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The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald Setting: The story takes place during the 1920s, there are four major places where action occurs: 1. 2. 3. 4. East egg West Egg The valley of ashes New York City. The West Egg is the "less fashionable" side of Long Island where Gatsby and Nick live. The East Egg is the "fashionable" side of Long Island where the Buchanans and other "old money" people live. The Valley of Ashes is the desolate wasteland where the Wilsons live. New York City is a symbol of what America has become in the 1920s : a place where anything goes, where money is made and bootleggers flourish, and where the World Series can be fixed by a man like Meyer Wolfsheim. Background Information: Nick Carraway, the narrator is a young midwesterner who, having graduated from Yale, had fought in World War I and returned home to begin a career. He decides to move east to New York and learn the bond business. The novel opened early in the summer of 1922 in

West Egg, Long Island where Nick has rented a house. Next to his house is a huge mansion which belongs to Mr Gatsby Before leaving the Midwest, Nicks father tells Nick not to be quick to judge. Nick believes his father means never to judge at all That created a problem. In the 1920s money was very abundant This was known as "the golden age" People were very materialistic during this time period. The wealthy families in the novel such as Gatsby or the Buchanans, were always trying to impress rather than trying to be themselves. This was a period of drinking, partying, and endless talk, which was best portrayed by the Buchanans. They seem to be very self-centered people who couldnt give up a bit of the "ritzy" life to take care of their own child. Major Characters: • • • • • • Nick Carraway - The narrator of the novel; moves from the Midwest to New York to learn the bond business. Jay Gatsby - Lives next to Nick in a mansion; throws huge parties,

complete with catered food, open bars, and orchestras; people come from everywhere to attend these parties, but no one seems to know much about the host. Daisy Buchanan - Shallow girl who is the emodiment of Gatsbys dreams; she was going to marry Gatsby but he went off to war. Tom Buchanan- Husband of Daisy; a cruel man who lives life irresponsibly. Jordan Baker - A cynical and conceited woman who cheats in golf; wants Nick to go out with her. Myrtle Wilson - Tom has an affair with this married woman, and then witnesses his own marriage crumble when he realizes that his wife loves Gatsby. Plot Summary: Nick Carraway, having graduated from Yale and fought in World War I, has returned home to begin a career. He is restless and has decided to move to New York to learn the bond business The novel opens early in the summer of 1922 in West Egg, Long Island, where Nick has rented a house. Next to his place is the Gatsbys mansion. Tom and Daisy Buchanan live in East Egg. Daisy is Nicks

cousin and Tom had been in the same senior society at Yale. They invite Nick to dinner at their mansion, and he meets a young woman golfer named Jordan Baker, whom Daisy wants Nick to be interested in. During dinner the phone rings, and when Tom and Daisy leave the room, Jordan informs Nick that the caller is Toms woman from New York. Myrtle Wilson, Toms woman, lives is a section of Long Island known as the Valley of Ashes. In the Valley of Ashes is George Wilsons garage. Painted on a large billboard nearby is a fading advertisement for an optician named T.J Eckleberg The billboard contains nothing more than a pair of eyes with glasses on, but this billboard comes to symbolize the idea that someone will always be watching the indiscretions of humanity. One day Tom takes Nick to meet the Wilsons. The party breaks up when Myrtle starts using Daisys name, and Tom breaks her nose with a blow of his open hand. Several weeks later Nick is invited to one of Gatsbys elaborate parties. Nick

watches Gatsby and notices that he does not drink or join in the revelry of the party. He also notes the various stories which the party-goers tell about Gatsby’s past Each story seems far-fetched, proving that the party-goers really know nothing about Gatsby whatsoever. On the way to the City for a luncheon together, Gatsby relates a story of his past that Nick finds hard to believe, but Gatsby offers proof, which further confuses Nick about Gatsby’s true past. At a luncheon with Nick in New York, Gatsby introduces Nick to his business associate, Meyer Wolfsheim, who fixed the World Series in 1919. At tea that afternoon Nick finds out the Gatsby wants Nick to arrange a date between him and Daisy. Gatsby had loved Daisy five years ago, but he had been sent oversees by the army. Daisy had given up waiting for him and had married Tom. Gatsby decides to win Daisy back and his first step is to buy a house in West Egg. His house is across the bay from Daisys house, and he can see a

green light at the end of Daisys dock. It represents his hope Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in five years, and he tries to impress her with his mansion and his wealth. Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, Nick and Jordan go into the city where the truth is revealed about Gatsby and Daisy. Daisy ends up deciding to not go away with Gatsby once his true past is revealed, and the five year dream is over. Gatsby and Daisy go home together in Gatsby’s yellow Rolls Royce On the way home they get into a car accident in which Myrtle was killed. Gatsby will take the blame for Daisy who was driving George Wilson shoots Gatsby and then kills himself. Not many people showed to Gatsbys funeral except Nick, Mr. Gatz, a few servants, and one former party guest. Nick returns to his home town after coming to the conclusion that the mystique of the East is false Themes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hope - represented by the light across the bay that Gatsby was fixated on. It was the embodiment of his sole goal in

life, which was a reunification with Daisy. Success - Gatsby felt that the only way he would win Daisy was through his money. Ignorance - The characters have little self-knowledge and even less knowledge of each other. Judgement - Nick misinterprets the advice of his father and tries not to judge people. Disillusionment - Gatsby dreams of getting back together with Daisy even though she is married and has a daughter. Morals - The morals of people with great wealth seem to be less than desirable, but many times are more socially accepted than lower classes. The word that can sum up many of the themes in the book is position. The word encompasses themes like class, wealth, social standing, and others. Gatsbys whole life is spent trying to attain money and status so that he can reach a certain position in life. That is what motivated him to move to West Egg, make money by any means necessary, and strive to win Daisy back. There is a position in life that he yearns for and will do all

that it takes to achieve it. Daisy and Tom on the other hand show how people can use their position to look down on others and live their life carelessly. As Nick says about Daisy, "in a moment she looked at me with an absolute smirk on her lovely face as if she had asserted her membership in a rather distinguished secret society to which she and Tom belonged". It is this superior mind set that allows Tom to cheat on his wife and allows he and Daisy to run away from the death of Myrtle. They need not worry about such things because they are too good for it. Nick sees it as a kind of carelessness "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness." They can use their wealth and position to escape whatever they choose. The word careless also sums up one of the most important ideas in the book. Nick refers to Jordan, Tom, and Daisy as careless in one form or another. Their

actions are careless and they are careless people This is due to the ease of their life. These people live the decadent life of the roaring twenties that many of the writers of this era were criticizing. The mindless, indulgent, irresponsible life style where consequence is just an afterthought. Fitzgerald uses these characters to expose this life with their selfish actions This carelessness can be seen when Tom and Daisy run away after Myrtle is killed or when Jordan is driving Nick through the city. These people do not worry about paying for their actions so they do as they please Tom is not worried about hurting Daisy so he flaunts his relationship with Myrtle, his mistress. Daisy, in turn, goes off with Gatsby without a thought to her marriage. Consequence is a unheard of concept to these people so they live their lives without thinking about it. Symbols: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The Valley of AshesThe Valley of Ashes symbolizes the empty, wasted lives of those that live there;

namely, George and Myrtle Wilson. The entire reason for Myrtle carrying on the affair with Tom Buchanan is because of her sense of lack of fulfillment in life. George, on the other hand, is simply a hard-working man who can’t seem to get ahead, no matter what he tries. This emptiness and despair is what leads him to kill Gatsby in the end. The Eyes of Dr. Eckleberg-- Fitzgerald uses the word “careless” a lot in describing most of the people and events in this book. There seems to be no fear of consequence, of judgment So who is doing the judgment? That is, in part, what the eyes of T.J Eckleburg are there for These eyes are from a billboard that looks over Wilsons garage. The eyes are always mentioned whenever Nick is there. They look over the situation, objectively, but offer a kind of judgment on the characters and their actions. They are placed near Wilsons Garage because that is where some of the most selfish acts take place: Myrtles death, Toms affair. All of these crimes go

unpunished So they eyes look on and remind the characters of the guilt that they forget to have for what they have done. The Green Light--The green light is a multi-faceted piece of symbolism in the book. Its most obvious interpretation is that the light is symbolic of Gatsbys longing for Daisy, but that is too simplistic. Daisy is part of it, but the green light means much more Gatsby has spent his whole life longing for something better. Money, success, acceptance, and Daisy And no matter how much he has he never feels complete. Even when he has his large house full of interesting people and all of their attention, he still longs for Daisy. He created in his dreams for the future a place for her, and he will not be content to have that gaping hole. So the green light stands for all of Gatsbys longings and wants. And when Nick talks about the green light at the end of the book he says "It eluded us then, but thats no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out

farther." He connects the green light to all people Everyone has something that they long and search for that is just off in the distance. That is the green light East Egg/ West Egg-- One of the most important themes in the novel is class and social standing. It is a barrier for almost every character. East and West Egg acts as a symbol of this in its physical makeup Tom and Daisy live on the East which is far more refined and well bred. Nick and Gatsby are on the West which is for people who dont have any real standing, even if they have money. The green light shines from the East Egg enticing Gatsby towards what he has always wanted. And Daisy, the woman that Gatsby has always wanted but never gets, lives on East Egg. The barrier that the water creates between these worlds in symbolic of the barrier that keeps these people apart from one another and from much of what they want. Daisy’s VoiceThe most appealing part of Daisy’s persona is stated time and again as her voice.

Gatsby tells Nick near the end that her voice is “full of money,” and that is what draws people to her. For Gatsby, Daisy’s voice represents all that he had hoped to gain in winning her back wealth and success. TimeThe motif of time appears throughout the novel. Early on, Nick lists the names of those that attend Gatsby’s parties on a time sheet. Later on, Gatsby knocks a clock off the mantle in Nick’s house. Still later, Nick laments about reaching his thirtieth birthday, and having not accomplished anything yet. Finally, Gatsby and Nick disagree about the prospect of reliving the past. Each of these examples attest to Gatsby’s sense of urgency in attaining his goal of getting Daisy back, and t he idea that time is slipping away. Key Issues: Success - Gatsby uses a corrupt form of the American dream to acquire the wealth he thinks he needs to win back Daisy. Tom and Daisy must have a huge house, a stable of polo ponies, and friends in Europe Gatsby must have his

enormous mansion before he can feel confident enough to win Daisy. The energy that might have gone into the pursuit of noble goals has been channeled into the pursuit of power and pleasure, and a very showy, but fundementally empty form of success. Gatsby had been in love with Daisy for a long while. He tried every way that money could buy to try to satisfy his love and lust for Daisy Instead of confronting her with his feelings, he tried to get her attention by throwing big parties with high hopes that she might possibly show up. Gatsby was actually a very lonesome and unhappy man who lived in a grand house and had extravagant parties. He did it all for one woman, who initially was impressed with his flagrant show of wealth. Daisy was extremely disenchanted after she found out how Gatsby had aquired his fortune. Morals -The characters in this novel live for money and were controlled by money. Love and happiness cannot be bought, no matter how much money was spent. Tom and Daisy were

married and even had a child, but they both still committed adultery. Daisy was with Gatsby and Tom was with Myrtle They tried to find happiness with their lovers, but the risk of changing their lifestyles was not worth it. They were not happy with their spouses but could not find happiness with their lovers. Happiness cannot be found or bought. Daisy lost her love and respect for Gatsby when she found out he was a bootlegger Tom, after having an affair himself was angry about Daisys affair. Hypocrisy tends to be a trait in the very rich Hope - Gatsby bought a house in West Egg, in the hopes that he would win Daisy back. He did this so that he could look across the bay to the green light at the end of Daisys dock. He expected her to turn up at one of his parties, and when she didnt, he asked Jordan to ask Nick to ask Daisy. Fitzgerald stresses the need for hope and dreams to give meaning and purpose to mans efforts. Striving towards some ideal is the way by which man can feel a sense

of involvment, a sense of his own identity. Fitzgerald goes on to state that the failure of hopes and dreams, the failure of the American dream itself, is unavoidable, not only because reality cannot keep up with ideals, but also because the ideals are in any case usually too fantastic to be realized. Gatsby is naive, impractical and oversentimental It is this which makes him attempt the impossible, to repeat the past. There is something pitiful and absurd about the way he refuses to grow up Lessons/Morals/Applications: 1. 2. 3. Money cannot buy happiness. You cannot relive the past. If dreams are too fantastic, and reality cannot keep up with ideals they are usually not fulfilled. Character Analysis Nick Nick is the hardest character to understand in the book because he is the narrator and will therefore only give us an impression of himself that he would like to give. He tells the reader that "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known", but we see him

lie on several occasions. So it is all but impossible to get an accurate picture of Nick By the end of the book he is very jaded, though. When he and Jordan break up he says "Im thirty Im five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor". So the experience with Gatsby and the others takes its toll on him But in the end, the reader cannot be certain of who the real Nick is. Gatsby To understand Gatsby one has to look at not only his true life, but the life that he tried to create for himself. The truth is that he came from poor beginnings and created a fantasy world where he was rich and powerful. Even in his youth Gatsby was not content with what he had. He wanted money, so he managed to get it He wanted Daisy, and she slipped through his fingers. So even when his wealth and stature are at their greatest, he will not be content He must have Daisy. Yes, there is love But more than that there is a drive to posses her because that is what he wanted for all of those years.

She was part of his image for the future and he had to have her And although Gatsby seems very kind, he is not afraid to be unscrupulous to get what he wants. When he wanted money, he was more than willing to become a bootlegger. His drive is what makes him who he is, good and bad And it is this drive that ends up ruining his life Daisy Daisy is a trapped woman. Shes trapped in a marriage that she is unhappy in and trapped in a world where she has no chance to be free or independent. She is at the mercy of her husband, a man who takes her for granted Daisy is also terribly clever, delivering some of the funnier lines of the book. When a reader looks at the foolishness and shallowness of Daisy they must realize that Daisy may be doing out of necessity. As she said when she delivered her daughter, "thats the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" Daisy is smart enough to understand the limits imposed on her and has become jaded and indulgent because of

them. The word careless also describes Daisy well. Many of the things that Daisy does, the accident with Myrtle in particular, show a woman who is just careless. She has become very much wrapped up in herself Part of this is due to the fact that she had been spoiled all her life. She was born into money and had an endless assortment of men who would continue to spoil her. So she has learned to think only of herself without regard for the people that it may hurt Tom Being born into a family that is wealthy has made Tom a spoiled man. He hasnt really worked his entire life and instead spends his days in indulgence and ease. This is what motivates Tom; gratification He has a shameless affair with Myrtle because it satisfies his needs. He flaunts their relationship in public because he does not concern himself with the consequences of his actions, hes never had to. This is also why he and Daisy escape in the end of the book There was a situation they would have to face and they didnt want

to. So they ran to their money and fled the situation, leaving it to be dealt with by others. Tom will spend his whole life doing things like that because that is who he is: A careless man who wont be bothered by the suffering he causes. Jordan Jordan faces the same problems that Tom and Daisy do. She has been born with money and has lived in a culture full of money and has been spoiled by it. She is surrounded by people like the Buchanans who perpetuate her indulgent behavior. This can be observed in the scene where she and Nick are driving in the city and calls her a careless driver She says she doesnt worry because the other people on the road arent as careless as her and that she makes sure she surrounds herself with people who wont "crash" into her. It can be seen that Jordan has no concept of accountability and that has been furthered by the people who allow her to go unaccountable