The Great Gatsby

Question 1

‘what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams’

Answer 1

Gatsby has been left behind - time has moved on but he is still stuck in the past
Metaphor
Corrupted life
‘Dust’ - lingering

Question 2

‘Turning me around with one arm’

Answer 2

Tom has strength, power, ability to move people with one force

Question 3

‘that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool’

Answer 3

Daisy prefers the stability of superficial bank notes
The more you know, the more disappointed you get

Question 4

The eyes of Dr T.J. Eckleberg

Answer 4

Dreams
Watching over them
Our perceptions and judgement as readers

Question 5

Valley of ashes

Answer 5

Death, cremation
Temporary nature of ashes - a gust of wind could destroy this place
Reality of the American Dream
Unfulfilled lives

Question 6

‘Neither of them can stand the person they’re married to’

Answer 6

Immorality
The falseness of the upper class

Question 7

‘broke her nose with his open hand’

Answer 7

Strength and dominance
Easy for him to hurt her
Casual nature to violence
Monosyllabic

Question 8

‘Most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands’

Answer 8

Adultery exposed as a means to an end
Morality breaking down

Question 9

‘he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars’

Answer 9

Incredible wealth
Around her neck like a collar - possessive and controlling
Daisy has no choice in the matter and later rips them off

Question 10

Historical context

Answer 10

Roaring 20s
Post WW1
Pre Great Depression
‘Jazz age’
Flapper girls

Question 11

‘the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head’

Answer 11

Clumsiness of his attempt to stop time and retrieve the past
Time for Gatsby is moving backwards
Danger, precariousness

Question 12

‘Can’t repeat the past?’ He cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’

Answer 12

Adamant to turn back time
Present looms over the past
Hysterical

Question 13

‘Her voice is full of money’

Answer 13

Daisy is the most valuable thing to Gatsby
All Gatsby cares about is wealth and status
Capitalism in this era

Question 14

‘He was his wife’s man and not his own’

Answer 14

George Wilson
Unusual, contextually men were usually dominant over women at the time
Highlights the feebleness of Wilson
Direct contrast to Tom