The Great Gatsby Socratic Seminar
Questions
OPENING QUESTIONS
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What is the significance of the novel’s title? Is Jay Gatsby truly great? Is he “worth the
whole damn bunch put together?”
If you were to select one passage from the novel to represent one of the five major
characters (Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, Tom, or Jordan), which passage would best reflect that
character’s personality and why?
CORE QUESTIONS
1. How is marriage depicted in the novel? How successful is the marriage between
Daisy and tom Buchanan? And the marriage between Myrtle and George
Wilson?
2. Compare Tom Buchanan’s relationship with his wife, Daisy, to his relationship
with Myrtle Wilson. What does he want from each woman? Does he love either
of them?
3. What is Gatsby’s dream? Does he ever see Daisy as she really is?
4. How does Fitzgerald relate Gatsby’s dream to the American Dream? What
seems to be his message about the American Dream as expressed in the last two
paragraphs of the novel?
5. What does Fitzgerald mean when he writes that “Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long
Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself?”
6. What does the novel say about materialism? What, if any, are the similarities
between the 1920s American society and the 21st Century American society with
regard to materialism?
7. Does the concept of hedonism apply to Fitzgerald’s novel?
8. Why is the novel narrated from Nick’s perspective?
9. How, if at all, does Nick’s impression of Gatsby change between the moment of
their first meeting and the moment Nick decides to return to the Midwest?
10. Some critics suggest that although Gatsby is the principal figure in the action of
the novel, Nick is the most significant character because of his moral
development. Exactly what does nick learn from his experiences in the East?
11. What are some of the differences between old money and new money characters
in the novel? Is this distinction important in today’s society?
CLOSING QUESTIONS
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The critic Sven Birkerts says that the novel is about “disillusionment and hope.” Whom
do you know (or whom have you read about) who illustrates both of these qualities?
What insight about life do you see illustrated through this person’s actions?
Gatsby shows Daisy his mansion and his possessions, especially his shirts, to try to prove
that with his current wealth he is worthy of her. In what ways do people today try to
impress others with material possessions? What things are considered impressive? What
do you think of impressing others through the acquisition of material goods? How is
society affected by this use of possessions?
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James Miller writes, “Although The Great Gatsby is much more than a book about the
1920s, it remains solidly based in the era and place that gave it birth. But it is not only
based there: it also provides, in some sense, a commentary on our times.” Birkerts
maintains that “if the novel is indeed a cautionary tale, then it is really cautioning us
against selling ourselves short, against turning in fear or disappointment form the lyrical
call of our nature. Gatsby was not a fool for dreaming, only for not knowing how dreams
intersect with realities.” Can you think of a time when you or somebody you know sold
himself or herself short, did not pursue a dream for some reason? What was the dream?
In what ways was the dream not acted upon? What were the factors that kept the dream
from being fulfilled?