The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Book Summary and Student Study Guide

Chapter 1: The Narrator's Introduction to the World of the Wealthy

Summary

Nick Carraway, the novel's narrator, begins by reflecting on advice his father gave him about reserving judgment of others. Nick has moved from the Midwest to West Egg, Long Island, to work as a bond salesman. He visits his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom in the more fashionable East Egg. At their mansion, he meets Jordan Baker, a professional golfer and Daisy's friend. During dinner, Tom receives a phone call, revealed to be from his mistress. As Nick returns home, he spots his mysterious neighbor, Gatsby, reaching out toward a green light across the bay.

Analysis

Chapter 1 establishes the novel's voice and perspective through Nick, who positions himself as both an insider and outsider to the story. Fitzgerald immediately introduces themes of wealth, class distinction, and moral corruption. The geographical division between West Egg (new money) and East Egg (old money) symbolizes America's class divisions. Nick's initial observations set up the superficial nature of high society, while the mysterious Gatsby reaching toward the green light introduces the novel's central yearning.

Key Quotes

"In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. '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.'"
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us."
"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness."

Character Development

Nick Carraway: Established as a thoughtful, observant narrator who values honesty yet finds himself fascinated by the wealthy.
Tom Buchanan: Portrayed as physically powerful, extremely wealthy, and casually cruel, with his infidelity immediately apparent.
Daisy Buchanan: Presented as charming but superficial, with a voice "full of money" that captivates those around her.
Jordan Baker: Introduced as cynical and dishonest, representing the moral emptiness of the wealthy elite.
Jay Gatsby: Only glimpsed mysteriously reaching toward something across the water.

Literary Elements

Symbolism: The green light represents Gatsby's dreams and hopes.
Setting: The contrast between East and West Egg establishes class divisions.
Foreshadowing: Tom's phone call hints at conflicts to come.
Narrative Voice: Nick's first-person narration offers both involvement and judgment.

Discussion Questions

Why might Fitzgerald have chosen Nick Carraway as the narrator instead of Gatsby himself?
How does the physical description of the Buchanan home reflect their character and values?
What is the significance of Gatsby reaching toward the green light?
How does Nick's claim to reserve judgment contrast with his descriptions of others?

Chapter 2: The Valley of Ashes

Summary

Nick accompanies Tom to the "valley of ashes," an industrial wasteland between West Egg and New York City. There, they visit a garage owned by George Wilson, whose wife Myrtle is Tom's mistress. Above the desolate landscape looms a faded billboard with the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. Tom arranges for Myrtle to join them in New York. They go to an apartment Tom keeps for these meetings, where they have an impromptu party with Myrtle's sister Catherine and neighbors. As the evening progresses, Myrtle begins taunting Tom by repeatedly saying Daisy's name. Tom responds by breaking Myrtle's nose with a slap.

Analysis

Chapter 2 introduces the moral wasteland that exists beneath the glamorous surface of the 1920s. The valley of ashes represents the moral and social decay hidden by the beautiful façades of the rich. This chapter reveals Tom's capacity for violence and his complete disregard for both his wife and mistress. The contrast between the wealthy neighborhoods and this industrial zone emphasizes the vast inequality of the era. The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg survey this moral wasteland, suggesting an absent God or moral judgment in this corrupt world.

Key Quotes

"This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens."
"The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose."
"'Doesn't she like Wilson either?' She shook her head. 'He's a gentleman,' she said finally. 'I married him because I thought he was a gentleman...I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe.'"

Character Development

Tom Buchanan: His brutality and lack of restraint become evident when he strikes Myrtle.
Myrtle Wilson: Revealed as materialistic and desperate to escape her life in the valley of ashes.
George Wilson: Portrayed as a defeated man unaware of his wife's infidelity.
Nick Carraway: His role as observer continues as he witnesses but doesn't intervene in the unfolding drama.

Literary Elements

Symbolism: The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg watching over the moral wasteland.
Setting: The valley of ashes contrasts sharply with the opulence of East and West Egg.
Juxtaposition: The squalid apartment party versus the elegant dinner at the Buchanans'.
Imagery: The ash-gray landscape symbolizes spiritual emptiness and moral decay.

Discussion Questions

How does the valley of ashes serve as both a physical location and a symbolic landscape?
What do the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg represent in the novel?
How does Myrtle's attitude toward her husband compare to her perception of Tom?
What does the violence in this chapter suggest about Tom's character?

Chapter 3: Gatsby's Lavish Parties

Summary

Nick attends one of Gatsby's extravagant parties for the first time, where he reconnects with Jordan Baker. The party is lavish, with abundant food, music, and entertainment. Most guests haven't been invited and don't know Gatsby; they speculate wildly about their host's background. Nick is one of the few attendees to actually meet Gatsby, who is surprisingly young and has an enchanting smile and an affected manner of speaking. After the party, Jordan tells Nick some gossip about Gatsby's alleged criminal connections. Nick also learns that Gatsby asked Jordan to speak with Nick about something important.

Analysis

Chapter 3 explores the hollowness of the Jazz Age's extravagance. Gatsby's parties represent the height of 1920s decadence but are ultimately empty spectacles. Though physically present, Gatsby remains psychologically distant, surrounded by people who feed on his generosity while spreading rumors about him. Nick's position as both participant and observer allows readers to experience the allure of this world while recognizing its superficiality. The chapter establishes Gatsby as a man of contradictions: hospitable yet isolated, famous yet unknown, wealthy yet mysterious.

Key Quotes

"At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound."
"He smiled understandingly—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life."
"People were not invited—they went there...Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission."

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: Finally appears but remains enigmatic—his affected speech ("old sport") and practiced smile hint at a constructed identity.
Nick Carraway: Begins to develop a genuine curiosity about Gatsby, setting him apart from the shallow party guests.
Jordan Baker: Emerges as a potential romantic interest for Nick and as a link between Nick and Gatsby.
Party Guests: Represent the parasitic nature of society—consuming Gatsby's hospitality while gossiping about him.

Literary Elements

Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the party create a sensory feast while suggesting emptiness beneath.
Contrast: Gatsby's solitude amid his crowded parties.
Foreshadowing: Jordan's comment about Gatsby's request hints at his connection to Nick's cousin Daisy.
Irony: A host famous for his parties remains a stranger to most of his guests.

Discussion Questions

Why might Gatsby throw such lavish parties for people he doesn't know?
What do the various rumors about Gatsby reveal about the society of the time?
How does Nick's reaction to the party differ from that of other guests?
What might Gatsby's "extraordinary gift for hope" suggest about his character?

Chapter 4: Gatsby's Background and Mystery

Summary

Gatsby takes Nick for lunch in New York City, where he attempts to explain his background: he claims to be from a wealthy Midwestern family and to have attended Oxford. During their drive, Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfsheim, a shady character who supposedly "fixed" the 1919 World Series. Later, Jordan Baker reveals Gatsby's true motivation to Nick: Gatsby had fallen in love with Daisy in Louisville in 1917 before going to war. He bought his house in West Egg specifically to be across the bay from her home. Jordan explains that Gatsby wants Nick to invite Daisy to tea so that he can arrange a "chance" meeting with her.

Analysis

Chapter 4 deepens the novel's exploration of identity and the American Dream. Gatsby's carefully rehearsed life story appears increasingly fabricated, suggesting the constructed nature of his persona. His association with Wolfsheim introduces the criminal underbelly supporting his wealth. The revelation of Gatsby's history with Daisy transforms the novel, shifting it from a social satire to a romance with tragic undertones. Gatsby's five-year devotion to winning Daisy back reveals the depth of his romantic idealism—and potentially his delusion.

Key Quotes

"He hurried the phrase 'educated at Oxford,' or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it had bothered him before."
"He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919."
"Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay."
"It was a strange coincidence,' I said. 'But it wasn't a coincidence at all.'"

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: His facade begins to crack as his rehearsed biography shows inconsistencies, yet his genuine love for Daisy humanizes him.
Nick Carraway: Becomes an active participant in the story rather than just an observer as he agrees to help Gatsby meet Daisy.
Jordan Baker: Serves as the link between Gatsby's past and present, revealing key information about his history with Daisy.
Meyer Wolfsheim: Introduces the criminal element that lurks beneath Gatsby's wealth and sophistication.

Literary Elements

Exposition: The revelation of Gatsby and Daisy's backstory provides crucial context.
Juxtaposition: Gatsby's romantic idealism contrasts with his criminal connections.
Foreshadowing: The involvement of someone like Wolfsheim suggests dangerous complications to come.
Symbolism: Gatsby's mansion is revealed to be not just a display of wealth but a monument to his dream of Daisy.

Discussion Questions

Why does Gatsby feel the need to fabricate details about his background?
What does Gatsby's association with Meyer Wolfsheim suggest about the source of his wealth?
How does the revelation about Gatsby's past with Daisy change your understanding of his character?
What role does Nick play in Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, and what might this say about Nick's character?

Chapter 5: The Reunion of Gatsby and Daisy

Summary

Nick arranges for Daisy to come to tea at his house, without telling her that Gatsby will be there. When Gatsby arrives, the reunion is initially awkward. Gatsby's nervousness reveals how important this moment is to him. After the initial discomfort passes, Gatsby invites Nick and Daisy to tour his mansion. Gatsby shows Daisy his collection of English shirts, which moves her to tears. His wealth impresses her, and he shows her the green light at the end of her dock—a symbol of his longing for her. By the chapter's end, Nick leaves them alone together, sensing that Gatsby's dream is being fulfilled.

Analysis

Chapter 5 represents the peak of Gatsby's dream—his reunion with Daisy. The chapter explores the gap between fantasy and reality as Gatsby's five-year dream finally materializes. Daisy's emotional response to Gatsby's shirts suggests she's moved not by their reunion but by the display of wealth—foreshadowing the shallowness of her character. The symbolic significance of the green light changes now that Gatsby has physically reached Daisy, suggesting that dreams are more powerful than their fulfillment. Nick's departure marks his continued role as facilitator rather than central character.

Key Quotes

"As I went over to say good-by I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby's face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness."
"'They're such beautiful shirts,' she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. 'It makes me sad because I've never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.'"
"Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever... Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one."

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: His nervousness and transformation from confident host to anxious suitor reveal his genuine feelings and vulnerability.
Daisy Buchanan: Her response to Gatsby's wealth suggests materialistic values beneath her charm.
Nick Carraway: Takes an active role in bringing Gatsby and Daisy together, then tactfully removes himself.

Literary Elements

Symbolism: The green light's meaning changes once Gatsby has physically reached Daisy.
Weather: The rain stopping as Gatsby and Daisy reconnect symbolizes hope.
Setting: Gatsby's mansion becomes a stage for him to demonstrate his worthiness to Daisy.
Foreshadowing: Daisy's emotional reaction to material wealth hints at her true values.

Discussion Questions

How does the actual reunion between Gatsby and Daisy compare with what Gatsby might have imagined?
What is the significance of Daisy crying over Gatsby's shirts?
How does the meaning of the green light change in this chapter?
What role does wealth play in Daisy and Gatsby's relationship?

Chapter 6: Gatsby's Past Revealed

Summary

Nick reveals Gatsby's true background: born James Gatz to poor farmers in North Dakota, he reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby after meeting Dan Cody, a wealthy copper magnate who became his mentor. Though Cody intended to leave Gatsby money, he received none after Cody's death. In the present, Gatsby invites Daisy and Tom to one of his parties. Tom attends suspiciously, while Daisy dislikes the vulgar guests. After the party, Gatsby is disappointed that Daisy didn't enjoy herself. He tells Nick he wants Daisy to leave Tom and return to Louisville with him, to recreate the past perfectly.

Analysis

Chapter 6 explores the theme of reinvention and the American Dream. Gatsby's transformation from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby represents the self-made man, but also reveals the fabrication behind his identity. The chapter juxtaposes Gatsby's romantic idealism with reality—his party, impressive to others, fails to impress Daisy. Gatsby's desire to repeat the past reveals his fundamental misunderstanding of time and reality. The contrast between Gatsby's dream and Tom's suspicion foreshadows the coming conflict between old and new money, between the dreamer and the pragmatist.

Key Quotes

"The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself."
"His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people—his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all."
"'Can't repeat the past?' he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can!'"
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: 'I never loved you.'"

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: His true origins reveal the extent of his self-transformation and explain his determination to win Daisy.
Daisy Buchanan: Her discomfort at Gatsby's party suggests the incompatibility between her world and his.
Tom Buchanan: Begins to suspect the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy.
Nick Carraway: Gains deeper insight into Gatsby's character and motivations.

Literary Elements

Flashback: The revelation of Gatsby's past provides crucial context for understanding his present.
Irony: Gatsby's parties, meant to impress Daisy, actually repel her.
Foreshadowing: Tom's growing suspicion hints at future conflict.
Symbolism: Dan Cody represents the mentor who helped shape Gatsby's dreams and ambitions.

Discussion Questions

How does learning about Gatsby's true background affect your perception of him?
Why is Gatsby so fixated on repeating the past exactly as it was?
What does Daisy's reaction to Gatsby's party reveal about her character?
How does the chapter develop the theme of the American Dream?

Chapter 7: The Confrontation

Summary

During the hottest day of summer, Gatsby, Nick, and Jordan visit the Buchanans. Daisy's daughter makes a brief appearance, surprising Gatsby. The group decides to go to Manhattan to escape the heat. Tom drives Gatsby's car with Nick and Jordan, while Gatsby drives Tom's car with Daisy. At the Plaza Hotel, tensions escalate as Tom confronts Gatsby about his relationship with Daisy. Tom investigates Gatsby's business dealings and reveals his criminal connections. When pressured to choose, Daisy cannot say she never loved Tom. Defeated, Gatsby drives Daisy back in his car. On the way, Daisy accidentally hits and kills Myrtle Wilson, who runs into the road thinking the car belongs to Tom.

Analysis

Chapter 7 marks the novel's climax, where illusions collapse and realities are exposed. The intense heat symbolizes the emotional pressure that has been building throughout the story. The confrontation between Tom and Gatsby represents old money defending its territory against new money. Daisy's inability to fully reject Tom reveals her ultimate allegiance to security and social position over romantic love. Myrtle's death by Gatsby's car—driven by Daisy—creates an ironic tragedy where Tom's mistress is killed by his wife in his rival's car, intertwining all the characters in a web of destruction.

Key Quotes

"Her voice is full of money," he said suddenly. That was it. I'd never understood before. It was full of money—that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it."
"'She's not leaving me!' Tom's words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby. 'Certainly not for a common swindler who'd have to steal the ring he put on her finger.'"
"'Oh, you want too much!' she cried to Gatsby. 'I love you now—isn't that enough? I can't help what's past.' She began to sob helplessly. 'I did love him once—but I loved you too.'"
"So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight."

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: His dream collapses when confronted with the reality that Daisy won't fully reject her past with Tom.
Daisy Buchanan: Reveals her true character when she chooses security with Tom over love with Gatsby.
Tom Buchanan: Successfully defends his marriage by exposing Gatsby's criminal connections.
Nick Carraway: Witnesses the moral bankruptcy of the wealthy as they destroy lives without consequence.

Literary Elements

Climax: The confrontation at the Plaza Hotel brings all tensions to a head.
Symbolism: The oppressive heat reflects the emotional intensity of the day.
Foreshadowing: Myrtle's death sets up the novel's tragic conclusion.
Irony: Gatsby takes responsibility for the accident Daisy caused, continuing his self-sacrifice for her.

Discussion Questions

Why is Daisy unable to tell Tom she never loved him?
How does Tom's investigation into Gatsby's business affect the power dynamic between them?
What does Myrtle's death symbolize in the larger context of the novel?
How does this chapter reveal the true characters of both Daisy and Tom?

Chapter 8: The Aftermath

Summary

The morning after Myrtle's death, Nick visits Gatsby, who reveals he's been watching over Daisy's house all night to ensure Tom doesn't harm her. Gatsby finally tells Nick the complete story of his past with Daisy and his rise to wealth. Nick leaves for work but feels uneasy and returns home early. Meanwhile, George Wilson has discovered his wife was unfaithful but doesn't know with whom. He concludes that the driver of the yellow car must have been her lover and tracks the car to Gatsby. That afternoon, Gatsby decides to use his pool for the first time that summer. Wilson arrives at Gatsby's estate, shoots Gatsby in the pool, and then takes his own life.

Analysis

Chapter 8 explores the consequences of the American Dream corrupted. Gatsby's vigil outside Daisy's house demonstrates his unwavering devotion, even as she retreats into the security of her marriage. The detailed account of Gatsby's past with Daisy reveals how his entire life has been shaped by this single dream. The chapter juxtaposes Gatsby's idealism with Wilson's despair—both men destroyed by loving women who didn't return their devotion equally. Gatsby's death in his pool—unused all summer—symbolizes the death of his dream just as it seemed within reach. The double murder-suicide brings the novel's violence to its tragic conclusion.

Key Quotes

"He couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free."
"He had intended, probably, to take what he could and go—but now he found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail."
"She vanished into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing."
"It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete."

Character Development

Jay Gatsby: His death occurs while still believing in Daisy's love, never abandoning his dream.
Daisy Buchanan: Her absence after the accident reveals her ultimate self-preservation and moral emptiness.
George Wilson: Transforms from a passive character to an agent of destruction through his grief and rage.
Nick Carraway: Experiences profound disillusionment as he witnesses the tragic consequences of wealth and carelessness.

Literary Elements

Foreshadowing: The unused swimming pool anticipates Gatsby's death.
Irony: Gatsby dies believing Daisy will call, still faithful to his dream.
Symbolism: Gatsby's death in water represents the drowning of the American Dream.
Parallel: Wilson and Gatsby both die because of their love for women who betrayed them.

Discussion Questions

How does Gatsby's complete backstory change your understanding of his character?
What parallels exist between Gatsby and Wilson in this chapter?
What is the significance of Gatsby being killed in his swimming pool?
Why does Daisy not call or contact Gatsby after the accident?

Chapter 9: The Lonely Funeral

Summary

Nick takes responsibility for Gatsby's funeral arrangements, finding that none of Gatsby's party guests or business associates attend. He struggles to find people who genuinely cared about Gatsby. Nick contacts Gatsby's father, Henry Gatz, who arrives proudly carrying a book from Gatsby's youth that contains his son's schedule and resolutions for self-improvement. The only other attendee is the "owl-eyed man" from Gatsby's library. Nick learns that Tom told Wilson that Gatsby owned the car that killed Myrtle. Before leaving West Egg, Nick encounters Tom and realizes the Buchanans' carelessness and moral emptiness. The novel concludes with Nick reflecting on how Gatsby's dream represented something fundamental about the American experience.

Analysis

Chapter 9 serves as both epilogue and final judgment on the novel's characters and themes. The absence of mourners at Gatsby's funeral starkly contrasts with his crowded parties, revealing the superficiality of Jazz Age relationships. Gatsby's childhood schedule, with its Benjamin Franklin-like self-improvement plan, connects his personal dream to the larger American Dream. Nick's final encounter with Tom reveals his disgust with the moral emptiness of the wealthy. The novel's famous closing lines connect Gatsby's personal dream to the larger human experience of yearning and striving, suggesting that despite its failures, the capacity to dream remains essential to the American character.

Key Quotes

"Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead."
"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made."
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Character Development

Nick Carraway: Completes his journey from observer to moral judge, rejecting the emptiness of the wealthy Eastern society.
Mr. Gatz: Provides a final insight into Gatsby's origins and his early commitment to self-improvement.
The Buchanans: Revealed as ultimately hollow, retreating into their wealth after causing destruction.

Literary Elements

Circularity: The novel ends with reference to the green light that appeared in the first chapter.
Symbolism: Gatsby's childhood schedule symbolizes the American belief in self-improvement and reinvention.
Contrast: The emptiness of Gatsby's funeral versus the fullness of his parties.
Metaphor: The final image of boats fighting against the current captures the struggle against time and history.

Discussion Questions

Why do none of Gatsby's many acquaintances attend his funeral?
What do Gatsby's childhood schedule and resolutions reveal about his character?
How has Nick changed by the end of the novel?
What is the significance of the novel's famous final lines?

Key Themes and Symbols

The American Dream

Fitzgerald explores the corruption of the American Dream—the idea that anyone can achieve success and happiness through hard work and determination. Gatsby's rise from poverty to wealth embodies this dream, but his means (criminal activity) and his ends (winning Daisy) reveal its corruption. His death suggests that the dream, pursued too single-mindedly or through corrupt means, leads to destruction.

Class and Social Status

The novel meticulously maps America's social geography: old money (East Egg), new money (West Egg), no money (the valley of ashes). Through characters like Gatsby, who tries to transcend his origins, and Tom, who fiercely protects class boundaries, Fitzgerald exposes the rigid class structure beneath America's myth of mobility.

Time and Memory

Gatsby's belief that he can "repeat the past" reveals the novel's preoccupation with time. His attempt to recreate his perfect moment with Daisy reflects a universal desire to recapture lost time. The novel suggests that we are all "borne back celessly into the past" even as we strive toward the future.

Illusion versus Reality

Gatsby's carefully constructed persona and his idealized vision of Daisy illustrate how illusions can be both inspiring and destructive. The novel repeatedly contrasts beautiful facades with ugly realities: Gatsby's mansion masks criminal activities; the Buchanans' perfect marriage conceals infidelity and unhappiness.

Symbols

The Green Light: Represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams, particularly his hope for a future with Daisy.
The Valley of Ashes: Symbolizes the moral and social decay hidden by the beautiful facades of the rich.
The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg: Suggest an abandoned God watching over a morally empty world.
Gatsby's Mansion: Represents both the achievement and hollowness of the American Dream.
Weather: Reflects the emotional atmosphere (heat during confrontations, rain during reunions).

Major Character Analysis

Jay Gatsby/James Gatz

Gatsby represents the American Dream's possibilities and limitations. His transformation from poor farm boy to wealthy socialite demonstrates America's potential for reinvention, but his criminal methods and obsession with an idealized past reveal the dream's corruption. Gatsby's most admirable quality is his extraordinary hope, his "heightened sensitivity to the promises of life." Yet this same quality blinds him to reality, particularly regarding Daisy's true nature.

Nick Carraway

As narrator and participant, Nick serves as both insider and outsider to the story. His Midwestern values provide a moral standard against which to judge the characters and events. Nick's journey from fascination with the wealthy to disillusionment parallels the reader's experience. His claim to be "one of the few honest people" he knows is complicated by his complicity in Gatsby and Daisy's affair.

Daisy Buchanan

Daisy embodies the allure and emptiness of the American aristocracy. Her voice "full of money" represents the seductive power of wealth. Though capable of genuine emotion, she ultimately chooses security and social position over love. Her carelessness—exemplified by killing Myrtle and letting Gatsby take the blame—reveals the moral bankruptcy beneath her charm.

Tom Buchanan

Tom represents old money's power and brutality. Physically imposing and casually cruel, he uses his wealth and social position to dominate others. His successful defense of his marriage against Gatsby reveals the enduring power of established wealth over new money. Tom's racism and infidelity expose the ugliness beneath the privileged exterior.

Jordan Baker

Jordan's casual dishonesty—both in golf and in life—exemplifies the moral carelessness of her generation. Her brief romance with Nick provides a parallel to Gatsby and Daisy's relationship. Like the others in her social circle, Jordan treats people as disposable and avoids "careless drivers" while being careless herself.

Myrtle and George Wilson

The Wilsons represent different responses to poverty. Myrtle desperately seeks escape through her affair with Tom, adopting the mannerisms and tastes of the wealthy. George accepts his circumstances until his wife's death transforms him into an agent of destruction. Both are ultimately destroyed by their connections to the wealthy.

Important Motifs

Geography and Settings

The novel maps moral territory onto physical space: East Egg (old money), West Egg (new money), the valley of ashes (the working class), and New York City (moral freedom). Characters moving between these spaces often cross moral boundaries as well.

Automobiles

Cars represent wealth, freedom, and carelessness. They facilitate both Tom's affair with Myrtle and Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy. Myrtle's death by automobile symbolizes how the carelessness of the wealthy destroys the less fortunate.

Parties and Celebrations

From Gatsby's lavish parties to the drunken gathering in Tom's New York apartment, celebrations in the novel often reveal the emptiness beneath social interactions. These gatherings progress from seeming glamorous to increasingly desperate and destructive.

Colors

Colors carry symbolic weight throughout the novel: yellow and gold (wealth, but also moral corruption), white (purity but also emptiness and artificiality), green (hope and promise), gray (lifelessness and moral ambiguity), and blue (melancholy and dreams).

Water

Water separates Gatsby from Daisy (the bay between their houses) and ultimately becomes the site of his death. Water represents both the possibility of cleansing and rebirth and the danger of drowning in one's dreams.

Vision and Blindness

Characters either see too much (Nick) or too little (Wilson). Gatsby's inability to see Daisy clearly and the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg watching over the valley of ashes suggest that clear moral vision is rare in this world.

Essay Topics

The Corruption of the American Dream: Analyze how Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's rise and fall to comment on the possibilities and limitations of the American Dream in the 1920s.
Money and Morality: Examine the relationship between wealth and ethics in the novel. Does Fitzgerald suggest that wealth inherently corrupts, or is the corruption a result of how wealth is acquired and used?
Time and Nostalgia: Explore Gatsby's belief that he can "repeat the past" and what this reveals about the novel's treatment of time, memory, and nostalgia.
The Role of Women: Analyze the portrayal of Daisy, Jordan, and Myrtle. How does the novel depict women's options and limitations in 1920s America?
Narrative Technique: Discuss Nick Carraway's reliability and function as narrator. How does his perspective shape our understanding of the events and characters?
Symbolism of Setting: Examine how the novel's geographical locations (East Egg, West Egg, the valley of ashes, New York City) function symbolically to reinforce themes of class, morality, and the American Dream.
Illusion versus Reality: Analyze how characters in the novel create and maintain illusions about themselves and others, and how these illusions eventually collide with reality.
Violence and Death: Explore the role of violence in the novel, from Tom's breaking of Myrtle's nose to the deaths of Myrtle, Gatsby, and Wilson. What does this violence suggest about the society Fitzgerald depicts?
The Lost Generation: Consider how the novel reflects the disillusionment and moral confusion of the post-World War I generation.
Class and Social Mobility: Analyze how the novel portrays America's class structure and the possibilities for moving between social classes.

Final Thoughts

F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" endures as a masterpiece of American literature because it captures both the allure and the emptiness of the Jazz Age. Through Gatsby's doomed pursuit of Daisy, Fitzgerald explores timeless themes: the corrupting influence of wealth, the elusive nature of the American Dream, the impossibility of recapturing the past, and the human capacity for hope and delusion.

The novel's power lies in its dual vision: it celebrates Gatsby's "extraordinary gift for hope" while acknowledging the dangerous unreality of his dream. Nick's final assessment—that Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch put together" despite his criminal activities and delusions—suggests that the capacity to dream, however misguided, remains more admirable than the moral emptiness of those who have stopped dreaming altogether.

In its exploration of wealth, class, love, and disillusionment, "The Great Gatsby" continues to offer readers insight not just into the Roaring Twenties but into enduring questions about American identity, the role of the past in shaping the present, and the price of pursuing dreams at all costs.