The Great Gatsby Inference Exercise
Read pages 1 and 2 and then write the statement that best reflects Nick’s attitudes based upon what you’ve read.
1. “Remember that all the people in this world heven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”
____ a. He is luckier than others.
____ b. All the people in the world have had advantages.
2. “I’m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me....”
____ a. He has a curious nature
____ b. He waits awhile before forming an opinion.
3. “The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality....”
____ a. Normal people don’t like him.
____ b. Abnormal people are drawn to him.
4. “I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men.”
____ a. Upset people shared sorrows with him.
____ b. He was unjustly accused of a crime.
5. “Conduct may be founded on the hard rock or the wet marshes.”
____ a. A person’s behavior is either good or bad.
____ b. A person behaves the way he does because of solid principles or lax ones.
6. “I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart.”
____ a. He doesn’t want to be involved with a person like Gatsby again.
____ b. He doesn’t want to share any person’s secret confidences again.
7. “Only Gatsby ....was exempt from my reaction.”
____ a. He could share Gatsby’s secret confidences.
____ b. He would not wish to share Gatsby’s secret confidences.
8. “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn.”
____ a. Gatsby stood for everything Nick admired.
____ b. Gatsby stood for everything Nick disliked.
9. “If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life.”
____ a. Gatsby’s personality reflected his confidence in life’s prospects.
____ b. Gatsby’s personality was beautiful because of his success.
Based on the information given on page one, complete this sentence: One of the points the narrator is making is that ______
In your own words, what is Nick’s mixed attitude toward Gatsby?