The Great Gatsby Vocabulary

Privy (adj) - aware of secret or private knowledge or having knowledge of a secret/private

ex: This secret is just privy between you and me.

““I was unjustly accused of being a politician because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men.”

Levity (noun) - lightheartedness

ex: Let’s have some more levity.

“I have feigned sleep, preoccupation, or a hostile levity when I realized some unmistakable sign.”

Excursion - a short trip

ex: I enjoyed our little excursion to the ocean last summer, which reminded me of Gatsby's lavish parties.

“I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart.”

Epigram - a witty saying or a brief, clever, and amusing expression that often reflects a deeper truth.

“I was going to bring back all such things in my life and become again the ‘well-rounded man.’ This isn’t just an epigram—life is much more successfully looked at from a single window after all.”

This statement emphasizes the limitations of perspective and the idea that focusing on one viewpoint can lead to a more profound understanding of life's complexities.

Examples of epigrams:

• "Less is more."

• "I can resist anything except temptation."

• "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

• "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

Irrecoverable - means something that cannot be recovered or returned to its original state, often reflecting the loss of dreams or ideals that cannot be restored.

Supercilious - characterized by haughty disdain or arrogance, often displayed by those who feel superior to others.

Fractiousness - refers to the quality of being irritable or quarrelsome, often leading to conflict or tension in social situations.

Permeate - to spread or infiltrate like how ideas can cause one’s mind to wander.

Prodigality - The quality of being wastefully extravagant or lavish, particularly in terms of spending resources.

Vehemently - In a forceful, passionate, or intense manner, demonstrating strong feelings or opinions.

Contemptuous - Showing or expressing disdain or lack of respect towards someone or something; scornful.

Homogeneity - The quality or state of being all the same or uniform, often referring to a lack of diversity in a group or a characteristic.

“Instead of rambling, this party had preserved a dignified homogeneity, and assumed to itself the function of representing the staid nobility of the country side” (pg. 54).

** BONUS **

Magnanimous (adj) - generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person
ex: His magnanimous spirit helped heal old wounds in the community.

Ephemeral (adj) - lasting for a very short time
ex: The beauty of the sunset was ephemeral, disappearing as quickly as it arrived.