Chapter 1
1) What has a lack of judgment resulted in for the narrator?
2) What experience does the narrator gloss over which would be life changing for most people?
3) Identify and explain the use of an allusion in the chapter.
4) Do you think it’s possible, as the narrator suggests, that a person can reach a pinnacle early in life and everything else is anti-climatic?
5)
Contrast the advice given by the narrator’s father with the characterization of
Tom.
6)
What irony exists in Tom’s rant about the dominant race when considering the specific setting?
7) How have appearances proven to be deceiving in this chapter?
8) How does Fitzgerald make Gatsby seem to be a mysterious character?
Chapter 2
1)
How are aspects of Myrtle’s character incongruous?
2) How is Tom and Myrtle’s infidelity doubly immoral?
3)
How has Tom’s violent outburst been foreshadowed in the first two chapters?
4) What is the tone of the first two chapters?
5) How has the character of Gatsby been further shrouded in mystery?
Chapter 3
1) What are the most prominent colours at the party? What might the significance of this be?
2)
Why is Gatsby giving this party? What is strange about Gatsby’s participation?
3) How does Nick react to Gatsby?
4) Why do you think Fitzgerald informs the readers of the two accidents after the party? What would be the significance?
5) At the end of this chapter, Nick and Jordan meet again. What does this second meeting reveal about Jordan’s character? How does their relationship develop?
Chapter 4
1)
What is the narrator’s reasoning for doubting the background information that
Gatsby has given?
2) How does Gatsby convince the narrator that aspects of his history are accurate?
3) For what is Wolfsheim famous?

4)
What is the significance of Gatsby’s lack of interaction with Tom?
5) Why did Tom and Daisy move around after the car accident?
6)
What is Gatsby’s motivation for living in West Egg and throwing lavish parties?
7)
Do you agree with the categorization of the comment that, “There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired” (Fitzgerald 85)?
Chapter 5
1) What lengths does Gatsby go to make a good impression at a house that is not his?
2) When Daisy bursts into tears about the shirts, what is she really crying about?
3) How could Gatsby be faulted for the disappointment he feels after the meeting with Daisy?
Chapter 6
1) What is the real story concerning Gatsby’s past?
2) Why did Tom accompany Daisy to Gatsby’s party?
Chapter 7
1) Why did Gatsby stop having parties and fire all of his servants?
2) What does the heat foreshadow?
3)
What do T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes symbolize?
4) What does Tom discover at the gas station?
5) Why does the dream fall apart?
6)
Who is to blame for Myrtle’s death?
7) Why is it concerning that Daisy was driving?
Chapter 8
1) If she was in love, why did Daisy move on?
2) Describe the mood of this chapter.
Chapter 9
1) What comment about society is being made by the lack of people at Gatsby’s funeral?