Great Gatsby Chapter Questions – Flashcards
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What information does Nick give about himself in the first four paragraphs in the story?
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He is not judgmental at all, and people feel they can come to him with their problems because of it.
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What does Nick say is "gorgeous" about Gatsby?
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He has some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, an extra ordinary gift for HOPE.
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Does Gatsby cause Nick's disillusionment withe mankind? If not, who does?
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No, the East Egg Dwellers caused Nick's disillusionment with mankind.
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What is Nick's socioeconomic background?
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He is from a well-to-do family in the Midwest. They are in the wholesale hardware business (upper middle class).
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When Nick returns from war, why does he decide to go East?
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He felt like the Middle-West seemed like the "ragged edge of the universe", and he wanted to get into the bond business out East.
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The action in this story takes place over the course of one summer. What occurs that makes Nick feel that his life is beginning over again?
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Someone asks Nick how to get to West Egg, and he felt like an original settler.
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How is West Egg different from East Egg?
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West Egg was the less fashionable, and the people who lived there had new money, and tended to flaunt their wealth a little more. East Egg was old money, with houses that were more conservative but certainly not less expensive.
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Before meeting him, what do we learn of Tom Buchanan?
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He was a very successful athlete. He appeared arrogant and aggressive and he was extremely wealthy.
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What are the words used to describe Daisy's most noticeable feature?
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"I've heard it said that Daisy's murmur was only to make people lean toward her; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming." "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."
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Daisy says, "Tom's getting very profound." What do you think her tone might have been?
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She is using a slightly sarcastic and mocking tone.
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At this point, why does Nick observe, "There was something pathetic in his [Tom's] concentration..."?
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Nick was rather disgusted at how he described the need for white people or "the dominant race" to watch out for the other races trying to take over.
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What unflattering feature of Jordan Baker's personality is revealed?
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She is dishonest, and a bit of a gossip.
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When the telephone rings a second time, why does Nick say, "No one was able utterly to put this fifth guest's shrill metallic urgency out of mind"?
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There was a lot of tension at the dinner table, because Tom's mistress was calling during dinner time.
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Why is Nick's instinct "to telephone immediately for the police"?
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Nick is startled by these people and their values, like their willingness to talk about infidelity. The tension around the table appears to stress Nick out.
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What three sentences indicate that Nick thinks Daisy's cynical outburst is fake?
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"The instant her voice broke off, ceasing to compel my attention, my belief, I felt the basic insincerity of what she had said. It made me uneasy, as though the whole evening had been a trick of some sort to exact a contributory emotion from me. I waited, and sure enough, 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."
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What is the reader left to think about Daisy's emotional state and her relationship with Tom?
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The reader is left to feel like Daisy is emotionally unstable and has a weak relationship with Tom. She acts nervous but pretends nothing is wrong.
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Who is Jordan Baker, and what has Nick heard about her?
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He has heard she is a pro golfer, and he had heard some unpleasant story about her.
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Daisy says, "I think the home influence will be good for her [Jordan]." What do you think her tone may be? Offer support for your answer.
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Daisy is probably being sarcastic, as the influence of their home is not a good one. Tom and Daisy do not set a good example of a healthy relationship.
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As Nick drives away from their house, he experiences a number of conflicting emotions. Why does he feel touched? Why does he feel confused and disgusted?
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Their interest in Nick touched him, but he was disgusted by their modern values and the way they live.
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At the end of this chapter (1), Nick sees Gatsby on the lawn and is about to call him but does not. What stops him? What does Gatsby's trembling suggest?
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Nick did not call out to him because he got a vibe that Gatsby wanted to be alone. His trembling suggests that he was anxious, or maybe he was sad.
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The green light that Gatsby is staring at is mentioned several more times, and it assumes a symbolic significance. Where do you think the green light may be?
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The green light is at Daisy and Tom's mansion in East Egg.
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The differences between the East and the Midwest are mentioned frequently. What does Nick say about each?
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The Midwest has more traditional values, while the East is more of a representation of modern values where people go to pursue the American Dream.
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What is the valley of ashes and what does it symbolize?
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The valley of ashes is between West Egg and New York, and it is a desolate, gray area of land where the motor road runs beside the railroad. It symbolizes a moral wasteland.
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Compare and contrast George Wilson and Tom.
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George Wilson is poor, sickly, and has no control over his wife. Tom is very wealthy, strong, and has a loyal wife so far.
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Compare and contrast Myrtle Wilson and Daisy.
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Myrtle is poor, curvy, loud, tan and much less innocent than the blonde, light-skinned, delicate, and pure Daisy.
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In what way does Fitzgerald indicate that Myrtle Wilson is not an intellectual?
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Myrtle is desperate to rise in social status, and foolishly believes Tom would leave his wife for her.
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At the party in the apartment, what social classes are represented and by whom?
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Tom represents the upper class, Nick represents the upper middle class, the McKee's represent the middle class, while Myrtle represents the lower class.
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In what social class does Nick belong?
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Nick belongs in the upper middle class.
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In what way is the party in the apartment different from the dinner at the Buchanans' in Chapter One? In what way is it similar?
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The party in the apartment was informal and crazy, while the dinner at the Buchanan's was elegant and refined. However, they are similar in that much unhappiness appears to be present.
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In what way is Gatsby's behavior at his party quite unlike the behavior of most of his guests?
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He does not drink, or socialize much with the rest of the people there. He mainly observes everyone.
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How does Daisy behave the night before her wedding? Why?
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She gets very drunk and acts like she does not want to marry Tom. This is because she received a letter from Gatsby.
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What does Nick mean when he says, "I realize now that under different circumstances that conversation might have been one of the crises of my life. But because the offer was obviously and tactlessly for a service to be rendered, I had no choice but to cut him off there"?
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Nick realizes that Gatsby was trying to offer him a way to make easy money in exchange for Nick inviting Daisy to tea. Nick did not want any kind of favor in return, so he cuts off Gatsby. He was slightly offended Gatsby was trying to pay him back for inviting Daisy.
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Why does Gatsby throw all his shirts on the table?
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To show Daisy how wealthy he is now, and how he can support her if she leaves Tom.
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Obviously, Daisy, with all her money, is not going to cry over some shirts; why does she cry?
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Daisy is so overwhelmed by Gatsby's success, and is sad that she did not stay with him from the beginning.
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Who are Gatsby's parents and what is he leaving when he leaves home at 16?
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His parents are poor farmers, and Gatsby is leaving his former life behind, and is off to start a more successful, prosperous life.
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When and why does James Gatz change his name to Jay Gatsby?
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When Gatsby meets and helps Dan Cody on his yacht, he decided to reinvent himself and become the person he has always wanted to be.
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For James Gatz, what will the ideal James Gatsby be, do, and have?
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He will have a lot of money, be very successful, and get the "golden girl" AKA Daisy. This is his version of the American Dream.
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To young Gatz, what does Dan Cody's yacht represent?
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It represents the opportunity Gatsby needed to start a new and better life.
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What is Daisy's opinion of Gatsby's party?
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She is obviously overwhelmed by the extravagance of it, and does not have a good time, though she pretends to.
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When Gatsby says that he cannot make Daisy understand, what is it that he wants her to understand?
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That he is better for her than Tom, and she should leave Tom to be with him and start back where the left off five years ago.
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What is Nick's view of repeating the past, and what is Gatsby's opinion? Why is Gatsby's opinion unrealistic?
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Nick believes that you cannot repeat the past, while Gatsby believes you can. Gatsby's opinion is very unrealistic because after everything that has happened with Tom and Daisy in the five years Gatsby and her were apart, he can't have it exactly like it was before.
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What does Gatsby understand about Daisy's voice that Nick does not?
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Her voice is full of money. Gatsby has come to the realization that Daisy's voice-her most charming and entrancing feature throughout the novel-is a manifestation of her wealth, like everything else she has.
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In what cars do the five of them travel into the city?
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Tom, Nick, and Jordan take Gatsby's car, while Gatsby and Daisy take Tom's coupe.
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Why do you suppose that Tom decided to let Wilson finally have the car he has been promising him?
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Wilson told Tom that he and Myrtle wanted to leave town and go out West. Tom realized that Myrtle had a life apart from him, and the shock made him upset.
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What indication is there at this point that Tom means quite a bit to Myrtle?
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The shock of Myrtle having another life made him physically sick.
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Besides Myrtle's, what other eyes "kept their vigil"?
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The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg.
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As always, there is a grain of truth in what Gatsby says. In what sense is he an Oxford man?
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Gatsby went to Oxford for only five months, as it was an opportunity they gave some of the officers after the Armistice.
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What does Nick mean and why does he say, "Angry as I was..., I was tempted to laugh whenever [Tom] opened his mouth. The transition from libertine to prig was so complete"?
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It is comical to Nick how hypocritical Tom is being. He is confronting Gatsby about making love to his wife, while he carries on an extramarital affair with Myrtle.
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Why does Daisy say that Tom is "revolting"?
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Tom had been explaining how even though he may stray from their marriage, he always comes back because he loves her. Daisy is revolted by this because Tom thinks he can get away with having an affair because he "always comes back" even though he technically doesn't.
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Why does Daisy have a tough time saying, as Gatsby wishes, that she never loved Tom?
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Because at one point, Daisy did love Tom in her heart.
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Why is it important to Gatsby that Daisy say she never loved Tom, only him?
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Gatsby always wanted to remake the past, pretending like their 5 years apart never existed. Daisy saying this validates everything Gatsby has done to get Daisy back where he wants her.
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How has Gatsby gotten some of his money, and what does Tom say that startles Gatsby?
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By illegally selling alcohol over the counter at some of his drug stores. Tom says he knows that Gatsby had something going on that Walter Chase was too scared to tell him.
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What indication is there that Tom really is fond of Myrtle?
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He cries as the drive off from the scene.
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What does the reader learn that Tom does not know?
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Daisy was the one driving the car when they hit Myrtle.
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What is the scene that Nick observes taking place between Tom and Daisy in the kitchen?
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Tom and Daisy appear to be making up, as he said it appeared like they were conspiring together.
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Why does this scene suggest ill for Gatsby?
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We know not Daisy will never leave Tom for Gatsby.
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When Wilson disappears for 3 hours, where do you guess he might have gone?
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To find the person who drove the yellow car that hit Myrtle. The narrator also suggests that he knows it is Gatsby because he asked someone the way to Gatsby's house.
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What is Nick's final feeling about Tom and Daisy?
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He is disgusted with them and their actions/morals.
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In the last three paragraphs, Nick makes the symbol of the green light very concrete. What does the green light symbolize?
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The American Dream
