A01/A02 Flashcards
Knowledge + Application (12 cards)
“Only Gatsby was exempt from my reaction.”
Nicks love of Gatsby right to the end even when no one else was there for him.
“It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy - it increased her value in his eyes”
Gatsby sees Daisy as some kind of precious object that he hopes to obtain but she is the one thing that he can’t buy.
Green Light:
“He stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way… and distinguished nothing except a single green light.”
- The green light symbolizes Gatsby’s unattainable dreams and hope. The distant, vague image reflects the elusiveness of his desire and the broader American Dream.
Narrative Voice:
Nick says, “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.”
* However Nick’s first-person narration creates a biased, unreliable perspective, shaping how the reader interprets other characters.
Valley of Ashes:
quotation: “A fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills…”
- The grim imagery emphasizes the moral decay hidden beneath wealth, highlighting the novel’s critique of 1920s society.
Daisy’s Voice:
“Her voice was a wild tonic in the rain.”
* The sensory metaphor suggests Daisy’s alluring charm, but also the intoxicating and destructive nature of her character.
Repetition of ‘Old Sport’:
Gatsby repeatedly uses “old sport.”
* This phrase shows Gatsby’s affected upper-class mannerisms, symbolizing his desire to fit into a world he’s not born into.
Gatsby’s Obsession:
Gatsby: “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!”
Shows his delusion and fixation on recovering a lost ideal.
Final Line:
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Nick’s closing reflection captures the novel’s message about the American Dream and time.
Tom Buchanan’s Racism:
“Civilization’s going to pieces… It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.”
* Reflects Tom’s prejudice and fear of social change in 1920s America.
Nick’s final judgement on the Buchanans’ moral irresponsibility and privilege quote:
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money…”
Daisy Buchanan: “I hope she’ll be a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
Chapter 1
Irony: Daisy is not a fool herself - she’s self-aware and knows the social limitations placed on women. The statement is laced with bitterness.
Tone: Her tone is resigned and cynical; she recognises that ignorance might be the only way for women to survive in a male-dominated, superficial society.
Word choice: “Beautiful little fool” suggests how women are valued for appearance and docility, not intellect or autonomy.
