American Studies
The Great Gatsby
Discussion Questions
Ch. 1
1. What purpose do the first four paragraphs serve? What advice does Nick's father give him? Why does Fitzgerald
have Nick share his father's advice with the reader?
2. Define the setting of the story. How is West Egg different from East Egg? What details lead you to this
conclusion?
3. Interpret the oxymoron: “Two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all.” Why does the narrator say this?
4. Describe Tom Buchanan. What tone does the author use in his description? What gives you this impression?
5. What does Daisy mean when she said, “I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl
can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”?
6. When Nick starts the engine of his car, Daisy stops him by making the statement, “We heard you were engaged to
a girl out West.” What does Nick's answer reveal about his character?
Ch. 2
1. In the first paragraph of chapter two, what literary devices does Fitzgerald use to create a certain effect? Cite some
examples.
2. On a literal level, what is the valley of ashes? What might it represent on a symbolic level? What overlooks the
valley of ashes? What might they symbolize?
3. Contrast Daisy with Myrtle. What method of character development does Fitzgerald employ to develop Myrtle’s
character?
4. In what way is the party in the apartment different from the dinner at the Buchanan’s in chapter one? In what way
is it similar?
5. What more do we find out about Tom’s character through this chapter? How does Fitzgerald further develop
Tom’s character in this chapter? What characterization methods does he employ? Cite examples.
Ch. 3
1. In what ways is chapter two like chapter three?
2. Why is it that Fitzgerald waits until chapter three to introduce Gatsby?
3. Nick comments that the people at the party conduct “themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with
an amusement park.” (p. 45/41) Analyze what is being conveyed by the comparison?
4. How does Fitzgerald convey the theme of hollowness in the upper class?
5. Explain the meaning of the statement “ … the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant,
elemental, and profound.” (p. 51/47)
6. What does Fitzgerald subtly wish to convey about Gatsby when he has Nick say, “ … I was looking at an elegant
young roughneck … whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd. Some time before he
introduced himself I’d got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care”? (p. 53/48)
7. In what way is Gatsby’s behavior at his party unlike the behavior of most of his guests?
8. Explain the symbolism of the simile on page 56/51 “ … at intervals she appeared suddenly at his side like an angry
diamond, and hissed: ‘You promised!’ into his ear.”
9. What is the significance of the phone calls that Gatsby receives? How does it add to the development of his
character? What does the lack of calls to Buchanan demonstrate?
10. What do you think Fitzgerald wishes to convey about Gatsby’s parties through the incident with the drunks and the
car, and the husbands and wives arguing?
Ch. 4
1. What are the rumors about Gatsby? How would you define this character?
2. Take a look at the guest list of Gatsby’s parties. What is Fitzgerald trying to say about upper class culture in the
1920s? What do you notice about the names of guests from the East and West Eggs? Why do you think Nick
spends time talking about Gatsby’s guests?
3. Describe Gatsby's car. What does Gatsby's car symbolize?
4. Given what you know about Gatsby so far, would you say he is a good man or a bad man? Why?
5. Who is Meyer Wolfsheim? Analyze the techniques used to develop the character of Wolfsheim.
6. What does Jordan reveal about the history of Gatsby and Daisy? Why does Daisy get drunk? Why does she marry
Tom?
Ch. 5
1. How does the reunion between Gatsby and Daisy go? How does Fitzgerald use the weather to reinforce the mood?
2. What do you think about Fitzgerald’s writing style? For example, he uses Jordan’s perspective to give some
history of Gatsby’s character but he leaves Gatsby and Daisy alone because Nick chooses to go outside. What
effect does Fitzgerald create with this latter example?
3. Creamsicle flashback: What is the symbolism of the defunct clock as it slips off the mantle? How does this
concept get reinforced throughout the chapter? What does the scene with the “beautiful shirts” reveal about
Daisy?
Ch. 6
1. In what sense does this chapter epitomize the American dream? Provide details for support.
2. Who is Jay Gatsby? Piece together the facts of his life.
3. Who is Dan Cody? What influence has he had on Gatsby?
4. Explain Gatsby’s expectations of Daisy. Are they realistic? Why or why not?
Ch. 7
1. How does Fitzgerald use the weather, once again, to set the mood of the events of chapter seven? How does he
maintain this “climate” throughout the chapter? Cite specific lines and page numbers.
2. What does Gatsby mean when he says that Daisy’s voice “is full of money”?
3. What causes George Wilson’s sickness? What does he plan to do?
4. What does Nick mean when he says “... I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less
than an hour before – and it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so
profound as the difference between the sick and the well”?
5. Why do you think that Tom decides to let Wilson finally have the car he has been promising him?
6. What is Gatsby’s explanation of his being at Oxford? Why is it important to Tom to expose the Oxford-man lie?
7. Analyze the significance of Nick’s statement: “ … ‘I just remembered that today’s my birthday.’ I was thirty.”
8. Analyze the statement: “So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight.”
9. Why does Gatsby loiter outside of the Buchanan’s house? How does Fitzgerald let the reader know there is
nothing for Gatsby to wait for?