The Great Gatsby (1926) by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Chapter Questions
Chapter One (I)
1. What point of view/method of narration is used? Is Nick a good and/or reliable narrator?
2. What do we learn about Gatsby in the fourth paragraph? Why is Gatsby placed in a special
category apart from other characters?
3. Give three background details about Nick Carraway.
4. In what ways is East Egg different from West Egg?
5. What kind of relationship exists between Nick and the Buchanans?
6. What do we learn about Tom Buchanan before we see him?
7. Reread the paragraph: “The only completely stationary…slowly to the floor.” (approx. p. 13).
What is suggested by Fitzgerald’s imagery describing Nick’s first view of Daisy and Jordan?
8. What is Nick’s new career?
9. How did Tom “come into his money”?
10. What evidence is there that all is not well between Tom and Daisy? What is rumoured of Tom
in this chapter?
11. Why does Daisy hope her child will be “a beautiful little fool”? (p. 17)
12. What is the dominant mood of the chapter? Provide specific evidence from the novel to
support your opinion.
13. Explain the irony of the statement said by Daisy about Jordan: “I think the home influence will
be very good for her.” (p. 23)
14. Why does Nick say, “It seemed to me that the thing for Daisy to do…child in arms”?
15. Explain what is symbolic about the single green light upon which Gatsby gazes. Why does
Gatsby reach out to the water?
Chapter Two (II)
1. “This is a valley of ashes…” (p. 26). What is the valley of ashes? Give three details to support
the idea.
2. a) “Doctor T. J. Eckleburg” – what does the billboard promote?
b) What is ironic about the billboard?
3. Why does Myrtle behave with such arrogance, both towards her husband and the
NY city apartment?
4. Explain Myrtle’s interest in Tom and Tom’s interest in Myrtle.
5. Nick claims, in chapter one, to be “inclined to reserve all judgements.” In this
chapter, the reverse is true. What judgments does he make of Myrtle Wilson?
6. “Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume.” What changes occur in Myrtle, reflected
by her “afternoon dress of cream-coloured chiffon”?
5. Gatsby is alluded to in the chapter. Explain what we learn about him through the
rumours.
6. Tom Buchanan lied to Myrtle when he said he couldn’t get a divorce from Daisy. What is
significant about this lie?
7. “I was within and without…life” (p. 37). Comment on Nick’s conflicting emotions.
8. What facets of Tom’s personality are revealed when he breaks Myrtle’s nose?
9. “The little dog was sitting on the table looking with blind eyes…” (p. 38). The Great Gatsby is
a novel about vision. With reference to the party at Myrtle’s apartment, identify three details
which suggest that it was not only the little dog who was looking with blind eyes.
Chapter Three (III)
1. The descriptive detail of Gatsby’s parties suggest that his guests had a wonderful time. What is
the overwhelming atmosphere or ambience at the parties? Give two examples that support this.
2. List as many examples of water imagery as can be found in the 4th and 5th paragraph. What
effect is achieved?
3. What rumours about Gatsby were circulated at the party? What does this suggest about the
guests?
4. The girls in twin yellow dresses can be considered representatives of anonymity. Justify this
idea and explain its potential significance.
5. Owl Eyes mutters that if one brick is removed the whole library is liable to collapse (p. 47).
Comment on the significance of this statement.
6. List three initial impressions that Nick has of Gatsby.
7. The topic of excess is illuminated in this chapter. Find three examples to explain this topic.
Look at the behaviour of Gatsby’s party guests.
8. Juxtaposition is the technique of placing similar or different scenes next to each other to create
a specific effect. Describe the use of juxtaposition with regard to Myrtle’s party in Chapter
Two and Gatsby’s party in Chapter Three.
9. Explain how the incident involving Owl Eyes near the end of the chapter foreshadows future
events.
10. “…a wafer of the moon…formal gesture of farewell” (p. 56). Comment on the appropriateness
of this conclusion to Gatsby’s party.
11. How is Gatsby different from his guests?
12. Which company does Nick work for? Explain the significance of the name.
13. What shortcoming of Jordan’s does Nick discover near the end of the chapter?
14. Why does Nick choose to share his thoughts and feelings with Jordan?
15. Explain how the theme of the effects of carelessness is illuminated at the chapter’s conclusion.
16. Examine the three incidents involving automobiles in this chapter. What is the significance of
each indent and what do all three have in common?
17. Nick thinks he's one of the few honest people he knows, why? Do you think he is honest?
Chapter Four (IV)
1. The introductory section of this chapter gives a long roster or list of those who attended
Gatsby’s parties.
a) What images of the guests do their names suggest?
b) In general, how do they behave toward their host? Why, then, do they accept his
hospitality?
2. Describe Gatsby’s car.
3. Gatsby shares details about his past with Nick. List these and discuss whether or not Nick
believed Gatsby’s story. Justify your conclusion.
4. Who is Meyer Wolfsheim? What seems to be his connection with Gatsby?
5. How and why does Nick’s attitude toward Gatsby change in this chapter?
6. Jordan Baker tells Nick about Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom. Summerize the flashback.
7. What is significant about the string of pearls Tom gave Daisy before their wedding?
8. What does Jordan's story of Daisy's marriage reveal about Daisy?
9. Read the epigraph on the title p. of this novel. What does it reveal about Gatsby and his love
for Daisy?
10. When Gatsby spoke to Jordan in his library in Chapter Three, he had devised a plan involving
Nick. What was it? Why didn’t he ask Nick directly?
11. Why does Gatsby want Daisy to see his house? Consider the connection between money and
social status.
12. Note that Nick and Jordan are now involved with each other. Before he began a relationship
with Jordan, what ‘tactful’ thing did Nick do? (refer back to the end of Chapter Three)
13. Nick says, "There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired." (p. 77) What does
Nick mean? How does each character in the novel fit into this schema?
Chapter Five (V)
1. Gatsby’s actions in preparing for Daisy’s arrival seem both flamboyant and absurd. What does
he do? Why?
2. Why does Gatsby offer Nick work? How does Nick feel about this?
3. Gatsby appears nervous when Daisy arrives. Describe his actions, which are an attempt to
impress her.
4. Toward the end of the chapter, Nick tries to explain “the expression of bewilderment that had
come back into Gatsby’s face” (p. 92). What explanation does Nick give? Why, in his
opinion, is Daisy not at fault?
5. Describe Daisy’s reactions during the course of her meeting with Gatsby.
6. Explain the significance of the green light.
7. Why does Gatsby get so many phone calls? What does this say about him?
8. How has Nick been affected by the meeting between Gatsby and Daisy?
Chapter Six (VI)
1. What was Gatsby’s real name? Why and when had he changed it?
2. How truthful was Gatsby when he relayed the story of his life to Nick? Why does Fitzgerald
tell the story of Jay Gatz now?
3. Why does Tom attend Gatsby’s party? How does this scene reveal the contrast between Gatsby
and Tom?
4. Why did Daisy and Tom find Gatsby's party loathsome?
5. Summarize Nick and Gatsby’s post-party discussion.
6. What is Gatsby expecting of Daisy that prompts Nick to warn him, “I wouldn’t ask too much of
her…you can’t repeat the past”? (p. 106) In the chapter, Gatsby replied, "Why of course you
can!" Do you agree with Nick or Gatsby?
Chapter Seven (VII)
1. Who has replaced all of Gatsby’s servants? Why?
2. Why would Daisy think Tom is “holding down the receiver” and therefore only pretending to
talk on the phone? (p. 111)
3. In your opinion, is Gatsby’s dream of having Daisy being fulfilled?
4. What does Tom finally realize in this chapter?
5. Explain what is meant by the phrase: “Her voice is full of money.” (p. 115)
6. What is Tom’s plan about driving to New York City? How does Daisy circumvent it?
7. What has Wilson finally realized that makes him have something in common with Tom? What
action is he going to take?
8. Why is Tom beginning to panic?
9. Why do they go to the Plaza Hotel?
10. Who does the character Biloxi remind you of from the rest of this novel? Why?
11. Why is Nick’s ‘faith’ renewed in Gatsby?
12. Compare Gatsby’s and Tom’s definition of ‘being in love’ with Daisy.
13. What truth has Tom discovered about Gatsby?
14. Why does Tom let Gatsby drive Daisy home? Which car do they use?
15. Why is Jordan ‘wiser’ than Daisy?
16. What is the inquest about?
17. What information does Tom give Wilson? Why?
18. Who was driving the ‘yellow car’? Who does Tom think was driving?
19. How are Daisy’s relationships with the two men contrasted at the end of the chapter?
Chapter Eight (VIII)
1. At the beginning of the chapter, the story is interrupted at its most dramatic point. What is the
author’s purpose in breaking the story here?
2. The dust, ash-heap imagery of chapter two re-occurs. Give examples of this imagery and
explain the purpose that these images serve.
3. What did Gatsby love about Daisy from the first moment he met her? What did he use to get
close to her?
4. Why didn’t Daisy wait for Gatsby to return from the war? In what season did she meet Tom
and what does that symbolize?
5. As Nick leaves Gatsby the morning after the accident, he remarks, “They’re a rotten crowd”.
Name the people “they” refers to. Why are they ‘rotten’? (p. 146)
6. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together…It was the only compliment I ever gave
him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.” (p. 146)
What does Nick find admirable and noble in Gatsby? Of what does he disapprove?
7. Explain Nick’s meaning when he balances Gatsby’s supposed “corruption” against his
“incorruptible dream”. (p. 147)
8. List the clues Wilson used to discover his wife’s affair. What conclusion has he reached?
9. Explain Wilson’s symbolic view of the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. Why did he make his
wife look at them?
10. Why does Nick think that Gatsby no longer really cares if the telephone message comes or not?
11. Briefly describe the circumstances of Gatsby’s death. Why was the ‘holocaust…complete”? (p.
1540
Chapter Nine (IX)
1. How do Gatsby’s ‘friends’ respond to his death?
2. Based on the phone call from Slagle, in what else was Gatsby involved?
3. How does Gatsby’s father view his own son? Do you think Gatsby would have liked that
description?
4. What gaps in Gatsby’s past are filled in by Wolfshiem’s remembrances?
5. Comment on the significance of “the man with owl-eyed glasses” who attends Gatsby’s
funeral.
6. What does Nick now realize about Westerners who move East? (p. 167)
7. Explain what Jordan means when she says, “I met another bad driver.” (p. 168)
8. What role did Tom play in Gatsby’s death? How did he justify himself?
9. Why does Nick erase “the obscene word scrawled by some boy…” (p. 171)
10. What moral judgement does Nick make of Tom and Daisy?
11. Explain the significance of the last p. of the novel in relation to the American Dream of success
and to Gatsby’s dream that “seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.” (p. 171)