“The Great Gatsby”

1. “The Great Gatsby” • Things to consider for the exam

2. Things to consider... • Nick’s Narration • Setting • The Main Characters • Symbolism - green light, eyes of Dr. E, Valley of Ashes • Theme of American Dream • Theme of Moral Decadence in 20s • Theme of the Past • Key Scenes - Gatsby’s party, tea party, Plaza hotel, Gatsby’s death

3. Narration • Uses first and third person narration to reflect back on the events of that Summer in 1922. • He is an outside observer of the situation in NY in the 20s. • Nick is different to the others and this difference is emphasised through Nick’s narration. He has different motivations to the other characters. • While Nick maintains that he is honest and non-judgemental, we as readers see the effect his society has on him and the gradual changes he experiences.

4. Narration • Nick is one of the few people who can see the real Gatsby underneath and cares for him. • Nick’s view of Gatsby is important as he is conflicted between disapproving of Gatsby’s lavish behaviour but also admiring him for his romantic quality of hope and determination to acquire his true love. • Fitzgerald uses Nick to comment on the state of America in the 20s. He comes to NY to makes something of himself and finds himself surrounded by people who do not value hard work. • As an observer of Gatsby’s story, Nick becomes a critic of the Roaring 20s and grows to despise the excess and carelessness that carries on around him.

5. Setting • Set in Long Island and NYC in the Summer of 1922. • The Roaring 20s - time of immense social change: more money, less morals. • NYC suffered an influx of people coming to NY to make themselves rich. • Class differences - West Egg = “new money” while East Egg = “old money.” - conflict between the Eggs as the old money disliked the new money for their raucous behaviour and flaunting of their newly acquired wealth.

6. Themes • The Decline/Corruption of the American Dream - Fitzgerald felt that people in the USA in the 20s had lost a sense of what the Dream stood for - hard work to build a life for yourself. He thought they solely focused on getting rich quick. • Gatsby symbolises the Dream in both ways. He thought money would solve his problems, acquired his fortune through illegal means and left his true self behind to adopt his new identity. However, although he did it illegally, he did it with good intent as he was motivated by his love for Daisy. • His failure reflects what happens when the Dream is not achieved properly - with integrity and hard work.

7. Themes • Lack of Morals in the 20s - Fitzgerald impresses upon the reader that the excess of the Roaring 20s led to the corruption of individuals at the time. The excess of the money and pleasures meant that people drifted from party to party, never knowing their fellow guests and showing little regard for others. So many of the characters in the novel are shown to be empty inside, reckless in their lifestyle and only care about themselves. People have lost their sense of moral decency and have no real relationships or meaning in their lives. • This theme is shown through the questionable behaviour of the upper-class, their willingness to engage in gossip, the guests who use Gatsby for his money and the fact that nobody comes to his funeral.

8. Themes • The Past -Fitzgerald warns us against living for the past as it prevents us from moving on in the present. He says that we can never seem to move beyond the past and this is the reason so many fail to achieve their dreams. If we build our dreams for the future based on the past, we will never achieve them. • Gatsby is plagued by the past. He cannot move on until he achieves the vision of Daisy which he has created in his mind. Gatsby has dedicated his whole life to recapturing the past he had with Daisy and believes that he can use his wealth to do this. Ultimately, he fails and it becomes clear that he cannot recapture the past as it is already behind him - Daisy has changed.

9. Key Scenes • Nick’s first party at Gatsby’s. • Gatsby and Daisy meet again for the first time. • The confrontation at the Plaza Hotel. • Myrtle’s death. • Gatsby’s death.

10. Characters - Nick • Stands apart from the rich. • Can observe their behaviour as an outsider. • QUOTE: “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” • Themes - American Dream, The Past, Lack of Morals in the 20s. • Key Scenes - Plaza Hotel, Tea Party, Myrtle’s death, Gatsby’s funeral • Nick is the only one who proves loyal to Gatsby and stays with him until the end. He learns to depsise the East and everything associated with it.

11. Characters - Gatsby • Part of the “new money” crowd. • Has achieved the Dream but has done it illegally and, in the end, fails. Can’t let go of his dream of getting the old Daisy back. • QUOTE: “Daisy tumbled short of his dreams...because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything.” • Themes - American Dream, The Past, Lack of Morals in the 20s. • Key Scenes - Plaza Hotel, Tea Party, Myrtle’s death, Gatsby’s funeral

12. Characters - Daisy • Part of the “old money” crowd. • Daisy prizes money over love. • QUOTE: “I hope she’ll be a fool - that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” • Themes - American Dream, The Past, Lack of Morals in the 20s. • Key Scenes - Plaza Hotel, Tea Party, Gatsby’s shirts, Gatsby’s funeral • Retreats back into her money when Gatsby dies - shows no loyalty to him as he did to her.

13. Characters - Tom • Part of the “old money” crowd. • Has no shame about his affair or the fact that he mistreats Daisy. • Was a great football player once, but now has nothing to aspire to or aim for. • Is responsible for Gatsby’s death as he tells Wilson that Gatsby was driving the car. • KEY SCENE - the confrontation at the Plaza Hotel. He refuses to let Daisy go and antagonises Gatsby about his suspicious fortune.

14. Characters - Jordan • Part of the “old money” crowd. • Appears to be working hard at her career but it’s revealed that she cheats. Just like everyone else, Jordan tries to get there the fast and immoral way. • Themes - Lack of Morals in the 20s, American Dream • QUOTE: “She was incurably dishonest.” • She likes to engage in gossip and isn’t affected by Tom’s or Daisy’s affair - she seems used to this behaviour. • Nick wants nothing to do with her by the end of the novel.

15. Characters - Myrtle • Lives in the Valley of Ashes with her husband. • Despite being poor, she is also obsessed with the rich lifestyle. • QUOTE: “With the influence of the dress, her personality had also undergone a change.” • Superficial enough to believe that she can change her identity just by changing out of her old clothes. • Attracted to the lifestyle Tom offers and dislikes her husband’s lack of status. • Themes: Lack of Morals in the 20s

16. Symbolism • The Green Light- symbolises Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. He is constantly reaching for them but it becomes clear that there is a distance between them. The bay between Gatsby and the light serves as a reminder of the substantial gap between the past and the present, himself and Daisy. “His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” • The Eyes of Dr T.J. Eckleburg - the faded eyes on a billboard in the Valley of Ashes. When George Wilson is grieving for his wife, he thinks the eyes represent God, looking down on the society which lacks morals.

17. Symbolism • The Valley of Ashes - a stretch of desolate wasteland between West Egg and NYC. It symbolises the moral and social decay that has happened as a result of the boom of the 20s. Their constant search for pleasure has resulted in people becoming corrupted inside and the ashes represent this. What was once great and good, has descended into ash. While East and West Egg represent the ‘old’ and ‘new’ money, the V of A represents the poor and the suffering they endure.