Q1. Compare and Contrast West and East Egg
A1. West Egg is home to people who have become newly rich and have risen in social ranking, and East Egg is home to those with old, established money and a set place in society.
Q2. Describe the significance of the phone call Tom receives at the dinner party
A2. The significance of the phone call is that it gives insight to the affair Tom is having with Myrtle Wilson. It also shows Myrtle’s side of risk and how she and Tom don’t make a huge effort to keep the affair a secret, seeing as Daisy knows.
Q3. What does the white color of Daisy’s and Jordan’s dress symbolize?
A3. The color white represents purity. Daisy even mentions their "white girl-hood together."
Q4. What does Daisy say about her baby girl?
A4. Daisy wants her daughter to be a beautiful fool, because she feels that is the best thing a girl can be in the world she lives in. This shows that in the society Daisy lives in, woman are not valued to be intelligent or important.
Q5. What does Tom’s interest in The Rise of the Colored Empires show about his nature?
A5. It shows that he believes in superiority, which can connect to his belief in superiority over Daisy and her life.
Chapter 2
Q1. What does the name “The Valley of Ashes” symbolize?
A1. The poor desolation and death of the area
Q2. What are some differences between Myrtle Wilson and Daisy?
A2. Myrtle dresses in deep, vibrant colors, and Daisy tends to dress in light, airy colors. Myrtle is also curvaceous and feminine, while Daisy is slim and plain.
Q3. Why doesn’t Nick leave the group on the outing?
A3. Even though Nick doesn’t approve of the people and is shocked by their vulgarity, he can’t help but be fascinated by the bunch.
Q4. What is the difference between Daisy and George in the affair Tom and Myrtle are having?
A4. While Daisy is completely aware of the adultery going on, George is oblivious to Tom and Myrtle’s relationship.
Chapter 3
Q1. Describe Gatsby’s parties
A1. The parties that Gatsby throws are lavish and extravagant. He caters in expensive and gourmet food and opens his huge mansion to hundreds of giddy, drunk guests.
Q2. What is interesting about all of the guests who arrive at Gatsby’s party?
A2. Almost all of the guests who attend these parties are never invited by Gatsby. He simply opens his house and droves of people come. Everyone is from different places in New York, yet they all mix together for these events.
Q3. Why does Gatsby seem to be such a mystery?
A3. Gatsby seems so mysterious because no one really knows the truth about his career or his past. The guests love to speculate about the truth, but it is never revealed.
Q4. Why does Nick start talking to the unknown Gatsby in the first place?
A4. Nick starts the conversation because Gatsby looks familiar to him because they both served in the same division during the war.
Chapter 4
Q1. When out to lunch, what does Gatsby tell Nick about his past?
A1. Gatsby tells Nick that he comes from an important family in “Midwest” San Francisco. He says he was educated at Oxford and traveled to Europe to live in almost all of the capitols. He tells Nick of his promotions and success in the war.
Q2. Describe Meyer Wolfshiem
A2. Meyer Wolfshiem is a vulgar, arrogant gambler. He has cufflinks made out of human molars and proudly displays them. He is also said to have fixed the World Series in 1919.
Q3. What does Jordan tell Nick about Gatsby?
A3. Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby has been in love with Daisy since he was 18. She explains that even though Daisy loved Gatsby, she got engaged to Tom while Gatsby was away at the war.
Q4. What does Nick finally realize about the green light?
A4. Nick discovers that the light that Gatsby seems to always be reaching for is at the end of the Buchanan’s dock. Gatsby is always reaching out his hands in hope for Daisy.
Chapter 5
Q1. Why does Gatsby really want to meet up with Nick?
A1. Gatsby keeps trying to arrange a meeting with Nick because after finding out that Nick is related to Daisy, Gatsby is trying to reunite with her through his help.
Q2. What is the significance of the colors Gatsby wears on his day to meet Daisy?
A2. On the day he is supposed to meet Daisy, Gatsby wears silver and gold. This use of colors symbolizes Gatsby’s wealth and the use of it to impress and lure Daisy.
Q3. How does Daisy react to reuniting with Gatsby?
A3. At first, both Daisy and Gatsby act awkward and shy. After a while though, Gatsby takes Daisy into his house to show off all of his possessions and wealth. When Daisy sees Gatsby’s collection of imported shirts, she weeps with joy. She is so glad to be back with her old love and to see him successful and wealthy.
Q4. Why is Gatsby so nervous to see Daisy again?
A4. Gatsby is nervous because when they were young, Daisy chose Tom over Gatsby because of the security of money. He is still in love with her, and he is afraid that she won’t return the feelings that she used to have for him. His only hope is that she will appreciate his wealth and success.
Q5. What do the newspaper clippings say about Gatsby?
A5. The newspaper clippings that are all about Daisy tell us that ever since he was 18, Gatsby has continuously loved Daisy and has captured as much information as possible so he could be with her once again.
Chapter 6
Q1. What is the irony between Gatsby’s real past and the past that Gatsby pretends to have?
A1. The irony is that everyone believes that Gatsby received all his money from inheritance of his deceased family when in reality his family was very unsuccessful and actually has very little money.
Q2. How does Gatsby know Dan Cody?
A2. Gatsby knew Dan from sailing around the continent with him for 5 years. He worked on his yacht for money until he died mysteriously.
Q3. Why hadn’t Gatsby gone on horseback to dinner with Daisy, Tom, Mr. Sloan, and another woman?
A3. Because the lady was just trying to be polite but no one really wanted him to come so when Gatsby went in the house to get something they all left him
Q4. Why had Gatsby’s party that Tom and Daisy attended have a sense of tension?
A4. Because Tom was there and he left a felling of oppressiveness in the air, making the party felt stiff and unwelcoming.
Q5. Why wasn’t Daisy impressed by Gatsby’s extravagant party?
A5. She did not enjoy the party because being from the east, she was brought up to be very polite and proper, she never drank and always kept composure. At the party everyone is drunk and out of control making them look like animals to Daisy.
Chapter 7
Q1.Why were all of Gatsby’s servants fired?
A1.Gatsby fired all of his servants because he did not want anyone to know that Daisy was coming over and he was afraid.
Q2. Why does Daisy immediately say that Pammy looks nothing like her father after she asks were he is?
A2. Daisy wants to show Gatsby that Pammy is more of her child than Tom’s.
Q3.What is the significance of Tom driving Gatsby’s car into town?
A3. The significance was that that on the way to town Myrtle saw Tom driving Gatsby’s car so when she ran up to get him when he was on his way home she went to that same car, but this time it wasn’t Tom it was Daisy and Gatsby.
Q4.What are the similarities of Tom and George Wilson on that hot summer day?
A4. They both realized that there wives did not love them and that they were cheating on them.
Q5.What makes Daisy not want Gatsby anymore and why?
A5. She finds out that his money is only from illegal means and he never inherited it. He only got it from bootlegging.
Chapter 8
Q1. Why does Nick say that “They’re a rotten crowd, your worth the whole damn bunch put together.”
A1.Because he had all these parties and not one of the guests is genuine they all are just using him for his money, and Gatsby could have much better friends.
Q2.What is Ironic about Nick not telling the police the truth about the accident?
A2. It’s ironic because he said that he is one of the most truthful men and he never lies. But when he knows the real truth about the accident he didn’t tell the police because he didn’t want to get Daisy and Gatsby in trouble.
Q3.Who sees symbolism in T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes and what is that symbolism?
A3. George Wilson believes that T.J.’s eyes symbolize the eyes of God watching over them.
Q4. How does Mr. Wilson come to the conclusion of who killed Myrtle and why?
A4. He went to confront Tom but Tom told him that Gatsby had actually killed Myrtle.
Q5. What is ironic about Gatsby being in the pool that day?
A5. He had never used the pool and on the one day that he decides to use it before it is drained he is killed.
Chapter 9
Q1.What is the significance of Tom and Daisy moving?
A1. Tom is thirty and that is supposed to signify settling down but he is very restless. They both move around and never stay settled they way they should especially with a family.
Q2. Mr. Klipspringer lived with Gatsby, but when he calls he doesn’t call for the funeral what does he call for? What does this say about Klipspringer?
A2. He calls to see if he could get his shoes back that he had left there. This says that he lived with Gatsby only for a place to live and for his money.
Q3. What does Meyer Wolfshiem trying to say when he says “let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”
A3. That people need to realize that life doesn’t last forever and that you need to take what you have today and be grateful for it before it is gone.
Q4.For having so many people at his house all the time, why was there no one at the funeral?
A4. Because everyone just used him for his money and no one really wanted his friendship, just his social status and wealth. Gatsby never really made real friends during his life.
Q5. What is the significance that Nick moves back to the Midwest at the end of the chapter?
A5. The significance is that Nick is restless at the age of 30, when he is supposed to be established and settled down. The place where he feels most at home is in the Midwest away from all of the corruption in the East. Back home, people have and display their morals.
