The Great Gatsby

Chapter 1- "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."

Nick is grounded by his father -He reserves all judgment -He holds other people's secrets -Accused of being a politician -Perfect narrator bc he's not the most interesting -Knows a little about everyone

"So we beat on, boats against the current borne back ceaselessly into the past." Meaning?

People usually let the past hold them back from accomplishing goals in the future. Their past is dragging them backward as they struggle up current to recreate their future.

Myrtle talks about why she married George Wilson: "because I thought he was a gentleman...I knew right away I made a mistake." How did she know?

She found out that he borrowed somebody's best suit to get married and never even told her about it. The loaner came to her house to ask for the suit back.

What is it that Owl Eyes is so impressed with in Gatsby's library?

That the books were real -it was the moda to have decorative cardboard "books"

The Sloans, stopping by Gatsby's on horseback with Tom, invite Gatsby to dinner. Not realizing the insincerity of the invitation, Gatsby accepts. He excuses himself briefly to get a coat and gloves. What do the visitors do?

The Sloans and Tom leave and tell Nick to tell Gatsby that they couldn't wait. -showed social awkwardness of Gatsby -can't really tell sincerity of Gatsby

Just as Nick and Gatsby are finishing up lunch with Wolfsheim, they run into someone they know. Who is it and what does Gatsby do when Nick turns to introduce him?

They run into Tom and Gatsby disappears

Who says this: "He's so dumb he doesn't know he's alive."

Tom Buchanan

What does the throwing of the shirts represent

Gatsby is showing off his wealth to Daisy

Symbolism of clock

Gatsby needs to turn around time to get Daisy to love him again

When Tom Buchanan faces Gatsby down about his being an Oxford man, how does Gatsby defend himself?

Gatsby says that he only attended Oxford for five months. He was enrolled in an army program before the war.

When Nick asks Gatsby what business he's in, what is Gatsby's initial response?

Gatsby says that it's not Nick's affair

"She didn't like it...She didn't have a good time. I feel far away from her...It's hard to make her understand. And​ she doesn't understand... She used to be able to understand." What is it that Gatsby so desperately wants? "He wants to no less than.."?

He wants Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him

Where does Nick go and what does he do while Gatsby and Daisy are in his house?

He goes outside to smoke

Gatsby, proud of his house, tells Nick it took him only three yrs to earn the money that bought it. When Nick says he thought Gatsby inherited his money. what does Gatsby say

He lost all his money during the panic of the war

What does Gatsby do for a living? How does he become so rich?

He was a bootlegger who sold alcohol. He makes so much money because at that time it was Prohibition so alcohol was in big demand

What is Nick hiding?

He's hiding his real feelings -PTSD- wasn't the same after WWI -isn;t capable of having any real relationship with someone -he's very protected not vulnerable

Mr. Wolfsheim likes the restaurant across the street, the old Metropole, better and reminisces about an event that occurred there?

His friend, Rosy Rosenthal, got shot

How does Nick feel about Jordan? What tells you this?

Jordan is attractive to him because she's skeptical and exotic (professional athlete) -shes not opening herself up --> no risk--> Nick can have fun with her at the moment

Catherine, Myrtle's sister, tells Nick that neither Myrtle nor Tom can stand the person they're married to, but one thing stops them from getting married to each other. What is that one thing?

Tom tells Catherine that he can't get married because Myrtle is supposedly Catholic and doesn't believe in divorce but she's actually not. He just wants a mistress with no strings attached because he still wants Daisy's money

Jordan had an escort at Gatsby's party. Carraway refers to him as

a horny, young​ man "persistent undergrad"

Nick Carraway is one of the few invited guests at Gatsby's party. Most people just went there. "Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after that they conducted themselves according to the rules and behavior associated with..."?

an amusement park -everyone intoxicated -men groping women -Prohibition but liquor is flowing in Gatsby's parties

Why would Nick guess that Meyer Wolfsheim is a dentist?

because he has human molar cufflinks

Gatsby "took" Daisy one still October night..."He didn't turn out as he had imagined. He had intended, probably, to take what he could and go, but he committed himself to the following of a ..."

grail

Much is made of Daisy's voice. Carraway calls it low, thirlling. "It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again." He's heard the criticism that her murmur was meant only to make people do what?

lean toward

"She's got an indiscreet voice...It's full of...? "Her voice is full of..."

money

Chapter 4- "There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired." what does nick mean? how does each character in the novel fit into this schema?

pursued-> jordan and daisy. pursuing-nick-> jordan, and Gatsby-> daisy. Busy- Jordan and Tom as they are preoccupied. Tired- Nick

Daisy was eighteen and in Louisville. She dressed in her signature color and had a little roadster in the same color. What was that color?

white

Chapter 5- "No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart."

Gatsby's vision of Daisy is way better than the real Daisy. Maybe this is one reason she ends up with Tom—she knows she can't ever live up to who she was for him.

The grieving George Wilson looks out the window at the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg and says what?

"God sees everything"

When Nick visits Meyer Wolfsheim in NY, Meyer ends the convo with a philosophical statement. What was it?

"Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead. After that, my own rule is to leave everything alone."

"I've​ always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end." What was it that Nick said to Gatsby?

"They're a rotten crowd. You're worth the whole damn bunch put together."

Chapter 1- "I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

-Daisy describes her hopes for her infant daughter -shows Daisy's character -product of social environment that does not value intelligence in women -refers to social values of her era but doesn't challenge -instead describes her own boredom with life -implies that a girl can have more fun if she is beautiful and simplistic -conforms to social standard to avoid stressful situations like her undeniable love for Gatsby

How was the living room in Tom and Myrtle's NY apartment furnished?

-Furniture too large= Overcrowded -Elegance/grandeur overdone -Myrtle is overcompensating: whatever she wants Tom will buy

When Nick finally meets Gatsby, what are his impressions?

-Nick felt at his best when Gatsby smiled at him -Gatsby saw the best version of him -He feels Gatsby is other-worldly -Gatsby is very careful with his words -Probably doesn't want to reveal something about him -Gatsby is the only one not drinking sometimes stepping out to take phone calls

Chapter 3- "He smiled understandingly--much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, you may come across four or five times in life."

-Nick's description captures both theatrical quality of Gatsby's character and his charisma -shows manner in which Gatsby appears to outside world, an image author slowly deconstructs as novel progresses -Gatsby's rare focus, ability to make anyone he smiles at feel at his best

Chapter 6- "He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he 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."

-comparison between Gatsby and Jesus Christ to illuminate Gatsby's creation of his own identity -Gatsby transforms himself into the ideal that he envisioned for himself as a youngster and remains committed to that ideal despite the obstacles

Chapter 8- "They're a rotten bunch... you're worth the whole damn bunch put together"

-he finally realized that Gatsby was pure of heart -Nick was initially suspicious of Gatsby -However, over time Nick admired his steadfastness with which he held onto his dreams. -Nick concluded that Gatsby had gone through all this trouble and became who he was just so that he could hopefully one day win back the love of his life -Nick also figured out by then the disdain he had for the other people he had met and associated with. -Others were vain, money-oriented, and superficial

What is it about Daisy that intrigued Gatsby when he first met her?

1-She was the first "nice" girl he had ever met 2-Other men had loved her making her more desirable 3-She came from a lovely home

The picture of Mrs. Wilson's mother hovered on the wall like an ectoplasm. On first look, what did the pic look like?

A hen sitting on a blurred rock

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Nick, at Tom Buchanan's house, walks into the room where he first encounters Daisy and Jordan. "The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous couch." What does he mean?

Daisy and Jordan were on the couch and they had flowy dresses on. When Nick enters the room, the room seems that there is motion to the dresses causing a cascade of motion across the room.

Daisy says to Gatsby, "You look so cool... You always look so cool," and their eyes meet. What does Daisy mean by that?

Daisy means that Gatsby is always in control of his emotions and is selective with what he shares. This is unlike Tom.

Significance of geography

East Egg is "old money" -conservative -aristocratic -wealthy for generations West Egg is "new money" -made fortunes recently -no social connections or refinement -lavish displays of wealth -garish poor taste

What does that say about her character?

Flirtatious Craves attention

Significance of weather

Gatsby and Daisy first are nervous in their encounter- weather outside gloomy and rainy Gatsby and Daisy opened up and having a good time- no more rain; sunny -Rain related to mood of Gatsby and Daisy

Gatsby spent five years with Dan Cody. He was even included in Cody's will for $25,000. What is it that Gatsby got out of that relationship?

Gatsby devoted himself to earn his success himself, He learned not to drink because Dan Cody was a heavy drinker. He reinvented himself.

Why does Nick end up making all the arrangements for Gatsby's funeral?

Gatsby had no other real friends (disappeared or didn't want to come)

Towards the end of the novel, Nick refuses to shake Tom's hand. Why?

Nick knows that Tom had something to fo with the murder of Gatsby

How does Nick's summer rental compare to his neighbor's homes in style as well as price?

Nick's neighbor's home is more prodigious than his. Gatsby's mansion was built with a swimming pool and a huge garden -Nick's home- $80 a month The mansion was owned by a millionaire

Chapter 2- "Wilson? He's so dumb he doesn't know he's alive"

Who: Tom To Whom: Nick Why: explaining that he doesn't know about Tom's affair with Myrtle Importance: Tom doesn't consider Wilson a threat and Tom can get away with anything he wants