The Great Gatsby Chapter One-Four Study Questions

  1. What advice from his father has Nick Carraway lived by for years? What has it enabled him to do in life?
  1. Is Nick a reliable narrator? Why or why not?
  1. Where is Nick originally from? In what kind of family did he grow up?
  1. What two reasons can you give as to why has he come to New York in “the spring of twenty-two”? How would you characterize his family’s reaction to his decision? What might that indicate about Midwestern suspicions of Eastern society?
  1. Where has Nick managed to find a house in New York? Who is his famous neighbor?
  1. What is the difference between East and West Egg? How might it relate to the conflict between old and new money we described in class?
  1. What is the relationship between Nick and the Buchanans?
  1. Who are Tom and Daisy Buchanan? When Tom is introduced, how is he physically characterized? Describe his manner? How might this relate to his upbringing and history?
  1. In what kind of house do the Buchanans live?
  1. Describe Daisy. How does she talk/act? Why is this indicative of her character?
  1. What is Nick’s view of his cousin? How does he respond to her voice and actions?
  1. Let’s not forget Jordan Baker. How is she similar to Daisy? How is she different?
  1. When Nick first arrives, what have Daisy and Ms. Baker evidently been doing all afternoon?
  1. What is the significance of Tom’s reading selection?
  1. During dinner, who phones? How does Ms. Baker react?
  1. Why does Daisy hope her daughter will grow to become a beautiful fool? What happened during dinner that may have prompted Daisy to say this?
  1. After returning home, who does Nick see standing alone in the dark? What strange posture does the figure maintain? In what direction?

The Great Gatsby Chapter 2

  1. The chapter opens with a description of a particularly desolate stretch in the rail commute between West Egg and New York. What is its name? How is it described? What might this place represent? Who or what presides over it like the face of a god?
  1. What day of the week does Nick meet Myrtle Wilson? On whose insistence do they meet and where? How is she physically described?
  1. How does Myrtle’s description contrast with the description of her husband?
  1. Why does Myrtle treat her husband badly? How does her personality change in NYC?
  1. As they head to New York, why does Myrtle travel in another car? Once they arrive, name three things that she buys. What do these desires indicate about her as a character?
  1. In the apartment, what does Myrtle immediately demand? Who all arrives? What do they spend the afternoon doing? How does Myrtle’s sister behave once inside the apartment?
  1. How many times does Myrtle change outfits in Chapter Two? How does her mood change each time?
  1. Describe Myrtle’s party guests’ behavior. What separates them from Nick?
  1. Why does Myrtle explain to the group that she married Mr. Wilson? After dramatically repeating “Daisy” to him, what does Tom Buchanan do to Myrtle?
  1. What elements of Tom’s personality reveal themselves when he hits Myrtle?

The Great Gatsby – Chapter 3

Imagine you’re at Gatsby’s party….

1. You’re one of the many uninvited guests. Look at page 48. You have a lot of

opinions about your host. Name at least 4 things you have heard about him.

2. You’re Nick.

a. Look at page 46. How do you feel at the party? Why?

b. Look at page 52-53. You’ve finally met your host. What is your impression of him?

3. You’re one of the few people from the East Egg at the party. Look at pages 49 and 56.

How are you different from the rest of the partygoers?

4. You’re the middle-aged man with owl-eyed glasses. Look at pages 49-50. What

fascinating discovery have you made about Gatsby? Why are you impressed?

5. You’re Gatsby.

a. Look at pages 53 and 58. How are you spending most of your time at your party?

b. Look at pages 54-55. How are you different from your guests?

6. You’re Nick, and after Gatsby’s party you’re at another party with Jordan Baker.

Look at pages 62 & 63.

a. What do you recall about Jordan?

b. How do you feel about her now?

The Great Gatsby Chapter Four

  1. How – or rather, with what – does Chapter Four begin? What is such attention to detail meant to convey about Gatsby’s parties? What is the “subtle tribute” they all pay him?
  1. When Gatsby first arrives, what aspect of his behavior contradicts his elegant dress and car? What does it indicate about his character?
  1. During the car ride, Gatsby makes a number of seemingly wild claims. Where does he claim to have been raised? Where educated? How does he describe his war experience? What does he explain has motivated all of it?
  1. As they head into New York, who stops them? What happens?
  1. What is Nick’s opinion of New York City? How might this parallel Tom’s view? Gatsby’s?
  1. Of what material are Meyer Wolfshiem’s cufflinks made? After Wolfshiem leaves the table, Gatsby explains that he was responsible for a famous crime: what is it? Why is Nick so incredulous?
  1. During lunch, who does Nick spot across the room? After introducing the two of them, what happens to Gatsby?
  1. How did Daisy and Jordan know one another in Louisville? How did Jordan first encounter Jay Gatsby?
  1. A year afterward, whom did Daisy marry? What gift did she receive? In what kind of state did Jordan find Daisy on the night of her wedding? Where was the gift?
  1. What is significant about Jordan’s story of Daisy’s behavior the night before her wedding? (What was Daisy clutching in her hand?)
  1. What minor embarrassment was Tom involved in shortly after they returned from the honeymoon?
  1. What does Gatsby want Nick to do? Why has Gatsby “read a Chicago paper for years”?