The GREAT GATSBY Main Characters, Themes, and Symbols

What does Gatsby's father symbolize?

A connection to the truth James Gatz, which we don not see when Gatsby is alive.

Who are the characters from the Lower Class who die in the movie and book of The Great Gatsby?

Gatsby Myrtle George

What does Gatsby do to himself?

He re invents himself

Who is Daisy Buchanan?

Nick's cousin, Gatsby's ex girlfriend, and is married to Tom Buchanan. She's from Louisville Kentucky and the object of Gatsby's love. Popular among military officers and made love to Gatsby before he went to War. Represents a paragon of perfection in Gatsby's eyes(beautiful but fickle and shallow). Gatsby's lover. In love with money, ease and luxury. Has an infant daughter: Pammy Buchanan.

What does the Valley of Ashes symbolize?

The forgotten poor underclass who enable the lifestyle of the wealthy few. Symbol: The moral and social decay that results from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. And the the plight of the poor, like George Wilson, who love among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result.

What are Gatsby and Daisy doing?

They're having an affair.

What does the theme: The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920: represent?

A much larger, less romantic hope The Great Gatsby as a highly symbolic meditation An era of decayed social and moral values evidenced in it's overarching cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure.

Who is Jordan Baker?

A professional golfer, a friend of Daisy Buchanan's, has old money, and has summer romance (sort of) with Nick Caraway). From the Upper Class and was founded on lies A flapper and hard hearted. Dishonest

What are the themes of the Great Gatsby?

Class The American Dream Love and Marriage Old Money New Money The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920s The Hollowness of the upper class

What do the falling leaves symbolize in The Great Gatsby in chapter 8?

Gatsby's death and the end of his American Dream.

What does the pool symbolize in the Great Gatsby chapter 8?

Gatsby's dream of luxury, which he never fully realizes- neither in social statues nor in his relationship with Daisy.

What does the green light symbolize?

Gatsby's love for Daisy, money, and the American Dream. Symbol: Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future with Daisy.

What was Nick Caraway's inner conflict?

He's attracted to fun in New York and finds his lifestyle damaging

Who is Myrtle Wilson?

Is having an affair with Tom Buchanan, is married to George Wilson, who owns a garage, is a blue collar, and wants to marry Tom. Lives in the "Valley of Ashes" She becomes Tom's mistress to escape social position. Tom rents her an apartment in Manhattan but he would never leave Daisy. She's only a possession for Tom and a victim of her husband: George Wilson (prisoner) She died in Chp7, run over in front of Gatsby's car, she thought Tom was behind the wheel, when Daisy was driving the car. Tom's lover and mistress.

What does the theme: American Dream represent?

It refers to a shared set of ideals that guide the spirit of the United States. Concept of Gatsby himself The dream is both an unattainable and unwise goal.

Who are the main characters of the Great Gatsby?

James Gatz (Jay Gatsby) Nick Carraway Daisy Buchanan Tom Buchanan Myrtle Wilson Jordan Baker

What does the theme: love and marriage represent?

Love and trust are mutually exclusive The center on two loveless marriages: the Union between Tom and Daisy Buchanan and between George and Myrtle Wilson.

Who is Tom Buchanan?

Married to Daisy, classmate of Nick's at Yale, has old money, is a power hungry racist, and is having and affair with Myrtle Wilson. "Cruel body with enormous power" says Nick. "Brute of a man" says Daisy Has racist thought. Marriage to Daisy -both cheat on each other. Football star in youth Victim complex and has jealousy.

What does the theme: New Money represent?

Not being born with money that works hard, shows off/bling-bling, and is respected in the 1920's.

Who's James Gatz (Jay Gatsby)

Self made man, living next to Nick Carraway, and is still in love with his ex-girlfriend Daisy Buchanan. A presumed WASP and wealthy socialite. He's having and affair with Daisy. He came from poverty in North Dakota. He got his wealth form organized crime and met Daisy when he was a military officer in Louisville, 1917. Daisy promised to wait for him until after World War I. He's re in vents himself. His wealth allowed him to transform into Gatsby.

What are the symbols of the great Gatsby?

The Green Light The Valley of Ashes The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg (Chapter 8 and the whole story) The Pool (chapter 8) Falling Leaves (chapter 8) Gatsby's father Meyer Wolfshiem and Gatsby's fortune The clock

What does the theme: Class represent?

The classes Old money, new Money' and no money. And all the influences on all aspects of life, and especially love.

What do the eyes of Dr. T.J. Ekleburg on the billboard symbolize in chapter 8 and the whole story?

The loss of spiritual values in America and the haunting waste of the past, which lingers on though it is irretrievably vanished, much like Dr. Eckleburg'd medical practice. Symbol: Go staring down upon and judging American society as a moral wasteland, though the novel never makes this point explicitly. The essential meaningless of the world and the arbitrariness of the mental process by which people invest objects with meaning

What does the theme: old Money represent?

The money that comes from the family wealth, doesn't work, is reserved and refined, and respected above all in the 1920's.

Who is Nick Carraway?

The narrator, Gatsby's neighbor(lives next to Gatsby), Daisy's cousin, Mid Western, and a fish out of water. He's also a quiet reflective Mid Westerner from Mid West. Lives in West Egg, Long Island. In Chapter 1 "He is tolerant, open minded, quiet, and a good listener." He's attracted to fun-driven lifestyle of N.Y. Inner conflict: he finds lifestyle damaging. Has an affair with Jordan Baker (attracted and repelled at the same time for her despite her dishonesty). He realizes later the fast life is a cover up for the moral emptiness that the Valley of Ashes symbolizes.

What doe the clock symbolize in the Great Gatsby?

The passage of time, and Gatsby wants to turn back time because in the 5 years since he has seen Daisy l, she married Tom and has a child. Gatsby's inability to let Daisy go. Gatsby had spent all previous time amassing wealth to win Daisy over. That the clock is broken symbolizes his efforts to win her were broken and a complete waste of time.

What does Meyer Wolfsheim and Gatsby's fortune symbolize in the Great Gatsby?

The rise of organized crime and bootlegging

What does the theme: the hollowness of the upper class represent?

The sociology of wealth, specifically, how the newly minted millionaires of the 1920s differ from and relate to the old aristocracy of the country's richest families. In novel, west egg and denizens represent the newly rich, while East Egg and its denizens, especially Daisy and Tom, represent the old aristocracy. The old aristocracy possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and elegance, optimized by the Buchanan's tasteful home and the flowing white dresses of Daisy and Jordan Baker.

Who are the characters from the upper class?

Tom Daisy

What does Nick realize later?

the fast life is a cover up for the moral emptiness that the Valley of Ashes symbolizes.