The Great Gatsby C hapters 2 & 3 1. What lies halfway between West Egg and New York City? The valley of ashes 2. What does the valley of ashes seem to represent? It represents the moral and social decay that results from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the plight of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result. 3. What is featured on the billboard of Dr. T.J. Exckleberg? Two large blue eyes looking out of a pair of yellow glasses. 4. What do we learn about how Tom treats his affair? pg . 28: “The fact that he had one was insisted upon wherever he was known. His acquaintances resented the fact that he turned up in popular restaurants with her and, leaving her at a table, sauntered about chatting with whomsoever he knew.” 5. What do we learn about how Nick approves or disapproves of what Tom is doing? 6. How does Tom convince Nick to go see his mistress? Pg. 28: I went up to New York with Tom on the train one afternoon and when we stopped by the ash-heaps he jumped to his feet and literally forced me from the car. “We’re getting off!” he insisted. “I want you to meet my girl.” I think he’d tanked up a good deal at luncheon and his determination to have my company bordered on violence. 6. Describe George & Myrtle Wilson. George owns a gas station, he is mild, quiet and meek. His wife, Myrtle is not a small woman, she’s described as “sensual.” 7. What other new characters do we see? Catherine, Myrtle’s sister. Mrs. & Mrs. McKee 8. What insulting thing does Tom say about George Wilson? “He’s so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive.” 9. What does Myrtle purchase in the city? A dog. 10. Why does Myrtle say she married George, even though she expresses not being in love with him? “I married him because I thought he was a gentleman,” she said finally. “I thought he knew something about breeding but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe.” 11. What reason does Tom give for not “being able to leave Daisy” for Myrtle? According to Catherine, “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s a Catholic and they don’t believe in divorce.” 12. Why does Tom hit Myrtle? What injury does she sustain? She kept saying Daisy’s name; he broke her nose. 13. What is mentioned about Gatsby in this chapter? There’s a rumor that he’s a cousin to Kaiser Wilhelm, who was the German Emperor from 1888-1918 (he abdicated his throne shortly before Germany’s defeat in The Great War). Chapter 3: 1. We see a juxtaposition between the parties that Gatsby throws and the ones Tom has in the apartment. Gatsby’s are on a much grander scale, but for the most part they end very similarly: everyone gets drunk and makes fools of themselves. 2. What does Nick mean when he says he was one of the few who was invited? Many of the guests (if not all of them) simply crash Gatsby’s parties; he doesn’t know most of his guests. 3. What are some rumors mentioned about Gatsby at this party? He doesn’t want any trouble with anybody. He killed somebody once. He was a German spy during the Great War. 4. What does Nick say in regards to the gossip at the party? "It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who had found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world." Nick meant that the people at the party were rather wild and daring in their casual acceptance of all kinds of behavior, so their being in awe of Gatsby was remarkable. 5. Nick is surprised he is talking with whom after the latter realizes he hasn’t introduced himself, thinking Nick has known the whole time? Why wouldn’t Nick recognize him? Gatsby. He has only seen him the one time and it was in the dark. 6. Who is Owl-Eyes? What happens with him in the library? What does he tell Nick and Jordan? "Owl eyes" is a young man with large glasses who is impressed to discover that the books in Gatsby's library are real, not just cardboard covers for appearance. This tells us two things: that artifice is extremely common among the wealthy, and that Gatsby is not a "fake." Gatsby hadn't actually read the books, however, or the pages would have been cut apart at the edges. 7. What do we find out about how Nick sees Gatsby in this chapter? That his smile has a quality of "eternal reassurance" & Nick seems to be suspicious of the fact that Gatsby seemed to drift out of nowhere to buy a palace on Long Island. 8. Who is "owl eyes" and what surprises him? Explain what he meant by Gatsby not cutting the pages. "Owl eyes" is a young man with large glasses who is impressed to discover that the books in Gatsby's library are real, not just cardboard covers for appearance. This tells us two things: that artifice is extremely common among the wealthy, and that Gatsby is not a "fake." Gatsby hadn't actually read the books, however, or the pages would have been cut apart at the edges. 9. What does Jordan Baker say about large parties? Is that something to be expected, or is it an ironic statement? Why? 10. What happens at the end of the chapter when the guests are leaving?
