This document contains a study guide for The Great Gatsby with questions about the novel's characters, themes, symbols and quotes. It analyzes Nick's changing views of Gatsby, Daisy, Tom and Jordan throughout the story. The document also examines the novel's commentary on the American Dream, morality in the 1920s, and Fitzgerald's negative views of the wealthy classes.

1. Gatsby
Review

2. Study of Motivations
 2. What is Nick’s opinion of Gatsby?
 Gatsby represents everything Nick
disproves of, and yet, Nick admires
Gatsby for his unending hope and
dedication to his dream.

3. Study of Motivations 1. What is Nick’s attitude toward the Buchanans
and Jordan in the beginning of the novel?
 He says as he drove away from Daisy’s, he is
confused and a little disgusted at them.

4. Study of Motivations
 3. What is Nick’s attitude toward Tom at
the end of the novel?
 He realizes that Tom in his ignorance
believes that what he did was the right
thing. He feels like Tom is a child who
doesn’t know right from wrong and he
pities him.

5. Study of Motivations
 4. Why does Nick end his relationship with
Jordan?
 She represents that Eastern crowd and
now everything about the East disgusts
Nick including Jordan.

6. Study of Motivations
 5. What does Nick’s view of Daisy?
 She and Tom are careless and destructive
people who create messes and leave
other people to clean up after them.

7. Study of Motivations 6. How has Nick changed by the end of the novel?
 He has a new attitude about the East and decides
to stick to the morals and traditions of the West
instead.

8. A Study of Lifestyle
 1. Why does the era of Prohibition lend an
added significance to the hypocrisy
emphasized in The Great Gatsby?
 During the Prohibition people still
bought, sold, and drank liquor (actually
probably even in larger quantities than
before the Prohibition) which is
hypocritical and fake just like the people
of the novel.

9. A Study of Lifestyle
 2. What are the values and goals of the
world described in this novel?
 The characters of the novel value wealth
and status. They are very materialistic and
selfish people who do not care or
sympathize with others especially those of
lower class than themselves.

10. A Study of Lifestyle
 3. What was Fitzgerald’s overall opinion of
this time period in which he lived?
 He felt that the American Dream was no
longer real and it was being replaced by
materialism and greed. He felt that the
rich were disgusting and the poor were
hopeless. It was a very negative view.

11. A Study of Theme
 1. Some critics have suggested that Nick and
Gatsby represent two opposing sides of
Fitzgerald’s own personality and a battle
within himself between his love and disgust at
the time period in which he lived. What two
kinds of personalities are represented by Nick
and Gatsby?
 Gatsby’s desire to be a part of the flashy and
materialistic side of the 1920s and Nick who is
constantly struggling with his morals and the
immoral East.

12. Study of Theme
 Readers and critics often believe that Fitzgerald’s
work was preoccupied with a recurring theme of
failure. Is this true of Gatsby
 The poor such as Myrtle and Wilson and even
Gatsby, even when they attempt to better
themselves or climb the social latter will end up
dissatisfied and even killed.
 Even the rich who supposedly have everything are
not satisfied with their lives.
 All of the characters in this novel fail to achieve
any and all of their goals.

13. Theme
 1. The idealistic American Dream has
been replaced by materialism and greed.

14. Theme
 2. The West has its simple virtue; the East is
corrupt and evil.

15. Theme
 3. Wealth is power. Wealth and power
corrupt.

16. Theme
 4. Belief in romantic destiny has dire
consequences.

17. Theme
 5. There are distinct differences between
social classes.

18. Theme
 6. The past plays a role in dreams of the
future.

19. Literary Terms
 Apply each of the following literary terms to The
Great Gatsby.

1. Point of view:
 2. Tone
 3. Tense
 4. Setting (Time & Place)
 5. Protagonist
 6. Major conflict
 7. Climax
 8. Foreshadowing

20. Know the following characters
and their significance in the
novel. Jay Gatsby
 Nick Carraway
 Daisy Buchanan
 Tom Buchanan
 Jordan Baker
 Myrtle Wilson
 George Wilson
 Pammy
 Catherine
 Mr. & Mrs.
McKee
 Meyer
Wolfsheim
 Klipspringer
 Michaelis
 Mr. Gatz
 Owl Eyes

21. East Egg
 How is it used in the novel?
 This is where Daisy and Tom live. It is
described as the more fashionable ―egg‖
 What does it mean/represent?
 The old rich; old money

22. West Egg
 How is it used in the novel?
 This is where Nick and Gatsby live. It is
described as the less fashionable ―egg‖
 What does it mean/represent?
 The new rich; new money; usually
bootleggers and actors/actresses or
directors

23. The Green Light
 How is it used in the novel?
 Gatsby reaches out for the green light at the
end of Daisy’s dock. Becomes meaningless
when he has Daisy because he’s now holding
it. Called the ―orgastic future‖ in the last line
of the book.
 What does it mean/represent?
 It represents Daisy, but, more so, it represents
what Gatsby wants, his goal, his hopes, which
is to recreate the past with her and be part of
the ―old rich‖.

24. The Valley of Ashes
 How is it used in the novel?
 This is where the poor working class characters live
including Myrtle and George Wilson. It is described
as a place where ashes grow and people are
made out of ashes. The people there seems lifeless
and broken.
 What does it mean/represent?
 It represents a contrast from the bright and colorful
world in which the rich live. It shows the conditions
in which the poor lived and emphasized the
hopeless situation the people of the working class
live in, the failed American Dream. This is what
Gatsby was trying to escape from.

25. The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
 How is it used in the novel?
 An advertisement in the Valley of Ashes. It is
described by Nick as scary (almost angry) and
keeping a ―watchful vigil.‖ George references the
eyes when he tells Myrtle that she cant fool God.
 What does it mean/represent?
 It represents the eyes of God and a not very
happy God who is watching over all of these
immoral events taking place. The ironic thing is
that the only God in this world of Gatsby is an
advertisement which emphasizes the materialism
and greed in the novel.

26. Weather
 How is it used in the novel?
 The day Gatsby and Daisy meet it is rainy and
dreary until Gatsby and Daisy finally make up.
 It is the hottest day of the year in Ch.7
 It’s the first day of fall when Wilson kills Gatsby.
 What does it mean/represent?
 The weather correlates with the feeling and
emotions of the characters or the events in
the story.

27. Cars
 How is it used in the novel?
 Wilson is always asking Tom to buy his car.
 Wreck outside Gatsby’s at party.
 Gatsby’s yellow car kills Myrtle.
 What does it mean/represent?
 It represents the materialism and
carelessness of the rich.

28. What about Owl Eyes?
 Owl eyes is the only person that can see the ―real
Gatsby.‖ He is the one who notices the Gatsby’s
books are real. He is also the one who actually
feels any sympathy for him after his death.
 Owls are a symbol of wisdom, but can also be an
omen of death
 Did you notice that it was the owl-eyed man who
had the car accident outside of Gatsby's house?
And that, shortly after he got out of the car, he
revealed that someone else was driving? Possibly
to warn us about a future car accident????
 Then who was also there at Gatsby’s funeral?

29. Quotes
 ―Her voice is full of money.‖
 Gatsby

30. Quotes
 "They're such beautiful shirts. It makes me
sad because I've never seen such – such
beautiful shirts before.‖
 Daisy

31. Quotes
 ―God knows what you’ve been
doing, everything you’ve been doing.
You may fool me, but you can’t fool
God!‖
 George Wilson

32. Quotes
 ―He ran over Myrtle like you’d run over a
dog and never even stopped his car.‖
 Tom

33. Quotes
 ―Everyone suspects himself of at least one
of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I
am one of the few honest people that I
have ever known.‖
 Nick

34. Quotes
 ―I’d to just get one of those pink clouds
and put you in it and push you around.‖
 Daisy

35. Quotes
 ―I hate careless people. That’s why I like
you.‖
 Jordan Baker

36. Quotes
 ―I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best
thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful
little fool.‖
 Daisy

37. Quotes
 ―It’s up to us who are the dominant race
to watch out or these other races will
have control of things.‖
 Tom

38. Quotes
 ―It’s a bona fide piece of printed matter.
It fooled me. This fella’s a regular Belasco.
It’s a triumph. What thoroughness! What
realism!
 Owl Eyes

39. Quotes
 20. ―I did love him once – but I loved you
too.‖
 Daisy

40. Quotes
 19. ―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 let
everything alone.‖
 Meyer Wolfsheim

41. Quotes
 ―Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! I'll say it whenever I
want to!‖
 Myrtle

42. Quotes
 ―You always look so cool.‖
 Daisy

43. Quotes
 ―Can’t repeat the past? Why of course
you can!‖
 Gatsby