Great Gatsby Flashcards
What happens in chapter 1?
- Nick has moved to the mid west, 1924
- Begins with self-analysis of his own character- went to war.
- Nick visits the Buchanans
- Tom is brutal, racist, and very wealthy, having an affair
- Nick sees Gatsby reaching for the green light on the lawn.
What happens in chapter 2?
- Nick describes the Valley of Ashes, between WE and NY
- We meet the mistress, Myrtle, and George Wilson
- They have a party in NY with Myrtle, sister Catherine, a couple called McKee
- Tom breaks Myrtles nose at Daisy’s name
What happens in chapter 3?
- Nick describes Gatsby’s lifestyle, servants, lavish parties.
- They discuss who G is and rumours
- Owl eyes in the library.
- Nick meets Gatsby without knowing it. Claims he knows him from WW1
- A car crashes into a ditch as Nick leaves the party
- Nick reflects on what written so far. Says he is drawn to Jordan, who is a cheat.
What happens in chapter 4?
- Gatsby visits Nick for the first time. He is restless.
- Gatsby tells Nick about his midwest upbringing, WW1 service, Oxford education. N senses dishonesty.
- Nick meets Meyer Wolfshiem, who fixed the world series.
- Gatsby departs quickly from a meeting with Tom.
- Jordan tells of G and D’s history, G went to War and D married Tom. Was drunk before wedding, and didn’t want to marry T.
- Jordan says Gatsby wants N to invite him and Daisy over.
What happens in chapter 5?
- Nick gets home early at 2am, and finds Gatsby awake. They discuss plans for reunion.
- At the party, it is raining. Nick goes next-door while G and D talk.
- Nick returns, Daisy has been crying.
- They all go to Gatsby’s house, he shows expensive items.
- Nick is struck by the intensity of the relationship, and leaves them together.
What happens in chapter 6?
- Rumours spread about Gatsby, and a reporter comes to visit him.
- Nick tells us about James Gatz, who at 17 changed his identity.
- Gatz met Dan Cody, who became his mentor and taught him how to get rich.
- Tom and Daisy go to G’s party. Tom suggests that Gatsby is a bootlegger.
- Gatsby is upset that Daisy did not enjoy the party.
What happens in chapter 7?
- Daisy has been visiting Gatsby often. G dismisses servants to stop rumours.
- On the hottest day of the summer, N and G have lunch with the Buchanans. They meet Daisy’s daughter, Pammy. Tom recognises that Daisy and G are in love.
- They drive to NY. George Wilson is going to go West.
- At the hotel, G insists that he is the only one D has ever loved. Tom can see it isn’t true, lets them drive home.
- Scene cuts, Myrtle has been hit and run.
- In the Buchanan’s garden, G says that D was driving, but he plans to take the blame.
What happens in chapter 8?
- Nick can’t sleep, visits G. He tells us of his history and love for Daisy.
- George Wilson, grief stricken, mistakes Eckleberg’s eyes for the eyes of god.
- He searches for the yellow car, finds and shoots Gatsby in the pool, and shoots himself.
What does Gatsby’s catchphrase ‘Old Sport’ indicate about the personality he is trying to portray?
What impression does it leave the reader?
- Trying to give his claim of being an Oxford man credibility, wealthy, upper class.
- His attempt appears unconvincing, especially to Tom and Jordan
- Shows separation from Old Money, difficulty of passing as such.
He reached in his pocket and a piece of metal, slung on a ribbon, fell into my palm.
“That’s the one from Montenegro.”
To my astonishment, the thing had an authentic look.
What does this show about Gatsby’s motives?
What does it show about his past?
- Gatsby is trying to share as much as possible, add to credibility.
- Keen to prove himself - carries evidence around with him!
- Something dubious and fishy about evidence, but it would appear this aspect of past is true.
- Nick is incredulous, moves between belief and disbelief.
“I wouldn’t ask too much of her,” I ventured. “You can’t repeat the past.”
“Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!”
He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand.
What does this say about Gatsby’s perceptions of reality?
- Shows Gatsby’s naivety, optimism, delusion about what is possible.
- An extreme form of the American Dream, taking it too far.
- Personification of the past ‘lurking’ as if it is physically there.
- Extreme desire to reclaim what he had before. Statement shows impossibility of what he wants.
“Your wife doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby. “She’s never loved you. She loves me.”
How do we view Gatsby with this.
- His confidence appears desperate, delusional. Refuses to acknowledge that things have moved on.
- The reader views the claim as untrue, considering the marriage and daughter. Daisy can’t support statement.
- High tension spoken openly.
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——
What does this tell us about Nick’s views of the dream?
- Nick admires Gatsby’s determination and hard work.
- Symbolism of the light as unreachable, an illusion.
- Yet they still try to claim the unclaimable.
“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.
What can we learn about Nick as a person and as a narrator?
- Nick is privileged - money, education, breeding.
- He is thoughtful and moral.
- Had a hard time connecting with the advice.
- Sounds as if Nick judges, or did judge people’s behaviour. Sets up weakness of his character.
When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; … Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction—Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn
What does this tell us of Nick, and Nick’s opinion of Gatsby?
- Coming back from the War, Nick longs for an orderly, disciplined code of conduct.
- Nick despises the way things are, morality and way of life.
- For some reason he appreciates Gatsby. We understand Gatsby to be special in some way.
