Name ______Task 3.2
The Great Gatsby
Chapter 1 Study Guide
- What is the purpose of the first four paragraphs that open the novel?
They are used as a prologue that introduce Nick Carraway
- What is the advice that Nick says he received from his dad?
“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had.”
- Why do you think Nick shares this advice with the readers?
He is telling the reader that he is not a man who jumps to conclusions, but has learned to give people the benefit of the doubt. Fitzgerald wants to establish Nick as a credible narrator and a sympathetic character.
- How would Nick best be described?
Nick is highly moral and tolerant
- How does Fitzgerald present Nick as a reliable narrator?
Nick is both inside and outside of the story
- When Nick states, “My family have been prominent, well-to-do people….for three generations...” what purpose does that serve for the reader?
It makes Nick’s participation with socialites, money, and privilege believable for the reader.
- Describe the setting of the story. (time and location)
1922 in West Egg and East Egg, 20 miles east of New York City near Long Island Sound.
- Describe the differences between West Egg and East Egg.
They are dissimilar in every way but size and shape. East Egg is more fashionable; the residents are from old money. West Egg is the newly rich, considered gauche and uncultured by the East Eggers.
- How does Nick know Daisy and Tom?
Nick is Daisy’s second cousin once removed. Tom went to college with Nick.
- Identify the figure of speech present in the following sentence and explain its meaning: “two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all.”
Oxymoron. “Old friends” indicates a deep, long lasting friendship, but he says he scarcely knows them at all. Suggests the superficiality of the upper class. While he has known them a long time, he does not know them well. This suggests the superficiality of the upper class.
- What imagery does Fitzgerald use to describe the Buchanan palace? What figure of speech does he employ to make this imagery come alive?
The lawn appears as a runner that draws the reader toward the house. Fitzgerald uses personification.
- How is Tom described in the story? What tone is used in his description?
He is described as a straw-haired, bossy, muscular man in his thirties with arrogant eyes. Words with negative connotations are used such as arrogant, proud, hard, shifting, and cruel. This causes the reader to immediately dislike him.
- What mood does Fitzgerald create in the Buchanan home and how does he do this?
He creates a light, airy mood by having the wind slowing through the room, lifting the curtains, ruffling the ladies’ dresses. He uses a simile comparing the couch to a balloon to add to the airy, light feeling.
- Who is the other person in the Buchanan home and what does she do for a living?
Jordan Baker, a professional golfer. She’s a friend of Daisy’s.
- Cite the anaphoras used in this section of the story and explain their use.
“Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes, and a bright passionate mouth.” And “A promise that she had done gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour.” By forcing the reader to read these sentences rapidly the anaphoras contribute to the light mood.
- Give at least one hyperbole used in this section and explain the author’s purpose in using it.
“The whole town is desolate” and Nick’s comments after that add humor and emphasize the superficial boredom of the upper class.
- When Nick explains what he does for a living, what annoys him about Tom’s response?
Nick is annoyed that Tom is quick to remark he has never heard of the bond company Nick works for. It is Tom’s way of diminishing Nick, keeping him in his place.
- What allusion is present in this section of the story and what does it highlight?
“Have you read The Rise of the Colored Empires by this man Goddard?” an allusion to Theodore Lothrop Stoddard’s The Rising Tide of Color Against White World Supremacy. It suggests the prevalent racism in 20th century America.
- What do we learn about Jordan Baker’s personality that’s unflattering?
She is an unashamed eavesdropper
- What rhetorical device is displayed when Nick says he wanted to “look squarely at everyone, and yet to avoid all eyes?” What does it convey to the reader?
Antithesis- a contrasting relationship between two ideas. The author uses this in this conversation to convey to the reader a sense of complexity in a person, namely Tom.
- When the phone rings during dinner who does everyone suspect is on the phone? What does Nick say that indicates this?
They suspect it’s Tom’s mistress calling. Nick states that no one “was able utterly to put this fifth guest’s shrill metallic urgency out of mind.”
- What can the reader infer about Daisy’s emotional state and her relationship with Tom?
Daisy is something of a phony, but is genuinely disturbed by Tom’s philandering.
- What does Daisy mean by the following statement: “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
Daisy is the product of an environment that does not value intelligent, thinking women. It is preferable, in the society of the 20s, to simply be beautiful and simple.
- Daisy questions Nick’s romantic life. What does his reply infer about his character?
He is not a man who will be rumored into doing anything. He has a backbone and can think for himself. The rumors were the very thing that caused him to cut things off. It also suggests he’s overly sensitive to the judgment of others.
- What are the conflicting emotions Nick feels as he drives away? Why does he feel these things?
He feels touched that Daisy and Tom are genuinely interested in his life. He is confused about why Daisy does not act more maternal, more like a wife and mother. He is disgusted, but not surprised, by Tom’s infidelity.
The Great Gatsby
Chapter 2 Study Guide
- Look at the first paragraph of chapter 2. What device does Fitzgerald use to create a musical effect? Give examples.
Fitzgerald uses alliteration like railroad runs, fantastic farm, grotesque gardens, cars crawl, and obscure operations.
- What is it that overlooks the valley of ashes? What could this symbolize?
The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. They are huge, with retinas one yard high. They see everything that comes and goes, so perhaps they are symbolic of God.
- Compare and contrast Daisy and Myrtle.
Daisy is smart, beautiful, rich, and refined. She comes from old money and has all that she needs. Myrtle is not very smart, a bit heavy, poor, and rough. She lives in the valley of ashes and own essentially nothing.
- How does Fitzgerald develop the character of Myrtle?
He first uses direct description by describing her as thickish, sensuous, and has vitality. He also develops her through her actions when she purchases the “Town Tattle” magazine, sits on Tom’s lap, making phone calls and smoking. He also develops her actions through her speech when she states “I don’t suppose you got that kind?” These descriptions indicate her commonness.
- How has Fitzgerald used colors to support the developing theme of the American dream?
In chapter one he speaks of wine-colored rugs and rosy porches, the while palaces and windows. In chapter two he speaks of blue eye and, the blue Mediterranean. The theme of the American Dream are developed by the colors of the flag: red, white, and blue
- What do Tom and Myrtle purchase while in the city?
They purchase a dog.
- What is Myrtle saying of society when she says of her sister, “She’s said to be very beautiful by people who ought to know?”
This indicates there are some in society who set the standards for others and that this is acceptable to her.
- What is a driving factor in choosing a husband during this time period?
Social status, breeding, and sophistication.
- How does Fitzgerald emphasize the smallness of the apartment?
He uses anaphora.. “a small living room, a small dining room, a small bedroom…”
- How is the party at the apartment different from the dinner at the Buchanans’? How is it similar?
The dinner at the Buchanans’ was elegant and refined. The part is a raucous, drunken affair. But at both parties there is an air of boredom from a sense of meaninglessness. And there is also a good deal of unhappiness and posturing.
- What is the purpose of Fitzgerald bringing the McKees into the story since they only appear in chapter two?
They highlight the social stratification of the time and serve as counterpoints to Gatsby and his crowd.
- This sentence is an example of which rhetorical device? “Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment…” What does this convey to the reader?
It’s an asyndeton which gives the impression that the list is not complete and these are a few of the characteristics that cause her to seem so large and make the room shrink around her.
- What change takes places in Myrtle during the party as indicated in the previous sentence from the text?
She becomes louder and more obnoxious as the night goes on.
- What is the rumor Nick overhears about Gatsby and what does this tell the reader about Gatsby’s reputation?
Gatsby is a nephew or cousin to Kaiser Wilhelm, ruler of Germany from 1871-1918. At the time he was largely blamed for the start of WWI. Many people are afraid of him and his past is unknown so he is mysterious.
- Why did Tom break Myrtle’s nose? What does this tell us about Tom and what does it indicate about his allegiance to Daisy and Myrtle?
She mentioned Daisy’s name and tauntingly shouts it over and over. While he sees his affair as allowable, it’s evident his allegiance lies with Daisy. Earlier, Fitzgerald foreshadowed Tom’s violent tendencies- he’s described as a brute of a man and it’s evident he does not value women.
The Great Gatsby
Chapter 3 Study Guide
- What is the setting of Chapter 3?
Gatsby’s mansion in West Egg.
- How are Chapter 2 and 3 similar?
People arrive and drink at a party. Chapter 2 introduces the reader to Tom’s crowd and Chapter 3 introduces the reader to Gatsby’s crowd. In both instances, everyone ends up drunk and unhappy.
- What is the purpose of Fitzgerald waiting until Chapter 3 to introduce Gatsby?
Fitzgerald is able to knit a closer relationship between Nick and the reader. It also creates an air of mystery surrounding Gatsby and emphasizes his theatrical approach to life that’s an important part of his personality.
- What is the main difference between Nick and the other guests?
Nick was actually invited to the party.
- What is suggested by Nick twice stating he had “actually been invited?”
It indicates he did not expect the invite and was surprised to get it.
- Who is the only person at the party that Nick actually knows?
Jordan Baker
- What does Nick mean by saying the people at the party conduct “themselves according to the rules of an amusement park?”
It compares Gatsby’s parties to the atmosphere in an amusement park. There are many things going on at the same time in different places, many things to drink and eat, many people who don’t know one another. Also, it highlights the fact that people at the party lack manners, even to the point of showing up at a party uninvited, and their lack of breeding stand out to Nick.
- What do Gatsby and Nick have in common?
They were both in the Third Division in France, during the war.
- What does Fitzgerald convey about Gatsby when Nick says “…I was looking at an elegant young roughneck….whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd. Some time before he introduced himself I’d got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care.”
A roughneck is an ill-mannered rough person. We haven’t seen anything of Gatsby suggesting this so we can assume that Fitzgerald is suggesting that there’s something hard-looking about Gatsby. That he is “picking his words with care” suggests that he was speaking in a manner with which he was not comfortable.
- During the party, the reader receives a clue about Gatsby’s profession. What is that clue?
He receives a call from Chicago. At this time, Chicago was the seat of organized crime and bootlegging in the 1920s. This suggests that he received at least part of his money from bootlegging.
- How is Gatsby’s behavior at the party different from that of his guests?
He doesn’t drink nor socialize too much, and his behavior becomes more correct at the evening progresses.
- What is the significance of the phone calls Gatsby receives and what does it add to the development of his character? What does the lack of calls to Tom demonstrate?
Gatsby is always receiving phone calls that seem to be business related. These add mystery to his wealth. Tom never receives business phone calls and never seems to have work to do, which indicates his wealth is old and secure.
- How does Fitzgerald convey that the driver of the car is drunk?
He changes the speech pattern, uses many misspelled words, and has him speak illogically.
- What is the second ugly character flaw revealed about Jordan? How does this affect the reader?
She is a chronic liar. She lies in her private life and her public life as an athlete. The reader has been warned and should not take anything she says to heart.
- What is revealed about Nick’s character in this chapter?
He is desperately honest. He can’t even date two women at the same time without feeling guilty. This makes him even more of a credible narrator.
- The first three chapters span what period of time?
They cover three nights in depth that took place several weeks apart.
- Give an example of polysyndeton and tell how it contributes to the impact of the chapter.
“With mops and scrubbing brushes and hammers and garden shears”. It conveys multiplicity and adds build-up. It also gives the idea that if it can be found, Gatsby owns it. If it can be purchases, Gatsby owns it. At his house, the party goes on and on and on.