Gatsby Socratic Seminar

East Egg

represents old money, contrasts with West Egg’s new money. home of Tom and Daisy. its residents look down on West Egg. represents carelessness protected by privilege. Ch. 9 - Tom and Daisy retreat back into their money

green light

American dream. Across the water, Gatsby reaches for it but it is always unattainable

Gatsby’s shirts

represent his fortune. proof he has achieved the status he believed would win Daisy back. shirts are outer garments, showing Gatsby’s likfe is built on spectacle and image. surface vs. substance.

significance of the novel’s title

“Great” like stage magicians. Gatsby constructs a persona through lavish parties, rumors about his past, and a reinvented identity (Ch 6).

is Gatsby great?

no. his wealth comes from crime. his dream is built on illusion. he idealizes Daisy unrealistically and cannot accept reality.

is Gatsby worth them all?

Nick thinks so because Gatsby seems “morally superior” to the rest of their group.

marriage in the novel

transactional, not romantic. based on status and security. infidelity, power imbalance, emotionally hollow

Daisy and Tom

socially and financially successful, built on wealth and status. Daisy chooses Tom for his money. Chapter 4. Infidelity, Chapter 1. Open, ongoing affairs

Myrtle and George

built on disappointment. Myrtle regrets the marriage, chapter 2. Economic desperation - George is poor. Myrtle seeks escape through Tom. Wealth = happiness

Gatsby’s dream = American dream

self-made reinvention. Transforms himself from James Gatz, a poor midwesterner, into a wealthy figure. Mirrors core idea of the American Dream: anyone can rise through ambition and effort. Ch. 6 reinvention.

materialism

wealth replaces moral values. characters measure worth through money and status. Tom and Daisy avoid consequences because they are rich. materialism creates emptiness. Gatsby’s parties are lavish but superficial. Ch. 3 - guests attend for spectacle, not connection. no one attends his funeral. wealth attracts attention, not loyalty.

Valley of Ashes

the moral, social, and physical decay resulting from uninhibited pursuit of wealth. Located between West Egg and NYC, this bleak industrial wasteland represents the forgotten working class exploited by the rich, serving as a "graveyard" for the American Dream

Gatsby’s books

his fraudulent, curated persona and the emptiness of his, and the 1920s', materialistic facade. While appearing impressive, the books are never read, highlighting that Gatsby's"Oxford man" persona is a constructed, hollow, and superficial show.

automobiles

the recklessness, moral decay, and superficiality of the wealthy during the 1920s. They represent status and the American Dream, with Gatsby’s yellow Rolls-Royce highlighting his "new money" desire to impress, while Tom's blue coupe represents "old money". They also serve as instruments of destruction, leading to death.