Summer Assignments for AP English Literature and
Composition (2014/2015)
Three Summer Readings:
1. Before reading the two novels, read How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining
Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas C. Foster. This useful book is a quick, fun, and invaluable
read that also anticipates and references several of this year’s texts.
http://www.sparkascreen.com/files/APFiles/HowToReadLiteratureLikeAProfessor.pdf
2. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Online text of Brave New World:
https://archive.org/stream/ost-englishbrave_new_world_aldous_huxley/Brave_New_World_Aldous_Huxley_djvu.txt
3. Joseph Heller, Catch-22.
Online text of Catch-22:
http://hudsoncress.net/hudsoncress.org/html/library/literature/Heller,%20Joseph%20-%20Catch%2022.pdf
Assignments:
A. Brave New World Book Report*
Below are the headings and subcategories for the fourteen controlling ideas (in parentheses separated by
semicolons) to include in your book reports. For each entry, include a thesis followed by two chunks of cited
support, each with accompanying commentary developing your thesis.
1. Title (find John’s reference, consider as both awe-inspiring and ironic)
2. Setting (London; the reservation)
3. Characters—please begin with adjectives as central characteristics (John; Bernard; Lenina;
Helmholtz)
4. Themes (superficial, pleasure-seeking society; efficient, consumerist society; loss of real identity;
alienation)
5. Symbols (choose one)
6. Techniques (distortion/exaggeration; dark comedy/satire (as suggested by the characters’ random
indifference to the suffering, crises, and tragedy of others, almost to the comic or absurd level.)
Important: Refer to the lengthy Othello and Great Gatsby examples (posted on the school’s website) as
models. (These examples come with thanks from Mr. Johnson and former students. For the sake of
space, I’ve single spaced them, but your reports should be double spaced when you submit them to
turnitin.com.)
(Catch-22 assignment on reverse side.)
B. Catch-22
Chart: For Catch-22 please create a typed chart for tracking and differentiating the many main characters
(do 17 of them). Heller’s cult-classic satire of an American air corps stationed on an Italian island is written
in a non-linear structure that unfolds as a complete story. By the end everything will make sense, but paying
close attention as you read is necessary. Every time a scene is repeated, it is also embellished with details.
As you experience Yossarian’s confusion, embrace it, as the author intends; adding to your chart as you
read will certainly help with your understanding. Use the headings below at the top of the columns, and the
names of the characters going down the left side.
Chart layout column headings (horizontal orientation is better):
Name
Description
Tagline (pg.)
(a phrase repeated by
or about this character)
Fate
(by the end of
the novel, how?)
Satirical Purpose
(Satirizes what about
the war or military?)
Writing assignment for Catch-22:
Discuss how any one of the appropriate chapter topics from How to Read Like a Professor can be applied to
Heller’s text. Compose a one-page typed essay (double spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman) to be
submitted to turnitin.com before the first day of school (class code for submission will be posted on the
school’s website). The essay should cite specific details and a couple of quotations to support your thesis. All
analysis should be yours, not ideas you get from your friends or the internet. This writing will be used as a
diagnostic assessment, not for a grade.
Sample Book Report: Othello
Setting:
1. Venice
The setting of the first act of the play, Venice is ostensibly honorable but truly corrupted; the irony of the
setting indicates an environment where the outside appearance is inherently deceiving.
-Although rich in diversity, Venice’s multiculturalism is a fraud; calling Othello “Moor,” “Barbary
horse,” and “thick-lips,” Iago invokes many racial stereotypes about Othello that he knows will appeal
to Brabantio (I,i,61,70,81). Drawing on Brabantio’s greatest fear, that his “fair”daughter has eloped
with a Moor, Iago calls on the hypocrisy of the Venice elite that has placed Othello high in power.
Although they may show their support for their great combat general, Venice’s senate is inherently
racist about Othello, viewing him as well beneath them in stature.
-As much as the aristocracy may pretend to value nobility and honor, it is money that they hold most
sacred; Iago relates this idea to Roderigo when he implores him to “put money in [his] purse”
(I,iii,180). Iago knows well that money and bribes run everything in Venice, and that when
Desdemona falls out of love with Othello she will seek a large bank account to give her what she
needs. In his declaration to Roderigo, Iago seems to reduce love to nothing but financial gain, a sad
statement on the condition of marriage and courtship in Venice.
Characters:
1. Iago – conniving
Denied the lieutenancy he greatly desires, Iago expresses his anger and hatred for patronage through a
series of plots to ruin Othello’s reputation, marriage, and livelihood; the conniving Iago cunningly juggles
multiple fronts in order to achieve his evil objectives, which he does by taking advantage of others’ flaws.
- In partnership with Roderigo, one of Desdemona’s former suitors, Iago calls up to Brabantio,
Desdemona’s father, to tell him that “an old black ram is tupping [his] white ewe,” referring to
Desdemona’s relationship with Othello (I,i,97-98). As Iago has calculated, the obscene words inflame
Brabantio, and Iago uses this to attempt to destroy Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Iago takes
advantage of the racism in their society to invoke hatred, highlighting Othello’s race by calling him a
“black ram”, and associating his race with beastly, animal like behavior. Iago shows cunning
awareness of social tensions and uses this in his favor to cast Othello in a villainous light in
Brabantio’s eyes.
- In a soliloquy, Iago plots “to get [Cassio’s] place” (I,iii,436) by “double knavery” (437), playing Cassio
off on Othello by telling Othello that Cassio is “too familiar” (439) with his wife. This one subtle trick
will ultimately ruin two characters as Othello will no longer trust his lieutenant, while Othello will ruin
his relationship with Desdemona. Iago is such a conniving and villainous character that he is willing
to ruin the lives of two in “double knavery” to achieve his goals. Furthermore, Iago exposes his
cynical thoughts when he comments that this will be too easy of an act to carry out because Othello
“will as tenderly be led by th’ nose as asses are” (444-445), undermining Othello’s pride and
calculating the response of others to his plot.
2. Desdemona – vulnerable (because of her feminine suppliance)
In Othello, Desdemona is a weak, frail character who cannot escape the binding roles of gender and race in
society, and is killed by her own husband after Iago villainously takes advantage of her weakness;
Desdemona is a vulnerable character who fails to protect herself from social conflicts and ends up to be a
tragic product of this play.
- Desdemona carelessly loses her handkerchief, and puts herself at risk for manipulation and many
misunderstandings. Although it might be a mere accident, this one token escalates Othello’s
jealousy, and Desdemona agitates him when instead of admitting it is lost, pushes Othello to
reinstate Cassio’s lieutenancy. Though Desdemona does not do this purposefully, she is unaware of
-
the cause of Othello’s agitation and so uninformed, provokes Othello to believe her infidelity with
Cassio. Desdemona is easily cast in doubt by Othello because of her oblivion.
In distress after Othello has “bewhored her” (IV,ii,134), Desdemona runs to Iago for help, “kneel[ing]”
(179) in front of him in a vulnerable position. She is unaware of Iago’s villainy and gives him
encouragement in his plans by pouring out her distress and unconditional love for Othello.
Furthermore, she physically puts herself beneath Iago in a prone position, allowing him to take
advantage of her misgivings and frail state, and willingly exposes her weakness to a villain who has
been taking advantage of her for his own purposes. Then, perhaps, Desdemona’s greatest
weakness is her inability to recognize her own enemy.
3. Othello – insecure (because of his alienation as a Moor in Venice)
Despite being the commander of a Venetian army and a having a highly reputable name, Othello has
misgivings and doubts about himself as an outsider in his society; these insecurities lead Othello to become
obsessive about demonstrating his power and ultimately drive him into a pit of jealousy because he cannot
trust the faith of his relationship with Desdemona.
- Othello arrives at the scene of Cassio’s drunk brawl, and proclaiming that because Desdemona, his
“love” (II,iii,266) is “raised up…[He]’ll make [Cassio] an example” (266-267), dismissing Cassio from
the lieutenancy. It seems as if Othello felt the need to establish his power in front of Desdemona to
secure her opinion of him. That he does this at a severe price for Cassio shows insecurity in his
character as he destroys one person’s title for his own, a selfish quality that does not define a leader.
- Othello’s insecurity becomes ever the more apparent in the way he allows Iago to provoke him and
to easily led to believe Desdemona’s infidelity. Like a baited fish, Othello clings to Iago’s insinuations
of Cassio’s dishonesty in doubtfully stating that he “dare be sworn [he] think that [Cassio] is honest”
(III,iii,145), and his cautions against “the green-eyed monster”(196) and the “cuckold”(197). Though
Iago has no sound proof of Desdemona’s infidelity, Othello assumes that Iago, who sounds confident
in his words, is speaking the truth and falls into doubt about his marriage, Desdemona’s loyalty, and
his command over others.
Themes:
1. Jealousy is a central theme in this play and acts as a driving force that has a component in the many
aspects of Iago’s plans and Othello’s demise; the tragic end of this play serves to show how allowing
jealousy to be the central force that dictates ones life ultimately leads to unfortunate ends.
- Iago is enraged by Othello who, “horrible stuffed with epithets of war” (I,i,15), has assigned Cassio,
“a great arithmetician” (20) to be his lieutenant, while he is a mere ensign, and vows for revenge.
Driven by this envy and his villainous character, Iago sets out to become a plague in Othello’s life by
ruining his marriage, ruining Cassio’s reputation, and manipulating Roderigo to do his dirty work.
However, Iago is so focused on his machinations that he allows it to consume him entirely, driven to
insanity without the humane, nourishing emotions needed in one’s life.
- Brabantio grows jealous of Othello for having “stol’n” (I,iii,73) Desdemona, his precious daughter, the
prize of Venice, and irrationally accuses him of using “witchcraft” (77) to enchant her. Brabantio is so
attached to his daughter that he cannot stand to have her married to another man, moreover, a Moor
like Othello, and so accuses him in an absurd manner in front of the Duke and senators, appearing
almost crazy. Brabantio is so caught up in his grief and unable to surrender his daughter, destroys
himself while she is distanced from him even more in Cyprus with Othello.
- Iago continues to torment Othello with vivid images of Desdemona’s infidelity, driving Othello deeper
into jealousy until he is mad and falls into an epileptic trance. “Boding” (IV,i,25) over Othello’s mind
are the images of Cassio “lying” on her and the handkerchief, both of which serve as constant
reminders of Cassio and Desdemona’s disloyalty. Othello allows these images to continue to
escalate his jealousy until he is insane, and ultimately cannot escape these dark, passionate
emotions until he has killed both his wife and himself.
2. Social conformity is a driving force in Othello that leads characters to make poor choices; more concerned
with fitting in to their society and the people around them, characters in the play do not look beyond the
superficial, and fail to see how social conformity carries them down the wrong path.
-
-
In the opening scene of the play, Iago tells Roderigo to call up to Brabantio’s window to “rouse him”,
“poison his delight”, and “plague him with flies” over Desdemona’s sudden marriage to Othello
(I,i,75,78). Although this is a terrible way to inform the honorable Brabantio about his daughter’s
marriage, Roderigo gives in to Iago’s demands. Even when Iago makes obscene comments about
Brabantio’s “daughter covered with a Barbary horse” (125), Roderigo doesn’t reveal Iago’s identity,
which would put him in Iago’s bad graces. More concerned with social conformity than putting Iago’s
bad credit where it is due, Roderigo is already taking the first steps to becoming Iago’s puppet, which
will ultimately lead to his demise.
Although Iago doesn’t blatantly admit it, much of his resentment comes from his inability to conform
to his society, and, seeing Othello as a symbol of a society in which he has floundered, Iago targets
him as the main subject of his evil plans. Although he clearly cannot “endure” Othello, Iago still
admits that the Moor has a “constant, loving, noble nature” (II,i,310-311), qualities that Iago himself
greatly lacks; he also knows that despite his race, Othello has to a certain degree assimilated into
Venetian society, a feat he has never accomplished himself. Although Iago isn’t a Moor, he is old
enough to suffer from the impact of Venetian ageism, and the discrimination he endures is proof of
his inability to conform socially. All of these factors add up to Iago’s great frustration and his choice of
destroying Othello, which in the end becomes his own personal downfall as well.
Author’s Technique:
1. Tragic hero/flaw
Shakespeare applies the idea of the tragic hero to both Othello and Desdemona, who are some of the most
respected, notable social figures that ultimately face a down fall; this technique enhances the tragedy of the
plot while also producing irony in that the best characters in the play contribute to their own demise,
reminding the audience that perhaps the idea that there is too much of a good thing is true.
- Despite having flourished as a Moor in racist Venice, insecurity plagues Othello’s character as he is
driven to jealousy when Iago manipulates his weakness to believe Desdemona’s infidelity, and
ultimately kills both himself and Desdemona. His last words in which he asks the men around him to
“speak of [him] as [he is]…of one that loved not wisely but too well; of one not easily jealous but
being wrought, perplexed in the extreme” , reminds the audience that despite his shortcomings,
Othello was a proud man who overcame the greatest odds in society. Despite the tragedy of his life,
greatness can still prevail in memories, and his death serves to show that perhaps he became too
great, gathering the envy of men like Iago and rising too fast to be comfortable in his own role.
- Desdemona is a heroine until the end, refusing to accuse her husband of murder, and shows utter
devotion to her role as a female and a wife. When Emilia enters the room, Desdemona does not
blame the murder on Othello who is standing nearby, and instead, dies “a guiltless death” (V,ii,150)
done by “[her]self”(152), protecting Othello. Desdemona’s death is made more pitiful by her loyalty to
Othello, but also shows how her utter devotion to her husband did not pay off as he did not trust the
strength of their relationship.
2. Dramatic irony
In Othello, Shakespeare primarily uses Iago as a vehicle for dramatic irony; as the audience or reader
watches on helplessly knowing what schemes he has set in motion while some characters do not, the use of
dramatic irony underscores the feeling of inevitability in the play, as the characters are unable to escape the
web that has already been spun for them.
- Suffering from an epileptic fit, Othello can only watch as Iago and Cassio hold a conversation which
he believes is about Desdemona; while the reader can see that the conversation is really about
Biana and that Iago is only baiting Othello to believe it’s about his wife, Othello is fully convinced
Michael Cassio is laughing over his affair with Desdemona and how “she plucked him to [his]
chamber” (IV,i,159). Frustratingly enough, Othello is mere feet away from Iago and Cassio as they
hold this conversation, yet out of hearing range, and this sets up a dramatic irony that stirs up Othello
to a murderous rage. With his mind already poisoned by Iago, Othello is merely a puppet being
pulled along, and the dramatic irony underscores the atmosphere of helplessness and inevitability of
the play.
-
Othello’s soliloquy before he kills Desdemona rings of dramatic irony; set in motion by Iago, Othello
is so convinced of her infidelity and “cunning’st pattern of excelling nature” (V,ii,11) that he wants to
kill her. The reader or audience, fully aware of Desdemona’s true purity, can only watch as Othello
goes on to strangle her. Just as Iago had intended all along, Othello jumps to conclusions and acts
on his violent nature to solve his problems; lost in his own fury, Othello is helpless in the situation as
Iago strings him along using maddeningly blatant and faulty lies.
Important Symbols:
1. Handkerchief
A gift to Desdemona from Othello, the handkerchief is misplaced and manipulated by Iago to convince
Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity; the handkerchief embodies fidelity and chastity in Othello and
Desdemona’s relationship, but misused, it becomes a haunting symbol of disloyalty and deception that
causes jealousy.
- Othello idealizes the handkerchief as a symbol of loyalty in a story of the handkerchief’s origins,
telling Desdemona that it was given to his mother by an Egyptian “charmer” (67) to “make her
amiable and subdue [his] father entirely to her love” (III,iv,70-71). While Desdemona had preciously
guarded the handkerchief as a token of Othello’s love, it also becomes a tangible object of fidelity,
that is now misplaced as if to prove Iago’s stories of her infidelity. Moreover, Othello begins to see
this handkerchief as the ultimate symbol of her loyalty, and upon Desdemona’s failure to produce it,
he becomes obsessed and concludes this as the final proof of her affair with Cassio.
- Iago sets up a scene for Othello in which he perceives Cassio laughing about Desdemona, and when
Bianca marches in with Othello’s handkerchief, Othellos believe that Desdemona “gave it him, and
[Cassio] hath giv’n it his whore” (IV,I,195-196). This scene is crucial as the handkerchief becomes a
powerful tool because of its visibility and its power as an image fixed in Othello’s mind. The images
Iago had painted earlier of Cassio with the handkerchief becomes a reality, and Othello is convinced
more than ever that both Cassio and Desdemona are disloyal and mock him. The handkerchief as a
visible symbol proves to be effective perhaps because of Othello’s tendency to rely on his sight.
3. Wedding Sheets
In Othello, Desdemona’s wedding sheets represent Desdemona’s true purity, and act as a sign of her
honesty and faithfulness to Othello; however, the symbol comes too late in the play for Othello to recognize
it as a sign of her love, and, blinded by his irrational rage, he ignores the wedding sheets and continues
down the path for destruction Iago has crafted.
- After discussing Othello’s rage over her alleged infidelity with Emilia, Desdemona tells Emilia to
“remember” to “lay on [her] bed [her] wedding sheets” that night (IV,ii,122). The wedding sheets,
which are probably white, are a symbol of Desdemona’s purity and chastity. After all his fiery
accusations, Desdemona probably hopes that Othello will remember her beauty and purity upon
seeing the wedding sheets, which also represent their wedding night, a night when they were very
much in love and made vows to always stay faithful and take care of each other.
- Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello’s dead bodies all lie on Desdemona’s wedding sheets by the end of
the play, but perhaps Othello’s parting words are the most haunting; he reveals that he finally
realizes Desdemona was faithful all along, and right before committing suicide, he laments the fact
that he “threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe” (V,ii,407-408). As he stabs himself, Othello falls
onto the bed, which is covered in Desdemona’s wedding sheets; it seems that dying on her wedding
sheets is a sign that he finally has acknowledged the truth of her purity and faithfulness, and that
although he has made many tragic mistakes, he will once again join her on their wedding sheets,
where on the night of their wedding they enjoyed an untainted love.
Sample Book Report: The Great Gatsby
Title:
An Illusion
The “great” in The Great Gatsby presents Gatsby as an enigma, almost as if he were a magician like the
“Great Houdini”: everyone is happy to come to Gatsby’s parties and drink his alcohol but few care for the
man behind the magic—they are unable to see past Gatsby’s carefully constructed facade to the simpler
man he is underneath.
● When Nick sees Gatsby on his lawn for the first time, he describes him as “coming out to admire
his share of the local heavens” and looks out at what Gatsby faces which is a “single green light”—however,
when Nick looks back again, Gatsby “vanishes” (21). Nick’s description of Gatsby as coming out to admire
the “heavens” then “vanishing” draws attention to Gatsby’s mysterious, almost magician-like qualities.
Despite Gatsby’s outward appearances, Nick realizes there is something more under his facade, a
something that shines through the smoke and mirrors surrounding Gatsby in the form of a “green light.” The
green light Gatsby looks out at represents his love for Daisy, the simple truth at the middle of the “great”
Gatsby’s elaborate parties and schemes and the true man behind the mirrors.
● At Gatsby’s party, Nick hears rumors of Gatsby flying around like darts missing the target, with
people insisting that he has “killed a man once” and that he “grew up in Germany” yet “was in the American
army”; Nick goes on to describe the rumors as a “testimony Gatsby’s romantic speculation” (44). Like a
magician, many “romantic speculations” surround Gatsby and his inexplicable wealth and extravagance. Yet
it also calls attention to the fact that people openly attend his parties while admitting they know nothing at all
about the hostGatsby’s mysterious and “great” popularity is at odds with his lack of close friendships.
Fitzgerald also uses Gatsby’s enigmatic qualities to criticize the superficiality and corruption of the upper
class, a materialistic group who cares only about appearances without bothering to uncover the true Gatsby
underneath.
Setting:
West Egg and East Egg
Although they are identical in shape and size and are both home to the rich, the cities of West Egg and East
Egg are fundamentally different in their composition; while the inhabitants of East Egg come from rich
families, those of West Egg are newly rich—a factor which contributes to the stigmas and prejudices placed
on inhabitants of West Egg and serves to emphasize the concept that true affluence can only come from
lineage.
● When describing the two cities of West Egg and East Egg, Nick comments that West Egg is “the
less fashionable of the two” and describes Gatsby’s house, which is located in West Egg, as a “factual
imitation of some Hotel de Ville” (5). Unlike those of the East Egg who come from a long line of wealthy
family members, the denizens of West Egg, who are newly rich, are not perceived as carrying the same
sense of royalty and distinction as those of the East Egg and are thus cast off as “imitations” of the elite.
Even the subtle difference in where one obtains his money is manifested into a split between two distinct
classes of wealth, where the class that is born into its affluence is perceived as superior.
● After attending a party at Gatsby’s house for the first time, Nick observes that Daisy is horrified by
the West Egg’s lifestyle of “raw vigor” and that she sees “something awful in the very simplicity she failed to
understand” (107). Daisy’s reaction to the West Egg’s “raw vigor” as something “awful” and appalling serves
to highlight the vulgarity that Daisy perceives in the actions of those from West Egg, despite the fact they
seem to be of the same class—or at least possess the same amount of wealth—as Daisy. This disparity in
demeanor between those of East and West Egg and the perceived indecency of those in West Egg further
emphasizes the idea that true eminence lies in one’s heritage, which further crushes any hope for achieving
the American Dream.
Characters:
1. Jay Gatsby (disillusioned)
Gatsby’s disillusioned ideals concerning the correlation of hard work and entry into America’s “nobility” are
much at odds with reality—Jay Gatsby lives in a world of preconceived notions, attempting to project both
infatuations of the past and dreams onto a world they are not compatible with; Fitzgerald uses this to reflect
how America, once a land of dreams, has become a society where such ambitions will never become a
reality.
● When Gatsby brings Daisy to his house, they sit on the dock as Gatsby mentions that “if it wasn’t
for the mist” they could see the “green light that burns all night” at the end of the Buchanan’s dock (92). The
green light Gatsby always looked out at represented his dream, his dream of winning Daisy through his
newfound, albeit dishonestly, acquired wealth. Now that Gatsby is finally with Daisy, however “mist”
obscures the light—as soon as Gatsby seemingly achieves his goal, the vision of his dream disappears.
Fitzgerald uses the disappearing light to show how Gatsby’s dream can never truly be achievedevery time
he gets close, it simply disappears because it is so unrealistic. Just because Gatsby had accumulated
wealth does not allow immediate social acceptance into the upper class and the affections of Daisy, a reality
that
is at odds with the ideal of the American dream, which, according to Fitzgerald, will never be
truly realized—it will always be shrouded in “mist” once one nears it.
● After Daisy leaves Gatsby’s party, Nick warns Gatsby not to pressure Daisy too much since he
cannot “repeat the past” too which Gatsby “incredulously” replies “of course you can!” and that he will “fix
everything just the way it was before” (110). Gatsby believes that since he has finally achieved the wealth
akin to those in America’s “nobility”, he be worthy suitor to Daisy’s affections as they had existed “before”.
Gatsby fails to realize that entry into the upper class cannot truly be achieved simply by working hard and
becoming rich—it is a status one must be born into to be truly accepted in higher circles, a reality that is
much at odds with the American dream. However, Gatsby’s “incredulous” reaction to Nick’s warnings
indicate how convinced
he is that Daisy will love him back now that he is rich, as well as his assertion that “of course” the past can
be repeated—Gatsby’s disillusionment concerning his goals and the reality of realizing them makes him
singleminded in achieving a dream that will remain just a dream.
2. Tom Buchanan (arrogant)
Although he is born into wealth and given all the opportunities he could ever desire, Tom Buchanan
constantly seeks to glorify himself while, at the same time, debasing others; his entitled, arrogant actions
serve to highlight the archetypal attitude of the rich: conceit and selfishness.
● When Nick comes over for dinner one night, Tom engages in what he perceives to be polite
dinner conversation, bragging about a white supremacist book he recently read and advocating for the
book's view that "'if we don't look out the white race will be...utterly submerged,'" which he justifies as
"'scientific stuff'" (13). While most people would converse about trivial topics at dinnertime, Tom chooses to
monopolize the conversation by engaging in the heavy subject matter of white supremacy in an attempt to
make himself appear smarter and more "scientific." In reality, however, Tom's abrupt dinner conversation
not only highlights his racist, entitled view of the world, but it also points to his arrogant view that the world
revolves around him.
● When Gatsby breaks social convention by accepting a dinner invitation from Tom's friend, Tom
criticizes Daisy's choice in friends and says that "'women run around too much these days to suit [him]'"
(103). It is ironic that Tom condemns Daisy flirtatious nature as behavior that does not "suit [him]" because
he, himself, has engaged in an extramarital affair with Myrtle Wilson. Thus, in holding Daisy to different
standards than he, himself, follows, Tom arrogantly raises himself on a pedestal and reduces Daisy to no
more than a follower to his command.
3. Daisy Buchanan (acquiescent)
Although Daisy is married to one of the most affluent men in her society and lives a life of luxuriant excess,
she is dissatisfied with the lack of emotional depth her life has as well as her relationshipsshe
recognizes the upper class as a corrupt society concerned only with riches as superficiality; however, Daisy
does not do anything to fight the social structure and acquiesces to its demands even though she realizes
its shortcomings.
● When Daisy talks about her daughter’s birth, she remembers telling the nurse when Tom was
“God knows where” that she hopes her girl is a “fool” because “best thing a girl can be in this world is a
beautiful little fool” (17). Daisy’s isolation and dissatisfaction with her marriage is reflected in that fact that
Tom is “God knows where” during the birth of their child, and Daisy wishes that her daughter avoid the same
fate by simply being a “beautiful fool”. Although Daisy recognizes that riches and beauty do not make for a
satisfying life, she wishes her child to embrace the corruption of the upper classes rather than rising above it
and making her own choices regardless of what society determines the “best thing a girl can be”. Daisy
acquiesces to the notions of the upper class that dictate women be pretty ornaments, wishing the same
upon her daughter, even though she is aware of the superficiality the ideal carries.
● The night before her wedding, Daisy, in a moment of drunken realization, yanks a pearl necklace
Tom gave her and tells Nick to “take ‘em downstairs and give ‘em back to whoever they belong to” and that
“Daisy’s change’ her mind” (76). In a haze of alcohol-induced clarity, Daisy realizes that the pearls, that
signify Tom’s riches and affluence, are worth nothing if she does not truly care about “who they belong to”
and that simply marrying for superficial purposes will make her unhappy and unsatisfied down the line.
Ultimately, Daisy ends up acquiescing to the societal standards that dictate she marry for class rather than
love, even though she realizes the practice is superficial and corrupt in nature.
Themes:
1. Superficiality of the Wealthy
With a lifestyle defined by wealth and opulence, the people of East and West Egg are unable to view their
relationships with others as anything more than attempts to acquire material possessions; their superficial
mindset embodies the shallowness and insincerity that a consumerist society creates.
● As Nick and Gatsby wait for the girls to get ready to head out for the town, Gatsby suddenly turns
to Nick and tells him that ‘“[Daisy’s] voice is full of money’” (120). Instead of referring to Daisy’s voice as
beautiful or charming, Gatsby chooses to focus of the fact that Daisy’s voice is “full of money”—a phrase
that evokes that idea that Daisy’s voice contains nothing besides money. Gatsby’s observation, thus, serves
to point out the superficiality of his love for Daisy; from the beginning, Gatsby loved Daisy not for her
personality or charm but solely for her wealth and the affluent lifestyle that she embodied.
● As Nick tries to call up Gatsby’s friends to ask them to attend Gatsby’s funeral, Klipspringer, a
regular patron at Gatsby’s parties, calls to ask Nick about a “pair of shoes [he] left there” and
to notify him that instead of going to the funeral, he will be going to “a sort of picnic” (169). By asking Nick to
return his shoes and giving a petty excuse for why he cannot attend Gatsby’s funeral, Klipspringer reveals
his lack of regard for the Gatsby’s death and shows how shallow his friendship with Gatsby was. To a
greater extent, the fact that none of the people who frequented Gatsby’s parties showed up to his funeral
only serves to illustrate how superficial their motivations were: they were simply using Gatsby’s for his
extravagant parties.
2. American Dream
Despite the fortune and success that life in America seems to promise, the American Dream proves to be an
unfortunate misconception and unattainable goal for those not already born into wealth, a fact that is
particularly evident from the ruin and filth of the Valley of Ashes and Gatsby’s inability to win Daisy back
even after becoming rich.
● Venturing into the valley of ashes to visit Tom’s mistress, Nick notes the barren, decaying nature
of the city, describing it as “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque
gardens” (23). By using contrasting images of “grotesque gardens” and ”fantastic” farms that only grow
“ashes” to describe the city, Nick address the false hope that pervades the scene; the valley of ashes hints
at prosperity and abundance, but in reality it is nothing more than a breeding ground for filth and squalor.
Not only does the valley of ashes represent the hidden poverty and ruin lurking under America’s grandeur,
but it also serves as a metaphor to describe the unattainability of the American Dream for those who are
poor.
● Recounting the events leading up to falling in love with Daisy, Gatsby describes Daisy as
“gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor” (150). In depicting Daisy as a
precious piece of silver that is is “safe” from the “poor,” Gatsby points to Daisy’s elusive, fleeting presence to
those who are not as wealthy as she is. Though Daisy is Gatsby’s “American Dream,” Gatsby is never able
to win Daisy back because he is stained by his poor and uneducated background.
3. Deception
Fitzgerald portrays the upper class as a group who can get away with dishonest and often corrupt dealings
and deceptions simply because they are held to a looser standard due to their wealth.
● When Catherine and Nick discuss Tom's affair with Myrtle, Catherine asserts that the only thing
keeping them from marrying is "Tom's wife" who is supposedly "Catholic and doesn't believe in divorce"
while Nick is "shocked at the elaborateness of the lie" (33). The truth is, of course, that Daisy has never
been privy to Tom's infidelityhowever, she is the one to blame for the affair. Tom's status as an affluent male
of the upper class protects him from the consequences of wrongdoing and can use "elaborate lies" and
riches an adequate shield between himself and justice.
● When Tom accuses Gatsby of bootlegging, Gatsby points out that his "friend Walter Chase" was
also involved and "glad to pick up some money" (134). Tom accuses Gatsby of corrupt dealings,
conveniently overlooking the fact that a friend in his social circle had been involved in just the same thing.
Tom looks to criticize Gatsby but not his friend because Gatsby was not born into nobility unlike Walter who
undoubtedly was. Walter can get away with shady dealings to "pick up some money" simply because he is
associated with upper class individuals such as Tom Buchanan, revealing the true lack of morals among
America's elite.
Symbols:
1. Doctor T.J. Eckleburg
The enigmatic image of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, ever-present yet often overlooked, serves as a
representation of God and religion in an increasingly capitalistic world, highlighting the decay of religious
beliefs in favor of materialism and the selfish reliance on God only in times of need.
● When Nick first enters the Valley of Ashes, he explains that the billboard with Doctor T.J.
Eckleburg’s image was placed there by an oculist to “fatten his practice” and, after its abandonment, is now
“dimmed a little by many paintless days under sun and rain” (24). By noting that Eckleburg's presence has
“dimmed” after serving its purpose to “fatten” the oculist’s business, Nick points out the diminished religious
beliefs of those preoccupied with materialistic possessions. As Eckleburg remains standing in the Valley of
Ashes, with his paint faded and uncared for—a victim of the decaying world around him—so, too, has God
become an insignificant figure in the lives of those so focused on their capitalistic world.
● Overcome with grief after his wife’s accidental death, George Wilson turns to the image of Doctor
T.J. Eckleburg for support and is mesmerized by his presence, uttering the phrase‘“God sees everything’”
(160). Although Wilson has never noticed Eckleburg or thought of his presence as any more that an image
on a billboard, his sudden reference to God—or Eckleburg—as ”seeing everything” conveys the idea that
Wilson finally understands that God is everywhere. However, Wilson’s ability to experience God only in his
time of need emphasize the selfish tendency to believe in religion when it benefits oneself but to discard it
when it seems tedious and profitless.
2. Green Light
The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represent Gatsby’s dreams of winning Daisy back from Tom, and,
on a wider scale, the American Dream, the latter of which also may be associated with the green color of
light also being the color of moneyhowever, like all dreams, the light is in sight, but always intangible and
unreachable.
● When Nick sees Gatsby on his lawn for the first time, he witnesses Gatsby “stretching out his
arms” toward “single green light” that is “minute and far away” and looks back only to see Gatsby vanishing
in the “unquiet darkness” (21). The green light represents Gatsby’s dream of being reunited with Daisyit is
clear and visible across the bay, but “minute and far away”, much like the American Dream had become in
the 1920’s. Although the light appears tangible, it is in fact unreachable and disappears once one gets too
close, “vanishing in the unquiet darkness,” the darkness made unquiet by the raging disappointment of an
unrealized dream.
● As Nick reminisces about Gatsby’s death, he realizes that Gatsby came a long way to “pick out
the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock” and that his “dream must have seemed so close that
he could hardly fail to grasp it”—moreover, Gatsby “believed in the green light” (180). That Gatsby
“believed” in the green light implies that it may or may not have been real “belief,” but implies faith, and faith
can be put into both the tangible and intangible. Furthermore, that the “dream seemed to close that he could
hardly fail to grasp it” does not change the fact that Gatsby’s wish was a dream; while dreams can seem
very real, the are still often the products of wishful thinking, just as the American dream has become.
Author’s Technique:
First Person Narration
Although Nick presents himself as an unbiased narrator, he spends a majority of the book passing
judgements upon others and ultimately at the end leaves New York in an attempt to go back into the past,
just as Gatsby had tried to do; Fitzgerald presents Nick as an almost “invisible” narrator but shows us that
self-denial and nostalgia are part of human nature.
● On the very first page of the novel, Nick prides himself on “reserving all judgements”, a “habit that
has opened up very curious natures”. However, only a few paragraphs later, Nick says that “Gatsby
represented everything for which I had unaffected scorn” (2). Although Fitzgerald initially gives us the
impression that Nick will be an impartial narrator, the fact that he uses first person narrative and not third
reminds us that humans are not always who they say they are, a fact they can lie to even themselves about.
Going so quickly from “reserved judgements” to “unaffected scorn” also parallels Gatsby’s attempt to escape
his true humble beginnings in a myriad of extravagant parties and illegally obtained wealth.
● After Gatsby’s death, Nick is “haunted by the East, distorted by my eyes’ power of correction” and
so he decides to go back home (176). The fact that Nick thinks he can escape his experience in the Eastthat
is to say abandon his newfound “eyes’ power of correction” in the Eastby moving back west implies that he
does not realize that he will always carry the heavy knowledge of Gatsby’s death around with him like
baggage and can never return to exactly the way things were just by changing locations. The new lens on
his eyes will stay wherever he goes. Nick’s attempt to escape back into the past is again reminiscent of
Gatsby’s longing to return to the days when he and Daisy were together, a goal that ultimately led to his
death. Again, although Fitzgerald presents Nick as an impartial narrator, we see the same troubles Gatsby
faced subtly mirrored in the first person narrative, demonstrating that no one can truly ever escape his or her
past.