Jordan Baker
Character Quotes
pg. 18
“I knew now why her face was familiar--its pleasing contemptuous expression had
looked out at me from many rotogravure pictures of the sporting life at Asheville and Hot
Springs and Palm Beach”
This quote shows that Miss Baker is a professional and famous athlete.
“Come over often, Nick, and I’ll sort of--oh--fling you together” “Her family is one aunt
about a thousand years old”
These quotes reveal that Jordan is single and has a poor family life, with no one to take
care of her.
pg. 14
“Miss Baker leaned forward unashamed, trying to hear”
This shows that Jordan is very nosy and up in other people’s business (key word being
unashamed).
Symbol: Fire
dominant personality (from having no one to take care of her and surviving in the
cutthroat sports world, she would have to)
fire spreads everywhere (nosy)
Short Paragraph on Jordan Baker
Jordan Baker is a dominant woman. She succeeds at living life despite having no one to
take care of her. She rose to fame playing professional golf. Like many other women of
this time, she loves to gossip and is unashamed of it.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you think Jordan and Nick will get together?
Do you think Jordan meets the stereotype of women in the 1920s? Why or why not?
Gatsby
Quotes:
1. “You must know Gatsby” - Jourdan Baker (pg.11)
Gatsby is supposed to well known and has a reputation amongst the upperclass people.
It seems like everyone knows him especially since Jordan runs with the highest circles
2. “ Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn
suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself” - Nick (Pg.20)
His movements in this quote are unusually described. The contrast between leisurely
and secure shows that he’s a very dynamic and secret man. He’s also somewhat
hidden by the shadows so while we get somewhat of a description of him we don’t
really learn about his appearance
3. “Gatsby turned out alright at the end. It is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the
wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short
winded elations of men” - Nick (Pg. 2)
This quote foreshadows the events of the book that will follow. The word “prey” implies
that something terrible happens to Gatsby. When he says that Gatsby turns out
alright in the end it makes the reader wonder what happened to him, that left him
scathed.
Symbol:
Masque -> We believe that Gatsby can be represented by a masque because of his nature.
People know about Gatsby but at the same time they don’t really know him. He’s described as a
sort of secretive man who’s sighting is incredibly rare. At the same time, he host parties at his
house but isn’t that noticed. Similarly, a mask hides the truth and is very secretive. Paragraph Description:
In this chapter, we don’t learn much information about the character himself. However, we do
encounter some strange descriptions that give us more insight into the events of the book. The
descriptions we find of Gatsby lead us to think that he is a very mysterious man. He seems like
he’s revered amongst the upperclass people and could have possibly come into money
recently, which is why he lives in the West Egg. He also seems very evasive. No one comes
into contact with him for very long. From these descriptions we can tell that Gatsby is a
secluded man who keeps his personal matters private.
Discussion Questions:
2. How do you think the reader’s view and opinion of Gatsby will develop through the book?
2. What are some possible reasons Gatsby is so secluded and secretive yet well known?
Daisy
Quotations
1. “Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about everything.” (p. 16)
It implies that Daisy sees the bad in everyone and thinks the world is selfish because she has
experience everything and everyone. People in her life are very self-interested and vain.
2. “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.” (p.17)
In this quote, Daisy talks about her thoughts during the birth of daughter; she wants her daughter
to be a beautiful fool, unlike herself. Daisy thinks that girls are only admired for their beauty, and
she wishes for her to be stupid, because she doesn’t want her daughter to find out the ugly truth
about society.
3. “I was confused and a little disgusted as I drove away. It seemed to me that the thing for
Daisy to do was to rush out of the house, child in arms—but apparently there were no such
intentions in her head.” (p.20)
Even though Daisy’s life is so terrible, she refuses to run away. Tom is the only thing Daisy can
rely on; if she runs away, she does not have the ability to raise her child. This shows how
insecure Daisy is. Although Tom is a terrible husband, he is her only support, and if she left she
would have to fend for herself economically while raising a child in a ruthless society.
Symbol
Daisy - The daisy is a very beautiful, fragile flower that represents innocence and purity. There is
a lot of irony in the book, because although Daisy is supposed to be naïve, she has been exposed
to the evils of the world and is no longer pure. The daisy is supposed to grow freely in the wild,
but she is trapped in a dark, gloomy cave. However, she still wishes for her daughter to be the
beautiful, fragile daisy that she once was.
Summary
Daisy is a selfish, cynical girl stuck in a horrible marriage. Though her husband constantly beats
her, she is afraid to leave because she would not be able to support herself and her daughter.
However, she has suffered a lot and encountered many selfish people in her life — that’s what
makes her cynical. In her eyes, society is filled with powerful men willing to do anything for
their own gain, even evil, immoral deeds. She is no longer the innocent, pure girl she was when
she married Tom, hoping for a beautiful life and marriage; now, she just wishes for her daughter
to be beautiful and foolish, so she won’t have to suffer like Daisy did. Although she hopes for the
best, she is immature and unwilling to act upon her aspirations, because she does not act sensibly
and run away from Tom, even for the wellbeing of her child.
Questions
Why does Daisy not want to run away? What is she scared of?
What are Tom’s feelings toward her?
What are Daisy’s aspirations in life?
3 Quotations
Daisy analysis:
P8: “I’m p-paralyzed with happiness.” (I’ve heard it said that Daisy’s murmur was only to make
people lean toward her; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming.)
Daisy is revealed to us as an awkward. Her stutters and murmuring shows how she is awkward
among others (even though everyone likes her).
P9: (I’ve heard it said that Daisy’s murmur was only to make people lean toward her; an
irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming.)
This quote shows how Daisy was adored and cherished by others. The narrator simply expresses
his charming feeling towards Daisy by saying the criticisms towards Daisy is irrelevant.
P12: “I hate that word hulking,” objected Tom crossly, “even in kidding.” “Hulking,” insisted
Daisy.
It shows her insincerity in marriage and her sour relationship with Tom. She insists on saying the
word “hulking” even though her husband openly shows his hatreds towards the word.
Symbol: The symbol for Daisy is a Daisy. Daisy is described to be very pretty, likeable, and
exuberant just like the flower. “surprising me by opening up again in a flower-like way.” (p.19)
Daisy likes to talk a lot, which is like a metaphor for the flower opening up.
Paragraph:
Daisy is a charming, well-likable woman married to a wealthy husband named Tom Buchanan.
She is also a bit awkward, as she stutters as she is revealed to us and initially presented as a
clumsy character. However she also likes to talk a lot as she seems to have no problem talking to
Nick Carroway and her fellow mates. Also Tom and Daisy seems to have a sour relationship as
they indirectly criticize and irritate each other.
Questions:
What is wrong with Daisy and Tom’s relationship?
Do you think Daisy is content with her current situation?
Tom
Tom is racist: “The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be - will be utterly submerged.
It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved.”
White superiority, because he is looking out for the white people and against other races fearing
that they will be defeated
He is popular behavior more acceptable
I had no sight into Daisy’s heart, but I felt that Tom would drift on forever seeking, a little
wistfully, for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game.
Forever wanting searching lost has problems a slightly unknown feeling: drifting means never
satisfied wistful dramatic turbulence shifting of tectonics cheese
Daisy hurt knuckles all black and blue Tom great big hulking physical specimen of a - I hate that
word hulking even in kidding Hulking
Not a gentle person has problems: using hulking and breaking finger signifies brute strength
Crab - hard on outside, but soft on inside stupid on the inside a character dumb brute never
walking straight path he’s wandering wanting more crab’s Mr. Krabs just your normal bully
Brute - see sentence 2
Selfish Shellfish - dating married
Armored muscular intimidating
Tom in the novel The Great Gatsby is seen as a physically apt extrovert who applies his brute
strength and recalcitrant demeanor into simple situations. Firstly, he is seen as physically apt
because of his description itself, “…married a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical
specimen of a —“ His recalcitrant demeanor and extroversion is seen as well from his ‘scientific’
quote, “The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be - will be utterly submerged. It’s all
scientific stuff; it’s been proved.” With the outlook of his for the white race, it can be proven that
the word ‘submerged’ signifies a racial seclusion of the white people against other races. This
therefore confirms that Tom believes the white people should be superior. As a result, since this
is a popular belief at the time, Tom can be seen as recalcitrant and unwilling to change Gatsby’s time, though still racist, had many outspoken people who fought against racist ideas,
and because of his unwillingness to change, Tom did not accept the new idea. Tom is also an
extrovert because of this fact: because of his popularity, which can be seen because he accepts
popular behavior and is well-known as a football player, “…various accomplishments had been
one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven.” This makes him an
extrovert, because combining the two quotes, he is seen to be a willing person who follows his
popularity. The last fact is Tom’s brute strength being used to deal with situations. Daisy
signified that Tom had broken her finger and then called him too strong, which makes him the
one who has problems controlling himself (the fact that Daisy was annoyed while saying it
(accusatory)).
Discussion Q’s:
What left Tom unhappy enough to have an affair w/ another woman?
What do you think he does for his job and why?
Stach Jaran, Ying Yang Liang, Benjamin Konold
Character Analysis
Nick Carraway
Quotes:
Well-to-do, Intelligent-”My Family had been prominent well-to-do people in this Middle
Western city for three generations...I graduated from New Haven in 1915”
Explanation: Nick himself says that his family is wealthy and living comfortably and he
has an college education.
Troubled and lost-”I participated in that delayed Teutonic migration known as the Great
War...I enjoyed the great counter-raid so thoroughly that I came back
restless...Instead of being the warm center of the world, the Middle West now seemed
like the ragged edge of the world...Everybody I knew was in the bond business so I
supposed it could support one more single man.
Explanation: Nick participated in a war and is obviously shaken by the experience, so
much so that he doesn’t even feel like the Middle west is his home anymore. In addition
he chooses a job that he has no passion or ambition for.
Observant and Unique-”I lived at West Egg, the well, the less fashionable of the two,
though this is most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister
contrast between them.”
Explanation: Nick understands that East Egg and West Egg is different in other peoples’
eyes but he doesn’t really think that they are actually that different.
3. Optimistic- “I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the
summer.”
Explanation: Shows that he still believes in the good of life.
Symbol:
philosopher: Nick is a philosopher, as they are often troubled, lost, observant, wise and
optimistic. He is obviously different from his friends and able to see the world
differently.
Paragraph: Nick is wealthy, intelligent, wise, observant and overall different from the
average person. He is considerate and has showed that he never makes snap
judgement about anyone. Although he is all of these things, he is also troubled by his
experiences in the Great War, but he refuses to let his past affect his future.
Questions:
Is he capable of love?
Under his introverted personality, is he a cold-hearted or passionate person?