to himself; he perhaps realizes he hasn't reserved judgment on people (as his father told him) OR perhaps that he lead Jordan on throughout the novel thinking they had a future.
Who is Tom talking to on the phone?
His mistress
What has Wilson gotten "wised up" to lately?
His wife is having an affair
What does Tom say he makes it a point to find out?
How Jay has made his money
What are Wolfsheim's cuff buttons (links) made from?
Human molars
Is Daisy truly crying over shirts or something else? Explain.
If she cries over the shirts, it's because of Gatsby's ostentatious wealth She possibly could be crying over the lost time with Gatsby and she feels overwhelmed
What is the difference between Gatsby's party in Chapter 6 and the other parties he's thrown?
It had an unpleasantness and pervading hostility
What is interesting about Meyer Wolfsheim telling Nick about Gatsby's past?
It stands in contrast to the information he tells Nick at lunch previously.
What happened to the money Gatsby was supposed to inherit from Dan Cody?
It went to Ella Kaye
What does Jordan say to Nick that repulses him, and why does Nick find her statement so offensive?
It's only half past nine. She is unfazed by Myrtle's death.
What is Gatsby's real name?
James Gatz
Whom does Nick meet up with at the party?
Jordan Baker
Describe "West Egg"—where the narrator lives:
Less Fashionable - "new money"
What has Wilson done to Myrtle?
Locked her up in her room
Gatsby's mansion is all lit up. What does he tell Nick he has been doing?
Looking into the rooms
Gastby seems like a jittery man He seemed to be always opening and closing his
Man
To whom does Gatsby introduce Nick at lunch?
Meyer Wolfsheim
Gastby's stories don't seem real bro But he does produce a ribbon from
Montenegro
Describe "East Egg" -where the narrator's cousin, Daisy, lives:
More fashionable, houses glittered on water - "old money"
What was Daisy and Tom's wedding like?
Most elaborate wedding Louisville ever saw
Explain: "The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg kept their vigil, but I perceived, after a moment, that other eyes were regarding us with peculiar intensity from less than twenty feet away."
Myrtle was looking down at the car
What does Michaelis witness happen in front of his restaurant?
Myrtle's death
What does Nick mean when he says, "...because the offer was obviously and tactlessly for a service to be rendered, I had no choice except to cut him off there."
Nick feel awkward - he hasn't agreed to invite Daisy so that Gatsby would offer him something in return
Why does Nick call the scene of Gatsby's death a "holocaust"? What happens at the end of this chapter?
Not only is Gatsby shot, George Wilson shoots himself.
How well does Mr. Gatz know his son? Explain.
Not very well; he seems completely unaware of what his son's life was about and how he made his money.
What information about Wolfsheim does Gatsby offer to Nick?
Nothing other than what Gatsby already told Nick
Where does Gatsby tell people he went to college?
Oxford
Describe Mr. McKee:
Pale, feminine
Theme: Class Structure and society. How does Mrs. McKee demonstrate this theme on page 34?
She almost married a man who was "below her"
When Nick phones Daisy to inform her, what does he discover?
She and Tom have left.
What does Gatsby say about Daisy's feelings about his party?
She didn't like it; she didn't enjoy herself
How is Daisy described physically?
She has a low, thrilling voice, face is sad and lovely with bright things, bright eyes, a bright passionate mouth
What hope does Daisy have for her child?
She hopes her child will be a "beautiful little fool"
Why does Tom break Myrtle's nose?
She keeps mentioning Daisy's name
How does Nick's relationship with Jordan end? Does he seem upset about it?
She mentions he was not "so nice" to her the previous night - eventually one of them hangs up the phone.
What happened the night before Daisy's wedding?
She received a letter from Gatsby, and she almost called off the wedding
What story does Lucille tell that proves Gatsby doesn't want any trouble from anybody?
She tore her dress and Gatsby sent her a new one
When waiting all night for the signal from Daisy, what does Gatsby say happened? How does it make him feel?
She turns off the light around 4am - He is still hopeful that Daisy will contact him.
What happened that caused Daisy to not be on speaking terms with her family for a few weeks?
She wanted to go see Gatsby before he left for war
According to Nick, how does Daisy feel about West Egg?
She was "appalled by its raw vigor"
. When Gatsby left for war, how did Daisy initially cope? What led her to Tom Buchanan?
She wrote him letters, but she wanted her life shaped "now, immediately" and that lead her to Tom.
What kind of person is Jordan Baker based on a few stories Nick recalls?
She's dishonest
Describe Mrs. McKee:
Shrill, handsome, languid, horrible
Describe Catherine, Myrtle's sister:
Slender, worldly, girl of 30, solid, bob of red hair, milky-white complexion, plucked and drawn on eyebrows, bracelets up and down her arm.
When Nick finally meets Gatsby, how does he describe his smile?
Smiled much more than understandingly. A smile or eternal reassurance. Concentrated on a person with irresistible prejudice in their favor. It believed in you as much as you would like to believe in yourself. Assured you that it had precisely the impression you want to convey of yourself.
What college did Gatsby attend?
St. Olaf in Minnesota
In what "vague personal capacity" did Gatsby serve for Dan Cody?
Steward, mate, skipper, secretary, and jailor
What is the rumor about Gatsby's house at the beginning of this chapter?
That it is a boat that is moved up and down the Sound
What is the title of the book Tom is reading?
The Rise of the Colored Empires
A billboard in the Valley of Ashes
The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg
For what reason does Gatsby cancel his parties?
The point of the parties was to have Daisy come to them-they serve no purpose now
What is the weather like at the beginning of this chapter?
The warmest of the summer
What does Gatsby recall about his first impressions of Daisy and her house five years ago in Louisville?
There was a mystery about it; it amazed him.
What does Tom fear will be the next thing to follow if everyone continues to sneer at family life and family institutions?
There will be marriage between black and white.
Why does Nick take on the responsibility for Gatsby's funeral arrangements?
There's no one around.
What does the narrator tell the reader about his family, the Carraways? Page 3
They come from the Midwest, own hardware stores
What does Nick say about Gatsby's parents?
They were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people
Once Daisy says those words, what is Gatsby's plan?
They will be married at her house in Louisville
Wilson's Wife's description:
Thickish figure, middle 30s, faintly stout, no facet or gleam of beauty
The "defunct mantelpiece clock" is a symbol in this scene. What could a stopped clock symbolize especially for Gatsby and Daisy?
Time stopping - Gatsby living in the past
What are Wilson's plans now?
To go West
According to the narrator, why does Daisy murmur when she speaks?
To make people lean toward her
For what real reason does Daisy give Tom a little gold pencil at the party?
To take down a woman's number
Some time during Wilson's hunt for the owner of that cream car, Nick explains that Wilson had "an easier, surer way of finding out what he wanted to know" - speculate on who this source might be.
Tom Buchanan
Explain: "All this 'old sport' business. Where'd you pick that up?
Tom calls Gatsby out on his expression (one he picked up) that's obviously fake
Explain: "He [Tom] was astounded. His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he had just recognized her as some one he knew a long time ago." Pg. 119
Tom finally realizes the relationship between Tom and Daisy
While alone together, Daisy tell Nick: Well, I've had a very bad time, Nick, and I'm pretty cynical about everything. Given what she says next, what do you think makes Daisy cynical?
Tom has been physically violent to her, he was absent when the child was born
What is ironic in Tom's statement of Gatsby, "I wonder where in the devil he met Daisy. By God, I may be old fashioned in my ideas but women run around too much these days to suit me. They meet all kinds of crazy fish"?
Tom has been running around on Daisy since they've met
For what reason does Tom tell Myrtle he cannot divorce Daisy and marry her?
Tom tells Myrtle that Daisy is catholic
A dog
Tom's present to Wilson's wife, Myrtle
Which three people arrive at Gatsby's house one afternoon?
Tom, Mr. Sloane, and a woman
Who does Wilson wrongly assume ran over his wife, and why?
Tom- Tom was driving Gatsby's car into the city.
When was it that Daisy first heard Gatsby's name in years?
When Nick went to Daisy's house for dinner
What did the police report on Gatsby's death say so that it would "remain in its simplest form"?
Wilson was a man "deranged by grief."
Gastby moves into his house in West Egg He bought it so that Daisy would be just across the
bay
How does Gatsby's party end?
chaotically
Who had been driving the death car?
daisy
What do Tom, Nick, and Jordan drive on toward in the "cooling twilight"? Hint: This is an example of foreshadowing.
death
Mood of paragraph one:
dismal
To find Daisy, Gatsby always looks around Jordan is the first one he actually
found
5 words which contribute to the mood:
gray, ghastly, ash-gray, grotesque, cloud
What might the weather foreshadow?
hot tempers
The mystery of Gatsby continues in this chapter. What rumor does Catherine mention about him (to Nick)?
nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm
What does Nick say Gatsby is watching over?
nothing
Nick concludes, toward the end of the chapter, that upon looking back at the story, he realizes that it was really a story of ....?
the west
Who does Myrtle think Jordan is?
toms wife
A "well dressed Negro" identifies the car that killed Myrtle. What color does he say the car is?
yellow
