Gatsby / pre-1900 love poetry

“Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him...” p8

AO1 - Nick’s complex feelings towards Gatsby reveal a mix of admiration and disdain, highlighting Gatsby’s ability to embody the American Dream’s allure and flaws.

AO2 - The oxymoron “unaffected scorn” suggests Nick’s contradictory relationship with Gatsby, while “gorgeous” conveys a rare quality that captivates him.

AO3 - Reflects the paradoxical nature of the American Dream, which promises success and beauty but is tainted by moral ambiguity.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy symbolises his romanticisation of an unattainable ideal, which Nick both admires and critiques.

AO5 - Critics often interpret Nick’s description as indicative of Gatsby’s performative nature, suggesting his identity is a constructed façade masking deeper insecurities.

“a cheerful red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay...” p12

AO1 - Tom and Daisy’s home reflects their wealth, privilege, and traditional status, contrasting with Gatsby’s showy, new-money mansion.

AO2 - The imagery of “red and white” conveys both stability and purity, underscoring the façade of their seemingly perfect life.

AO3 - Reflects the division between old and new money in the 1920s, where social class dictated relationships and power dynamics.

AO4 - Social class and barriers to love – The grandeur of Tom and Daisy’s home highlights the societal structures that prevent Gatsby from entering their world.

AO5 - Critics might view the mansion as emblematic of the rigid class divisions of the Jazz Age, where material wealth alone could not guarantee social acceptance.

“a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner…” p12

AO1 - Tom’s physical description reveals his aggressive dominance and sense of entitlement, foreshadowing his controlling behaviour.

AO2 - The adjectives “hard” and “supercilious” emphasise Tom’s arrogance and brutality, while “shining, arrogant eyes” suggest a predatory nature.

AO3 - Reflects patriarchal dominance in the 1920s, where men like Tom used their social and economic power to control women and relationships.

AO4 - Infidelity and betrayal – Tom’s arrogance and dominance are central to his betrayal of Daisy and his affair with Myrtle.

AO5 - Feminist critics might interpret Tom’s description as indicative of toxic masculinity, highlighting his role as a destructive force in the novel.

“two young women were buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon...” p13

AO1 - Daisy and Jordan are presented as ethereal and detached, floating through life with an air of carefree elegance that masks their deeper flaws.

AO2 - The simile “buoyed up... upon an anchored balloon” suggests their superficial, performative femininity, emphasising their insulation from reality.

AO3 - Reflects the superficiality and privilege of the Jazz Age elite, particularly women who conformed to societal expectations of beauty and charm.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – The image of the women highlights the precariousness of their lives, defined by appearances and empty gestures.

AO5 - Critics might argue that this description reflects the performative nature of gender roles, with Daisy and Jordan embodying societal ideals of femininity that conceal their inner complexities.

“low, thrilling voice... Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it...” p14

AO1 - Daisy’s voice captivates Nick, symbolising her ability to seduce and charm, while her “sad” face hints at the unfulfilled nature of her life.

AO2 - The oxymoron “sad and lovely” suggests the duality of Daisy’s character, while the description of her voice elevates her to a mythical, unattainable status.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s emphasis on surface beauty and allure, often masking the emotional emptiness of its characters.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Daisy’s charm seduces those around her, but her superficiality ultimately undermines her relationships.

AO5 - Critics often view Daisy’s voice as a symbol of her power to manipulate, while psychoanalytic readings might explore its connection to Gatsby’s idealised perception of her.

“‘I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’” p22

AO1 - Daisy’s comment about her daughter reflects her awareness of the limited roles available to women and the value placed on beauty over intelligence.

AO2 - The juxtaposition of “beautiful” and “fool” highlights Daisy’s cynical view of femininity, where ignorance is seen as a protective quality.

AO3 - Reflects the patriarchal norms of the 1920s, where women’s value was tied to their appearance and ability to conform to societal expectations.

AO4 - Social class and barriers to love – Daisy’s remark reflects the constraints placed on women in relationships, particularly within the upper class.

AO5 - Feminist critics might argue that Daisy’s comment exposes the oppressive structures of her world, where women are prized for their beauty but denied agency.

“a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock...” p25

AO1 - The green light symbolises Gatsby’s unattainable dream of reuniting with Daisy, representing hope, longing, and the elusiveness of his aspirations.

AO2 - The description of the light as “minute and far away” underscores the distance between Gatsby and his dream, creating a sense of yearning.

AO3 - Reflects the corruption of the American Dream, where the pursuit of success and love often ends in disappointment and disillusionment.

AO4 - Unrequited love and obsession – Gatsby’s fixation on the green light represents his romantic obsession with Daisy and the unattainability of his ideal.

AO5 - Critics often view the green light as a symbol of the futility of the American Dream, with its distance reflecting the impossibility of achieving perfection in love or life.

“We're getting off! I want you to meet my girl.” p27

AO1 - Tom’s objectification of Myrtle highlights his dominance and his casual disregard for social expectations.

AO2 - The possessive “my girl” diminishes Myrtle’s autonomy, while the imperative “I want” reflects Tom’s commanding nature.

AO3 - Reflects 1920s attitudes towards male privilege and power, where wealthy men controlled relationships and ignored societal rules.

AO4 - Infidelity and betrayal – Tom’s selfishness and exploitation of Myrtle underline the transactional nature of their affair.

AO5 - Feminist critics might argue this shows systemic patriarchal control over women’s lives. Marxist readings would critique Myrtle’s commodification as a working-class woman, exploited by Tom for his personal gratification.

“She was in the middle thirties, and faintly stout, but she carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can.” p28

AO1 - Myrtle’s physicality and sensuality suggest her reliance on her body to exert power and appeal to men.

AO2 - The juxtaposition of “faintly stout” with “sensuously” challenges traditional beauty norms, positioning Myrtle as confident despite societal expectations.

AO3 - Reflects the 1920s focus on physical appearance and femininity, particularly for women aspiring to transcend their lower-class roots.

AO4- Materialism and love – Myrtle’s sensuality is tied to her pursuit of wealth and status, reflecting the transactional nature of her relationship with Tom.

AO5 - Critics focusing on gender might argue that Myrtle’s sensuality reveals her desperation to escape poverty, while others could see her as a victim of a system that values women for their appearance and ability to please men.

“She smiled slowly and walking through her husband as if he were a ghost.” p28

AO1 - Myrtle’s disregard for Wilson symbolises her contempt for the domestic life she is trapped in and her pursuit of material aspirations.

AO2 - The simile “as if he were a ghost” diminishes Wilson’s presence, positioning him as irrelevant to Myrtle’s desires.

AO3 - Reflects the disintegration of traditional marriage during the 1920s, where economic and social factors outweighed emotional connections.

AO4 - Infidelity and betrayal – Myrtle’s disdain for Wilson highlights the emotional and physical betrayal within their marriage.

AO5 - Psychoanalytic critics might argue Myrtle’s behaviour stems from a projection of her dissatisfaction with life onto Wilson, making him a scapegoat for her unfulfilled ambitions.

“I was going up to New York to see my sister and spend the night. He had on a dress suit and patent leather shoes and I couldn't keep my eyes off him.” p32

AO1 - Myrtle recounts her first encounter with Tom with admiration, drawn to his wealth and charm, revealing her fixation on materialism.

AO2 - The contrast between Myrtle’s working-class background and Tom’s “dress suit” and “patent leather shoes” highlights the allure of wealth.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s obsession with appearances and material wealth as symbols of power and success.

AO4 - Materialism and love – Myrtle equates love and attraction with wealth, prioritising material gains over genuine emotional connection.

AO5 - Critics might view Myrtle’s infatuation with Tom as symptomatic of the American Dream’s failure, exposing the shallow aspirations of those seeking wealth to escape poverty.

“Neither of them can stand the person they're married to.” p35

AO1 - Nick’s observation reflects the dissatisfaction inherent in Tom and Myrtle’s respective marriages, exposing the fragility of romantic relationships.

AO2 - The blunt declarative sentence mirrors the detachment in both relationships, highlighting the emotional estrangement.

AO3 - Reflects the disillusionment of the Jazz Age, where the pursuit of personal satisfaction often undermined traditional marital commitments.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Both relationships demonstrate the failure of romantic ideals, as marriage becomes a site of disillusionment.

AO5 - Postmodern critics might question Nick’s reliability as a narrator, suggesting his observations are reflective of his own cynicism and detachment from the people he describes.

“It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s a Catholic and they don’t believe in divorce.” p36

AO1 - Tom’s excuse for remaining married to Daisy demonstrates his willingness to fabricate barriers to justify his actions and manipulate others.

AO2 - The statement shifts blame to Daisy, absolving Tom of responsibility, reflecting his manipulative and controlling nature.

AO3 - Reflects the societal stigma surrounding divorce in the 1920s, which allowed men like Tom to maintain control under the guise of social propriety.

AO4 - Social class and barriers to love – Tom uses societal norms as an excuse to maintain power, reinforcing the futility of Myrtle’s aspirations.

AO5 - Critics might interpret this as emblematic of Tom’s hypocrisy, using societal expectations as both a shield and weapon, exposing his double standards.

“The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake.” p37

AO1 - Myrtle’s admission reveals her regret and emotional detachment from her marriage to Wilson, underlining her desire for escape.

AO2 - The repetition of “crazy” underscores Myrtle’s disillusionment, highlighting her realisation that the marriage could never fulfil her aspirations.

AO3 - Reflects the economic and social pressures on women in the 1920s to marry for stability, often at the cost of emotional fulfilment.

AO4 - Love as a source of destruction – Myrtle’s dissatisfaction drives her to infidelity, which ultimately leads to her tragic demise.

AO5 - Feminist critics might see Myrtle’s regret as a commentary on the limited options available to women, reinforcing the systemic inequalities that trap her.

“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” p37

AO1 - Nick’s ambivalence towards the debauchery of Tom and Myrtle’s world highlights his moral detachment and inner conflict as an observer.

AO2 - The paradox of “within and without” encapsulates Nick’s dual role as participant and critic, reflecting the complexity of his perspective.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s excesses, with Nick serving as a moral compass amid the decadence and corruption.

AO4 - Love as a source of destruction – Nick is simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by the chaotic lives and fractured relationships he witnesses.

AO5 - Critics might argue that Nick’s perspective mirrors Fitzgerald’s own conflicted views of the Jazz Age, admiring its vibrancy while condemning its moral emptiness.

“With the influence of the dress her personality had also undergone a change. The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur.” p38

AO1 - Myrtle’s transformation shows how she adopts an air of superiority to align herself with Tom’s social class, but it highlights the fragility of her aspirations.

AO2 - The juxtaposition of “intense vitality” and “impressive hauteur” reflects Myrtle’s attempt to shed her lower-class identity

AO3 - Reflects the performative nature of identity and social mobility in the Jazz Age, particularly for women seeking to escape poverty through relationships.

AO4 - Social class and barriers to love – Myrtle’s assumed hauteur exposes the futility of her attempt to bridge the gap between her and Tom’s world

AO5 - Marxist critics might argue this shows the illusion of social mobility in the 1920s, as Myrtle’s adoption of upper-class behaviour is temporary and superficial, exposing the rigid class divisions.

“Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.” p39

AO1 - Tom’s violence underscores his dominance and entitlement, while exposing the dehumanising treatment Myrtle endures as his mistress.

AO2 - The clinical description of the act, with “short deft movement,” mirrors Tom’s cold, calculated use of physical power.

AO3 - Reflects patriarchal norms in the 1920s, where domestic and relational violence against women often went unchallenged.

AO4 - Love as a source of destruction – Tom’s violence illustrates the destructive nature of relationships rooted in power and control rather than love.

AO5 - Feminist critics would highlight this act as emblematic of systemic gender violence, where women’s bodies are sites of male dominance. Marxist readings would interpret Myrtle’s vulnerability as tied to her class, which makes her an expendable figure in Tom’s world.

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” p41

AO1 - Gatsby’s parties are depicted as ephemeral and dreamlike, symbolising the allure and ultimate emptiness of wealth and excess.

AO2 - The simile “like moths” evokes fragility and transience, while the sensory imagery of “whisperings,” “champagne,” and “stars” creates an intoxicating atmosphere.

AO3 - Reflects the decadence of the Jazz Age, where wealth and pleasure masked the moral and emotional vacuity of society.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy is encapsulated in the fleeting nature of the parties, which reflect his unattainable dream.

AO5 - Critics often see the parties as metaphors for the American Dream, with Gatsby’s efforts to win Daisy reflecting the futility of chasing an idealised vision of love.

“People were not invited – they went there.” p47

AO1 - Gatsby’s parties are portrayed as open yet impersonal, reflecting the superficiality of the relationships and the lack of genuine connection.

AO2 - The passive construction “were not invited” conveys the lack of personal warmth or exclusivity, emphasising the transactional nature of social interactions.

AO3 - Reflects the decline of traditional social norms in the Jazz Age, where parties became arenas for display rather than genuine intimacy.

AO4 - Materialism and love – Gatsby’s parties are a façade for his pursuit of Daisy, exposing how material excess replaces authentic emotional connection.

AO5 - Marxist critics might argue this reflects the commodification of relationships in the 1920s, where social interactions are dictated by wealth and status.

“And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” p50

AO1 - Jordan’s paradoxical view of large parties highlights the impersonal yet liberating nature of Gatsby’s gatherings.

AO2 - The oxymoron “large parties” and “intimate” creates irony, reflecting the detached, voyeuristic relationships within this social circle.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s culture of anonymity and hedonism, where large social gatherings allowed participants to escape personal accountability.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – The superficial connections at Gatsby’s parties contrast with the meaningful love Gatsby hopes to find with Daisy.

AO5 - Critics might view this as a commentary on the hollowness of social relationships in the Jazz Age, with Jordan embodying the self-serving detachment of the elite.

“I wasn’t actually in love, but I felt a sort of tender curiosity.” p58

AO1 - Nick’s detached emotional response to his romantic encounters underscores the disconnection and moral ambiguity of relationships in the Jazz Age.

AO2 - The phrase “tender curiosity” suggests a superficial, fleeting attraction, highlighting Nick’s emotional detachment.

AO3 - Reflects the lack of depth in relationships during the Jazz Age, where personal connections were often replaced by shallow, transient interactions.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Nick’s lack of genuine love contrasts with Gatsby’s romantic idealism, exposing the disparity between ideal and reality.

AO5 - Psychoanalytic critics might argue that Nick’s ambivalence reflects his inability to fully commit emotionally, mirroring the broader uncertainty of his role in the narrative.

“Her grey, sun strained eyes stared straight ahead, but she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her.” p59

AO1 - Nick’s fleeting sense of love reflects his susceptibility to superficial charm but also his awareness of the artificiality of such feelings.

AO2 - The juxtaposition of “sun-strained eyes” and “deliberately shifted” suggests both vulnerability and control, highlighting the ambiguity in Jordan’s behaviour.

AO3 - Reflects the fluid and transient nature of relationships in the Jazz Age, where genuine emotional connections were rare.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – Nick’s momentary belief in love highlights the fragility and instability of romantic perceptions.

AO5 - Critics might argue that Nick’s detachment signifies his role as an unreliable narrator, reflecting his internal struggle with intimacy and connection in a morally ambiguous world.

“One October day in nineteen seventeen—” p72

AO1 - This marks the beginning of Gatsby’s romantic idealisation of Daisy, rooted in a past he has spent years trying to recapture.

AO2 - The temporal marker creates a nostalgic tone, grounding Gatsby’s obsession in a specific memory that defines his future actions.

AO3 - Reflects the 1920s fascination with nostalgia, where characters like Gatsby romanticised the past to avoid facing the disappointments of the present.

AO4 - Time and the impossibility of recapturing the past – Gatsby’s fixation on 1917 foreshadows his tragic inability to recreate a lost moment.

AO5 - Critics often view Gatsby’s obsession with 1917 as indicative of his pursuit of the unattainable, aligning with the broader theme of the American Dream’s failure.

“The officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking, in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at sometime...” p73

AO1 - Gatsby’s gaze romanticises Daisy, presenting her as an object of universal desire and reinforcing the constructed nature of his love.

AO2 - The phrase “every young girl wants to be looked at” generalises Daisy’s experience, making her a symbol of romantic fantasy rather than a unique individual.

AO3 - Reflects the idealisation of romantic love in the Jazz Age, often tied to performative gender roles and societal expectations.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Gatsby’s love for Daisy is less about her as a person and more about fulfilling a constructed romantic ideal.

AO5 - Critics might argue that Gatsby’s gaze exemplifies the male tendency to idealise women, reducing them to objects of desire rather than recognising their autonomy.

“She began to cry—she cried and cried... She wouldn’t let go of the letter.” p74

AO1 - Daisy’s breakdown before her wedding reveals her emotional conflict, torn between love for Gatsby and the pragmatic choice of Tom.

AO2 - The repetition of “cried” conveys the intensity of Daisy’s inner turmoil, while the image of the destroyed letter symbolises her abandoned love for Gatsby.

AO3 - Reflects the constraints placed on women to sacrifice personal desire for societal expectations, particularly in marriage.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – Daisy’s inability to reconcile her love for Gatsby with her social obligations highlights the fragility of her emotions.

AO5 - Psychoanalytic critics might interpret Daisy’s tears as a manifestation of the repressed conflict between her desires and the societal pressures imposed on her.

“Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.” p76

AO1 - Gatsby’s decision to buy the mansion underscores his obsessive desire to be near Daisy, driven by his idealisation of her and the past.

AO2 - The physical proximity “just across the bay” mirrors Gatsby’s emotional distance, highlighting the unattainability of his dreams.

AO3 - Reflects the material excess of the Jazz Age, where wealth was often used as a means of constructing identity and achieving desires.

AO4 - Unrequited love and obsession – Gatsby’s fixation on Daisy illustrates the consuming nature of unfulfilled love.

AO5 - Critics often view Gatsby’s house as a symbol of his overreaching ambition, using material wealth as a means to bridge the gap between his reality and dreams.

“He had waited five years and bought a mansion... so that he could ‘come over’ some afternoon to a stranger's garden.” p76

AO1 - Gatsby’s elaborate plan reveals his desperation and the futility of his attempts to recreate the past, hinging his happiness on an idealised reunion.

AO2 - The anticlimactic phrase “to a stranger’s garden” undercuts the grandeur of Gatsby’s efforts, emphasising the fragility of his romantic illusions.

AO3 - Reflects the impossibility of recapturing the past, a recurring theme in the Jazz Age, where rapid social change left individuals yearning for stability.

AO4 - Time and the impossibility of recapturing the past – Gatsby’s obsession with recreating a specific moment shows the destructive nature of idealised love.

A05 - Critics might see this as emblematic of the failure of the American Dream, where Gatsby’s material success cannot restore the emotional fulfilment he craves.

“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.” p77

AO1 - This binary framework encapsulates the relentless pursuit of desires, particularly in relationships, and the exhaustion of never attaining satisfaction.

AO2 - The rhythmic balance of the sentence mirrors the cyclical and unending nature of pursuit and desire.

AO3 - Reflects the moral emptiness of the Jazz Age, where individuals were defined by their pursuit of pleasure, wealth, or unattainable ideals.

AO4 - Love as a source of destruction – The relentless pursuit of love or material gain leads to emotional exhaustion and moral decay.

AO5 - Critics often view this line as an encapsulation of the Jazz Age’s existential despair, where individuals are trapped in a cycle of unfulfilled longing and discontent.

“The day agreed upon was pouring rain. At eleven o'clock a man in a raincoat dragging a lawn-mower tapped at my front door and said that Mr. Gatsby had sent him over to cut my grass.” p81

AO1 - The rain sets a tone of tension and anticipation, reflecting Gatsby’s nervous energy as he prepares for his reunion with Daisy.

AO2 - The imagery of the “pouring rain” creates a melancholic, charged atmosphere, foreshadowing the emotional intensity of the meeting.

AO3 - Reflects Gatsby’s obsessive desire for perfection and control, symbolised by the seemingly trivial act of sending someone to cut Nick’s grass.

AO4 - Unrequited love and obsession – Gatsby’s meticulous preparations underscore his obsession with impressing Daisy.

AO5 - Critics might interpret the rain as a metaphor for the uncertainty and emotional turbulence of Gatsby’s desires, reflecting the fragility of his romantic illusions.

"“Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt and gold coloured tie hurried in. He was pale and there were dark signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes.” p81

AO1 - Gatsby’s appearance highlights his anxious vulnerability, contrasting with the ostentatious wealth implied by his clothing.

AO2 - The juxtaposition of his luxurious outfit (“gold coloured tie”) with his pale, exhausted appearance underscores the emotional toll of his obsession.

AO3 - Reflects the dissonance between Gatsby’s outward display of wealth and his inner turmoil, shaped by his relentless pursuit of an unattainable ideal.

AO4 - Materialism and love – Gatsby uses material symbols to impress Daisy, masking his emotional fragility.

AO5 - Psychoanalytic critics might argue that Gatsby’s appearance symbolises the strain of maintaining his idealised persona for Daisy, reflecting the tension between fantasy and reality.

“The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain.” p82

AO1 - Daisy’s voice captivates Gatsby, symbolising the allure of her presence and the romantic idealisation he projects onto her.

AO2 - The metaphor “wild tonic” conveys the intoxicating effect of Daisy’s voice, suggesting its power to revitalise Gatsby’s emotional state.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s emphasis on superficial allure and the fleeting, sensory experiences that often replaced genuine emotional connection.

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Gatsby’s fixation on Daisy’s voice exemplifies his romantic idealisation, reducing her to a symbol of perfection.

AO5 - Critics might view Daisy’s voice as a representation of her ability to seduce and manipulate, reinforcing her role as a symbol of Gatsby’s unattainable dream.

“For half a minute there wasn't a sound...‘I certainly am awfully glad to see you again.’ A pause; it endured horribly.” p83

AO1 - The awkwardness of Gatsby and Daisy’s initial interaction underscores the gap between Gatsby’s idealised vision of Daisy and the reality of their reunion.

AO2 - The fragmented structure, with pauses and hesitant dialogue, mirrors the tension and discomfort in the scene.

AO3 - Reflects the dissonance between romantic fantasy and reality, where Gatsby’s expectations clash with the awkwardness of real-life interactions.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – The clumsy reunion reveals the vulnerability of Gatsby’s constructed fantasy of Daisy.

AO5 - Critics might argue this moment represents Gatsby’s first confrontation with the reality of Daisy as a flawed individual, destabilising his romantic idealisation.

“His head leaned back so far that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock.” p84

AO1 - Gatsby’s interaction with the clock symbolises his futile attempt to control time and relive the past with Daisy.

AO2 - The image of the “defunct mantelpiece clock” suggests the impossibility of reversing time, reflecting Gatsby’s doomed desire to recreate his lost dream.

AO3 - Reflects the novel’s broader theme of time as an insurmountable barrier to fulfilling idealised love.

AO4 - Time and the impossibility of recapturing the past – The clock embodies Gatsby’s inability to reclaim a moment frozen in time.

AO5 - Critics often interpret this moment as emblematic of Gatsby’s tragic flaw: his refusal to accept the passage of time and its impact on his dreams.

“After his embarrassment and his unreasoning joy... he was running down like an overwound clock.” p89

AO1 - Gatsby’s emotional reaction to Daisy reflects the toll of his long-held dream, symbolising the exhaustion of maintaining his illusions.

AO2 - The simile “running down like an overwound clock” captures Gatsby’s emotional deflation, linking him to the recurring motif of time.

AO3 - Reflects the inevitable collapse of Gatsby’s illusions, as the effort to sustain them proves unsustainable.

AO4 - Time and the impossibility of recapturing the past – The overwound clock symbolises Gatsby’s futile attempts to sustain his dream beyond its limits.

AO5 - Critics often interpret Gatsby’s exhaustion as indicative of the broader futility of the American Dream, where relentless striving leads to eventual disillusionment.

“‘They’re such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed... ‘It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.’” p89

AO1 - Daisy’s tears reveal her emotional vulnerability but also her materialistic values, as her response focuses on Gatsby’s wealth rather than his emotions.

AO2 - The fragmented speech and repetition of “beautiful shirts” highlight Daisy’s superficiality, reducing Gatsby’s achievements to material symbols.

AO3 - Reflects the materialism of the Jazz Age, where emotions and relationships were often mediated through wealth and possessions.

AO4 - Materialism and love – Daisy’s response to the shirts underscores the influence of material wealth in defining her emotional attachments.

AO5 - Critics often view this scene as emblematic of Daisy’s inability to love Gatsby for himself, with her tears reflecting nostalgia for the lifestyle he represents rather than genuine affection.

“Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever...” p90

AO1 - Gatsby realises that the green light no longer holds the same symbolic power now that Daisy is within reach, reflecting the fragility of his illusions.

AO2 - The metaphor of the light’s “colossal significance” diminishing underscores the emptiness of Gatsby’s dreams when confronted with reality.

AO3 - Reflects the novel’s critique of idealism, where the pursuit of an unattainable dream often renders the reality unsatisfying.

AO4 - The fragility of romantic illusions – The green light symbolises the unattainability of Gatsby’s dream, even when he believes it is within his grasp.

AO5 - Critics often interpret the green light as a symbol of the American Dream’s elusiveness, with its diminished significance reflecting the collapse of Gatsby’s idealised vision.

“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams…” p92

AO1 - Gatsby’s dreams of Daisy begin to falter, not because of her faults but because of the unattainable ideal he has constructed around her

AO2 - The verb “tumbled” conveys the slow collapse of Gatsby’s illusions, while “colossal vitality of his illusion” highlights the intensity of his idealism

AO3 - Reflects the impossibility of sustaining romanticised ideals in the face of human flaws and reality

AO4 - Idealised love vs. reality – Gatsby’s disillusionment stems from the disparity between Daisy as a real person and the perfect vision he has created of her

AO5 - Psychoanalytic critics might argue that Gatsby’s disappointment reflects the inherent tension between the ideal and the real, a theme central to Fitzgerald’s critique of romantic and material aspirations

“No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.” p92

AO1 - Nick reflects on the enduring power of idealised memories, which remain untouched by the realities of life, love, and time.

AO2 - The metaphor “ghostly heart” evokes the haunting nature of Gatsby’s memories, which linger as unfulfilled desires and unreachable ideals.

AO3 - Reflects the Jazz Age’s emphasis on nostalgia and the tension between the past and present, where memories often overshadow the present reality.

AO4 - Time and the impossibility of recapturing the past – Gatsby’s heart is dominated by an idealised vision that reality can never satisfy.

AO5 - Critics often view this as an encapsulation of Gatsby’s tragedy, where his internalised idealism leads to his ultimate downfall.

“that voice was a deathless song.” p93

AO1 - Daisy’s voice continues to captivate Gatsby, representing the one aspect of her that remains consistent with his idealised vision of her.

AO2 - The metaphor “deathless song” elevates Daisy’s voice to a mythical status, making it the embodiment of Gatsby’s enduring dream.

AO3 - Reflects the novel’s critique of romantic idealisation, where individuals focus on superficial traits rather than deeper emotional connections.

AO4 - Unrequited love and obsession – Gatsby’s fixation on Daisy’s voice exemplifies his obsession with one idealised element, ignoring her flaws.

AO5 - Critics might argue that Daisy’s voice represents her power to seduce and control, while Gatsby’s obsession with it reflects his inability to see her as a complete individual.

CONTINUE FROM CH6