The Great Gatsby
Study Guide
American Literature: Ms. Baronne and Mrs. Beltz
Characters: Be prepared to answer several questions related to the major characters of
this novel:
Nick Carraway: He is the narrator of the story. He moves East from the Midwest to
work in the bond market. He is a cousin to Daisy Buchanan and becomes a neighbor to
Jay Gatsby. He is at first attracted to the lives of the rich and famous he encounters on
Long Island, but then becomes disgusted with their lack of moral character. By the end
of the story, he returns to the Midwest to get away from the people he has met in the
East. He describes himself as an honest person who tries not to judge people.
Jay Gatsby (aka James Gatz) is a self-made millionaire who has made his money
illegally. He lives in an enormous mansion in West Egg. He is in love with Daisy
Buchanan and has built his whole life around the hope of winning back her love. He fell
in love with Daisy when he was stationed in Louisville, KY before going to serve in the
war. Although he tells Nick he was born in San Francisco, he was born in North Dakota
where he grew up on a farm. He is killed by George Wilson who, mistakenly, believes
that Gatsby was having an affair with his wife. No one comes to his funeral, because he
has no real friends. Nick admires his endless capacity for hope.
Daisy Buchanan: She is the object of Gatsby’s romantic dream, and the wife of Tom
Buchanan. She is a wealthy socialite/debutante from Louisville, Kentucky. She met and
fell in love with Gatsby when he was stationed in Louisville. Daisy is beautiful, elegant
and a snob. She is described as having a voice which sounds like “money”. She
doesn’t like Gatsby’s parties, for instance, because she feels the people who attend
these fetes are beneath her. She is disillusioned and unhappy in her marriage.
Tom Buchanan: Tom is married to Daisy. He comes from a very wealthy family and
does not have to work for a living. He is a bully who is used to getting his way. He is
having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, yet he is jealous of Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy.
He represents the greed and selfishness of the very rich.
Jordan Baker: Jordan is a friend of Daisy’s. She is professional athlete who is rumored
to have cheated in golf tournaments. During the course of the novel, she becomes
romantically involved with Nick Carraway who becomes disgusted with her selfishness
by the end of the story. Nick is attracted to Jordan even though he suspects her of
being dishonest.
Myrtle Wilson: She is the wife of George Wilson and the mistress of Tom Buchanan.
She aspires to elevate her station in life. She puts up with Tom because he supports
her in the lifestyle to which she would like to become accustomed. She is ashamed of
her husband, George, who is so poor he had to borrow a suit to wear to his own
wedding. She is described as fleshy and seductive, although not beautiful. She is killed
when Daisy runs over her while driving Gatsby’s car.
George Wilson: He is the hapless husband of Myrtle Wilson. He owns a gas station in
the Valley of Ashes. He is Tom Buchanan’s mechanic and is always trying to buy his
car. He discovers that Myrtle is having an affair and threatens to move away from Long
Island to get her away from her lover. When Myrtle is run over, he is convinced that the
man driving the yellow car is her lover. He confronts Tom Buchanan who tells him that
Gatsby owns the yellow car. Wilson kills Gatsby and then shoots himself.
Meyer Wolfsheim: Meyer Wolfsheim is a “business” associate of Jay Gatsby. He is a
bootlegger and a mobster who uses Gatsby to make his business dealings look
legitimate. He is rumored to have fixed the 1919 World Series. Though he works with
Gatsby, he doesn’t attend his funeral because he can’t afford to be seen for fear of
having his business dealings scrutinized.
Multiple Choice: Be prepared to answer questions about the major events and symbols
in the story