Gatsby

Nick Carraway

The novel's narrator, a thoughtful Midwesterner who moves to West Egg to work in the bond business and observes the lives of the wealthy.

Jay Gatsby

A fabulously wealthy resident of West Egg who throws lavish weekly parties while longing to reunite with his past love, Daisy.

Daisy Buchanan

Nick's cousin and Tom's wife, characterized by her charm, wealth, and moral carelessness, who represents an elusive ideal to Gatsby.

Tom Buchanan

Daisy's immensely wealthy and arrogant husband, known for his physical dominance, infidelity, and hypocritical adherence to old-money privilege.

Jordan Baker

Daisy's cynical friend and a competitive golfer who represents the modern, detached, and dishonest elements of high society.

The Green Light

A symbol located at the end of Daisy's dock that embodies Gatsby's hopes, romantic illusions, and the elusive American Dream.

The Valley of Ashes

A desolate industrial dumping ground between West Egg and New York City that symbolizes moral decay and the plight of the working poor.

The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg

A faded billboard billboard overlooking the Valley of Ashes that George Wilson associates with the watchful, judging eyes of God.

West Egg vs. East Egg

A contrast between the newly rich lacking established pedigree and the aristocratic families possessing generational wealth and social standing.

George Wilson

A meek auto mechanic living in the Valley of Ashes who seeks vengeance for the hit-and-run death of his wife, Myrtle.