The Great Gatsby Flashcards
What is the central theme of The Great Gatsby?
The corruption of the American Dream and the illusion of success.
This theme reflects the disillusionment of the 1920s in America.
Who is the narrator of The Great Gatsby?
Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate and Gatsby’s neighbor.
Nick serves as both a character and a moral compass in the story.
How is Jay Gatsby characterized?
As a wealthy, mysterious man driven by an obsessive dream to reunite with Daisy.
Gatsby’s wealth is largely a facade to win Daisy back.
What does the green light symbolize?
Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, particularly his desire for Daisy and the American Dream.
The green light is located at the end of Daisy’s dock.
How does Gatsby’s wealth contrast with Tom Buchanan’s?
Gatsby’s wealth is new and flashy (“new money”), while Tom’s is inherited and traditional (“old money”).
This distinction highlights class differences in the novel.
What does Daisy represent to Gatsby?
The idealized version of success, love, and the past he longs to recreate.
Daisy embodies Gatsby’s unattainable dreams.
How does Nick view Gatsby by the end of the novel?
As a tragic figure with admirable hope but ultimately doomed by his illusions.
Nick’s perspective shifts as he reflects on Gatsby’s life.
What theme does Myrtle Wilson’s character highlight?
The destructive nature of social climbing and infidelity.
Myrtle’s pursuit of wealth leads to her tragic end.
What is the significance of the Valley of Ashes?
It symbolizes the moral and social decay hidden beneath wealth and luxury.
The Valley represents the consequences of the American Dream.
Who is Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and what does he symbolize?
A billboard with eyes watching over the Valley of Ashes—interpreted as the eyes of God or a symbol of judgment.
The eyes represent the moral decay and the lack of accountability.
How does Tom Buchanan view race and gender?
He holds racist and sexist beliefs, representing entitlement and societal dominance.
Tom’s views reflect the prejudices of the era.
Why does Daisy ultimately stay with Tom?
Because of social status, comfort, and a reluctance to disrupt her secure life.
Daisy’s choice highlights the conflicts between love and social expectations.
What role does Jordan Baker play in the novel?
She represents the modern, cynical woman and serves as a romantic interest for Nick.
Jordan embodies the changing roles of women in the 1920s.
What is Gatsby’s real name and background?
James Gatz, a poor farm boy from North Dakota who reinvented himself.
Gatsby’s transformation reflects the theme of self-made identity.
What theme is illustrated by Gatsby’s parties?
The emptiness of excess and how appearances can mask loneliness and longing.
Despite the glamour, Gatsby’s parties are ultimately unfulfilling.
How does Gatsby die?
He is shot by George Wilson, who believes Gatsby was driving the car that killed Myrtle.
Gatsby’s death underscores the tragic consequences of his dreams.
Why does almost no one attend Gatsby’s funeral?
Despite his popularity, his relationships were superficial—exposing the hollowness of his lifestyle.
This highlights the theme of isolation in the pursuit of wealth.
How does Nick feel about the East by the end of the novel?
He becomes disillusioned and returns to the Midwest, rejecting the moral emptiness he sees.
Nick’s return signifies a rejection of the values represented by East Egg.
How does Fitzgerald use weather symbolically?
Weather reflects emotional tone—e.g., heat during the climax symbolizes tension and chaos.
The changing weather parallels the characters’ emotional states.
What does Daisy’s voice symbolize, according to Gatsby?
Wealth—Nick says her voice is “full of money.”
This reflects Gatsby’s view of Daisy as an object of desire.
How is Gatsby’s dream flawed?
It’s based on a past that can’t be recreated and an idealized version of Daisy that doesn’t exist.
Gatsby’s dream is ultimately unattainable.
What role does time play in the novel?
Time is Gatsby’s enemy—his desire to repeat the past dooms him.
The concept of time is central to Gatsby’s tragic flaw.
What is the tone of The Great Gatsby?
Nostalgic, critical, and elegiac—lamenting the loss of idealism and truth.
The tone reflects Fitzgerald’s critique of the American Dream.
What is the novel’s view on the American Dream?
It critiques the dream as corrupted by materialism and unreachable for most.
The novel suggests that the American Dream is a flawed ideal.
