The Great Gatsby Vocab

Flashcards about The Great Gatsby

East Egg

Location representing old money and established social status in The Great Gatsby.

West Egg

Location representing new money and those who lack established social status in The Great Gatsby.

Valley of the Ashes

Symbolic location representing moral decay and the negative consequences of unchecked industrial growth in The Great Gatsby.

Dan Cody

Wealthy yachtsman who mentored Jay Gatsby and influenced his pursuit of wealth and status.

Nick Carraway

Narrator of The Great Gatsby; honest and observant Midwesterner who comes to see the moral decay of the wealthy.

Tom Buchanan

Wealthy and arrogant antagonist in The Great Gatsby; represents the established elite and their careless disregard for others.

Meyer Wolfsheim

Gatsby's business associate who represents the criminal underworld and is associated with illegal activities.

Daisy Buchanan

Object of Gatsby's affection; beautiful but shallow and ultimately unwilling to sacrifice her social standing for love.

Jay Gatsby

Mysterious millionaire who throws lavish parties in pursuit of Daisy Buchanan; represents the pursuit of the American Dream.

Edwin Klipspringer

Freeloader who lives at Gatsby's mansion and takes advantage of his hospitality.

George Wilson

Myrtle's husband; a working-class man who is ultimately destroyed by the carelessness of the wealthy.

Jordan Baker

Professional golfer and friend of Daisy; represents the moral ambiguity of the wealthy elite.

Myrtle Wilson

Tom's mistress; a woman who desires to escape her lower-class existence.

Owl Eyes

Eccentric man Nick encounters in Gatsby's library; symbolizes the superficiality of Gatsby's party guests.

Henry Gatz

Gatsby's father; proud of his son's accomplishments but unaware of the true source of his wealth.

The green light

Symbolizing Gatsby's hopes and dreams, particularly his desire to reunite with Daisy.

T.J. Eckleburg sign

Symbolism representing the eyes of God staring down upon the moral decay of society in the Valley of Ashes.

Daisy's voice

Symbol of allure and seduction but also superficiality and heartbreak; represents her captivating nature.

Owl Eyes (symbolism)

Represents the superficiality and empty intellectualism of the wealthy.

Wealth (theme)

Exploration of how wealth impacts people's values and relationships.

American Dream (theme)

Critique of the illusionary nature of achieving success and happiness through material wealth.

Love and Marriage (theme)

Exploration of the complexities and corruptions within relationships and marital bonds.

Human Morality (theme)

Examination of the ethical and moral failings of characters driven by greed, ambition, and desire.

Past/Regret (theme)

Examination of how characters are haunted by their past actions and the impossibility of recreating it.

Hope (theme)

Exploration of the human desire for a better future and the lengths individuals will go to achieve it.

Truth (theme)

The search for authentic truth and exposes the deceptive nature of appearances and illusions.

Unconditional Love (theme)

Exploration the nature of genuine love in the face of societal pressures and personal flaws.

Corruption (theme)

Exposure of rot and moral decay beneath the glamorous facade of the Roaring Twenties.

Idle Rich (theme)

A critique of the privileged class's detachment from reality and their careless pursuit of pleasure.

Weather References (motif/style)

Symbolic use of weather to mirror the emotions and events within the story.

Mention of Time (motif/style)

Emphasizes the characters' attempts to recapture or escape the past.

Use of Colors (motif/style)

Usage of symbolic indicators to convey themes, emotions, and character traits.

Lies (understanding the text)

A recurring pattern of deception and fabrication perpetuates the illusionary nature of the characters' world.

The first evening at Tom and Daisy's home

Introduction of the main characters and the tensions within their relationships.

Nick's relationship with Jordan Baker

Represents a casual and somewhat superficial connection.

Tom and Myrtle's apartment

A hidden and somewhat tawdry location representing the illicit nature of their affair.

The relationship between Dan Cody and Jay Gatsby

Influenced Gatsby's pursuit of wealth and shaped his persona.

Lunch with Meyer Wolfshe

Reveals Gatsby's connection to the criminal underworld.