The Great Gatsby - Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes covering themes, characters, and plot details of The Great Gatsby.

What are some of the major themes explored in 'The Great Gatsby'?

American Dream, class, love, wealth, memory, dissatisfaction, isolation, mortality, marriage, gender, lies, education, compassion, and religion.

According to Shmoop, what does 'The Great Gatsby' critique?

The American Dream and social mobility. It also exposes the emptiness behind wealth and high society.

What aspects did Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation emphasize?

Spectacle and excess, using modern visuals and music to connect Gatsby's world to contemporary audiences.

What issues make 'The Great Gatsby' relevant in American culture?

Class, race, aspiration, and the fragility of the American Dream.

What is the symbolic connection of the original cover art?

The motif of watchful eyes and the emptiness of signs and symbols.

According to the Smithsonian article, what may the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg symbolize?

Moral and spiritual oversight, or the lack thereof.

According to Jesmyn Ward, how do youthful readers relate to Gatsby?

They empathize with Gatsby’s ambition and romanticism.

According to Jesmyn Ward, what do adult readers recognize about Gatsby?

The tragedy of his inability to change and his doomed quest for acceptance.

What does A.O. Scott's article say about the evolution of 'The Great Gatsby'?

It has been reinterpreted to reflect changing American values and anxieties, becoming a mirror for American society.

According to A.O. Scott, what has Gatsby and his world become?

Archetypes, referenced in films, TV, music, fashion.

What is the significance of Gatsby's criminal activities to the story?

It exposes the dark underside of the American Dream and highlights Gatsby's outsider status.

According to Jesmyn Ward, what are Gatsby’s criminal acts depicted as?

Desperate acts of self-invention and survival, not as moral failings.

What does Gatsby's criminality ensure?

He will never truly belong to the elite circles he desperately wants to join.

In Chapter 1, how does Nick describe himself?

As someone who is nonjudgmental and reserves judgment about others.

In Chapter 1, what are the differences between West Egg and East Egg?

West Egg is 'new money,' less fashionable; East Egg is 'old money,' more refined and established.

In Chapter 1, how does Nick describe Tom Buchanan?

Physically powerful, aggressive, arrogant, and having a sense of entitlement.

In Chapter 1, what is Gatsby doing when Nick first sees him?

Standing alone on his lawn, reaching out toward a distant green light.

In Chapter 2, where does Tom take Nick to meet his mistress?

George Wilson’s garage.

In Chapter 2, describe the setting of the valley of the ashes.

It’s a desolate, gray wasteland symbolizing decay and moral emptiness.

In Chapter 3, how does Nick differ from other guests at Gatsby’s party?

He was actually invited and doesn’t get drunk or act recklessly.

In Chapter 3, what does the owl-eyed man in the library find extraordinary?

The books are real, not just for show.

In Chapter 4, what accomplishment of Wolfsheim’s does Gatsby describe?

Fixing the 1919 World Series.

In Chapter 4, what did Daisy do on her wedding day?

She got drunk and tried to call off the wedding because of a letter from Gatsby.

In Chapter 5, what is the weather like when Daisy and Gatsby reunite?

Rainy and stormy at first, then clearing-mirroring the emotional tension and resolution.

In Chapter 6, when does James Gatz change his name?

At age 17, when he meets Dan Cody.

In Chapter 6, what does Gatsby want Daisy to do?

To tell Tom she never loved him and leave him.

In Chapter 7, why does Gatsby stop giving parties?

To please Daisy, who dislikes them.

In Chapter 7, how does Gatsby characterize Daisy’s voice?

He says it is 'full of money,' meaning it reflects her wealth and privilege.

In Chapter 8, what does the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg symbolize to Wilson?

The eyes represent the eyes of God, watching and judging.

In Chapter 9, what does the call from Chicago tell us about Gatsby’s business?

It was illegal and involved organized crime.

In Chapter 9, what does Nick mean by “this has been a story of the West”?

The main characters are all from the Midwest; the East corrupts them.

In Chapter 9, how does Nick characterize Tom and Daisy? What have they “smashed”?

They are careless people who destroy lives and retreat into their money.