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What are the main themes in The Great Gatsby
Time (past and future)- the past haunts Gatsby and the future weighs down on Nick.
The American Dream- corruption (Gatsby’s wealth doesn’t make him happy because he doesnt have Daisy and George works hard but is still poor and doesnt achieve the American dream.)
Class (Old Money vs New money)- developing class rivalry between old and new money.
The roaring twenties-
What are the main motifs in The Great Gatsby?
The green light- symbolises Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, Daisy and also its faraway like Daisy, he can see but cant touch.
The Eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg- god and corruption of the American Dream and consumerism
The Valley of ashes- represents the ruin of the people caught between NY(mystery and beauty) and West Egg (getting rich off of the roaring twenties)
East Egg and West Egg- old vs new money, both as corrupt as each other,
Gatsby’s mansion- emptiness and loneliness of richness: fills his house with parties but is all alone because Daisy isnt there.
Gatsby’s car
Who are the major characters in The Great Gatsby?
Jay Gatsby
Nick Carraway
Daisy Buchanan
Tom Buchanan
Jordan Baker
Myrtle Wilson
George Wilson
Meyer Wolfsheim
Summarise Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby
1922: After Yale, Nick moves from Minnesota to New York.
Nick rents a house in West Egg and Nick introduces Gatsby who he only knows by name.
Nick goes to Tom and Daisy’s mansion and meets Jordan Baker.
Tom rants about the downfall of civilisation.
At the end of the chapter, Nick sees Gatsby looking out towards the lake and extends his arm towards the green light at the end of a dock.
Analyse Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby
“old money” faces “new money” across the water symbolically shows the class rivalry, each egg literally opposes each other.
Gatsby’s mansion represents “new money” and the garishness of it- overcompensation.
Tom’s riding clothes identify him as old money.
Jordans boredom shows the emptiness and old money.
Tom’s outburst shows that old money is insecure about the rise of new money- old money hides corruption and hatred behind manners.
Tom’s mistress shows the hypocrisy and rot at the heart of old money.
Gatsby reaching for the light shows that Gatsby is a seeker of unattainable dreams.
Summarise chapter 2
Nick goes to the Valley of Ashes with Tom and sees the eyes of Doctor TJ Eckleburg.
Nick and Tom go to Wilson’s auto garage and we find out Myrtle is Tom’s mistress.
Tom, Myrtle and Nick go to her cramped apartment and Catherine (Myrtle’s sister shows up). Nick gets drunk for the second time in his life.
Rumours swirl about Gatsby being related to the Kaiser etc
Tom gives Myrtle a puppy.
Myrtle starts teasing Tom by repeatedly saying Daisy and Tom punches her, breaking her nose.
Analyse chapter 2
Tom (old money) uses George (no money) for his own personal means. Wilson is left defeated and weak with vague dreams he cant fulfill whereas Myrtle wants to be a part of the world she can see but cant touch.
The drunk party shows the fun and desperation of the roaring twenties.
Rumours about Gatsby further reinforce his “mask” he is so mysterious he seems almost hollow- all surface and no substance.
Tom’s horrible treatment of Myrtle shows his cruel side of old money. His loyalty to Daisy also shows his hypocrisy as he’s cheating on her.
Summarise chapter 3
Nick gets invited to Gatsby’s party. Lots f rumours spread about Gatsby as no one knows who he really is.
Nick runs into Jordan and admires the luxuries: orchestra, alcohol, imported fruits.
Nick meets the owl man admiring Gatsby’s books
Nick meets Gatsby and doesnt know who he is at first. Gatsby calls him “old sport”
Jordan leaves to have a private conversation with Gatsby.
Nick sees a crashed car with Owl Eyes as the driver when leaving the party.
Nick describes his everyday to the reader so he doesnt appear to just be going to parties.
Analyse chapter 3
People used Gatsby for his parties: Gatsby continues to be a man that doesn’t exist more than rumours. Nick’s discomfort of the party shows that he senses the emptiness behind the party.
The luxury of the party seems to be the fulfilment of the American Dream.
The books contain realism just for show, the hollowness of money.
Gatsby’s enchanting smile is like a mask, it has an emptiness beneath like the roaring twenties.
Gatsby’s distance shows he has other goals.
Suddenly Gatsby has a story and a past, more than a rumour.
The car crash is symbolic in two ways: reckless disregard of the roaring twenties and the inevitable plunge Fitzgerald felt would end the boom. It also foreshadows Myrtle’s car accident.
Nick isnt comfortable with the carefree mentality and loose morals.
Summarise chapter 4
Nick and Gatsby go to New York and Gatsby tells him his “backstory” and to get him to help meet up with Daisy.
Gatsby and Nick meet Meyer Wolfsheim for lunch. Gatsby is a man if fine breeding. Wolfshiem helped him out and fixed the world series.
Nick sees Tom in the restaurant and introduces him to Gatsby.
Nick meets Jordan at the Plaza and she tells him about Daisy and Gatsby’s love affair.
We find out that Gatsby bought his mansion to be close to Daisy and learn the significance of the green light. “Why do you think he throws all those parties? He was waiting for her”
Analyse chapter 4
Gatsby completed reinvents himself with his “backstory”. Gatsby achieved the american dream but at the cost of his past and identity.
Wolfshiem’s connection to Gatsby is a sign of the corruption of “new money” and the American Dream.
Foreshadows the conflict between Tom and Gatsby
Gatsby’s purpose becomes clear.
Daisy chose the security of money over love. Gatsby made himself rich: thinks the money will win Daisy back. The green light represents Gatsby’s dream of recreating the past with Daisy and the corruption of money.
Summarise chapter 5
Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy to his house so he can meet with her in secret.
Gatsby knocks a clock of off Nick’s mantle piece when talking with Daisy.
Gatsby takes Nick and Daisy on a tour of the mansion and she has a breakdown.
Nick thinks about how Gatsby has remained faithful to Daisy whereas she moved on from him.
Gatsby says that the mist blocks his view of Daisy’s house and the green light.
Analyse chapter 5
Nick agrees to help Gatsby achieve his dream (Daisy). Gatsby reveals how he has been corrupted by his pursuit of money he feels is crucial to making his love with Daisy a reality.
Gatsby destroys time as he wants to recreate the past with Daisy.
Daisy’s breakdown: she realises Gatsby could have given her the life she chose by marrying Tom and she realises that she is mostly in love with money (doubtful)
Gatsby’s focus on the past prevents him from seeing how Daisy has changed.
The light has no significance as Gatsby has achieved his dream: Daisy.
Summarise chapter 6
Nick tells us that Gatsby is visited by reporters and then tells us his true backstory of being James Gatz and Dan Cody.
Gatsby and Tom are both at Nick’s and Tom asks Gatsby to his house (politeness) and Gatsby says yes.
Tom and Daisy go to Gatsby’s party, Tom is disdainful and Daisy doesnt have a great time.
Gatsby tells Nick that he can recreate the past.
Nick talks about the first time Gatsby kissed Daisy.
Analyse chapter 6
Gatsby is a self-made man and literally created himself.
The conflict between Tom and Gatsby (old vs new) continues to build. Old money insincere politeness- old money hides its cruelty.
Daisy having a bad time suggests Gatsby wont be able to recreate their love.
Nick calls Gatsby’s sentimentality appalling because it made Daisy a symbol of perfection.
Summarise chapter 7
Analyse chapter 7
Summarise chapter 8
Analyse chapter 8
Summarise chapter 9
Analyse chapter 9
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