Themes: American Ideals

Question 1

What did Fitzgerald plan to call “The Great Gatsby”

Answer 1

Under the red, white and blue

Question 2

Critic Lionel Trilling (1905-1975) argued that

Answer 2

Gatsby is America.

His character embodies key aspect of the nation’s dreams and realities

Question 3

As well as telling the story of glamorous individuals, Fitzgerald is addressing the fate of

Answer 3

American ideals during a period when the hopes and aspirations expressed in the Declaration of Independence

Question 4

Thomas Jefferson envisioned America as an

Answer 4

agrarian society - based on farming and living from the land

Question 5

by 1920, Fitzgerald showed America to be

Answer 5

a predominantly urban nation, completely different to what Jefferson envisioned

Question 6

Jay Gatsby rejects the agarian lifestyle

Answer 6

and decides to move to the city after loosing Dan Cody

Question 7

Thomas Jefferson also saw America to be a

Answer 7

peace-loving nation that didn’t suffer the effects of war that many Eurpoean countrys and citys did

Question 8

Fitzgerald stresses during the novel the important the war had on America and the characters

Answer 8

he makes sure the auidence know that both Nick and Gatsby faught in France with the American Army