&,
The Great 6atsby
--
Tracking the Plot
Chapter 1
Directions: Complete each question or statement with a correct response.
[n a literary work. the exposition is the part of the plot that introduces the characters, the settina.
and the basic situation. Beginning with the first sentence of" the novel, this introductor).
information is told by the first.person narrator Nick Carraway. From the beginning to the
end of the novel, the action is filtered through Nick's consciousness and presented in retrospect
through his memory. By being allowed to report events fully and directly, Nick emerges second
only to Gatsby in importance.
1.
List five items of information about the narrator revealed in this chapter.
a,
b°
o.
d.
e,
,
West Egg and East Egg are the two neighborhoods described. List three items
of information about each.
a,
4ÿ
,
Ust five ÿtems of information about each of the following characters.
a.
c.
Daisy
Tom
b.
Jordan
d.
Gatsby
(Two only.)
,
a,
The dominate color associated with Daisy is
b.
In general what abstract terms might this color symbolize?
5. a. The color that is visible as Gatsby looks out across the bay is
b.
In general, what abstract terms might this color symbolize?
.j
h,,
Chapter 2
6. The Valley of the Ashes is
,
a.
How does Myrtle's attitude change in New York as she acts as hostess
at her and Tom' party?
b,
Three details that Myrtle and her sister Catherine reveal about Myrtle's
marriage and/or her affair with Tom are
Q.,
o
What does Myrtle seem to be trying to justify as she talks about her
marriage?
c.
I
The party ends with what incident? t=.Oÿ &oÿo {¥ occur" 7
C',ÿaÿer 3
Chapter 3 describes Gaÿby's ÿ"iifÿie pa. ÿvry." This one parfi'cuÿar parÿ3, is s)ÿm..boh'e of ai.i of
Gaÿbÿs paÿeÿ List ÿree defÿs each under Re categoÿ gÿven.
The preparafion_s
Tÿe e-efiÿeÿtaÿosphere
r
Three details in which Gatsby's party in--compares to Myrtle and
Tom's party at the New York apartment in Chapter 2 are
10.
Two incidents involving automobiles in--are
a°
b.
These two incidents reveal something of the symbolic-nature of
automobiles during this time period. In both incidents, the automobile
[Fil! in the
,serveswith
as a
symbol for
'blank
anconcrete
abstractterm.]
Chapter 4
11.
Until now almost all that has been revealed about Gatsby is by other characters.
Six details of background revealed by Gatsby about himself in this chapter are
a.
b,
C.
d.
e,
f-
What does Gatsby's friendship with Meyer Wolfsheim imply about Gatsby's own
12.
background.'? o
Jordan tells Nick the story of Gatsby and Daisy. Six details of their previous
13.
relationship are
m
Chapter 5
14. a.
What does Gatsby offer Nick in return for Nick's cooperation in inviting
Daisy for tea and a reunion with Gatsby?
b. What does Gatsby's type of offer reveal about him?
15.
Two of Gatsby's actions in preparing for the tea with Daisy that seem absurd
and flamboyant are
i
16.
a.
b°
A word that describes the initial meeting between Gatsby and Daisy is
How are Gatsby and Daisy different when Nick returns to the house after
a half of an hour?
17. Why is it important for Gatsby that Daisy see his home and possessions?
18.
Two details that Daisy learns concerning Gatsby and the years that have
passed are
o
19.
In this chapter, Gatsby's dream seems to"be fulfilled. What are Gatsby's feelings
by tlÿe end of the chapter?
f
t
Chapter 6
f
20.
Plato held that reality was an imperfect reflection of an ideal, permanent realm.
Nick says that "Jay Gatsby sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. As
narrator, Nick chooses this point in the novel to give information concerning
Gatsby's youth though the information is not revealed to him by Gatsby until
Chapter 8. Nick states: "He told me all this very much later, but I've put it down
here with the idea of exploding those first wild rumors about his antecedents
which weren't even faintly true."
List eight details concerning the novel protagonist's tran'sformation from James
Gatz's to Jay Gatsby.
a.
b,
C.
e.
• ÿo
g.
J
d.
21.
h.
How do Tom and Gatsby differ as shown during Gatsby's party?
a.
b.
22. Tom, suspecting that Gatsby has made his money by bootlegging, plans to
23.
a.
A quote that states Gatsby's opinion of the past is"
b. Cite Gatsby's plans that support this opinion.
o
Chapter 7
24. a. Gatsby has made some changes in his lifestyle that so concerned Nick
that he went to check on him. Two of the changes are
b. Gatsby had made these changes because
25.
While attending a luncheon at the Buchanan's, Gatsby is introduced to Pammy,
the daughter of Tom and Daisy. Explain why Gatsby "looked at the child with
surprise."
26.
Analyze Daisy's attitude toward her child as evidenced in this chapter and in
Chapter 1.
f
27.
Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, Nick, and Jordan decide to go to the city. What awkward
arrangements are made regarding the passengers in each car?
28.
Nick deduces the following parallel between Tom and Wilson: "...It occurred to
me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence and race, so
profound as the difference between sick and the well." How do Torn and
George react to the realization that their wives are slipping away from them?
Tom:
George:
29.
A quote by Daisy while at the Pÿaza Hotel, that shows that Gatsby's dream
is dying fast is: "
30.
State the significance of Tom's urging Gatsby to take Daisy home after the
heated confrontation between the two men.
31.
The incidents involving automobiles in Chapter 3 are minor compared to the
automobile accident in this chapter. Explain how each of the following
characters is involved in the tragedy that occurs at the end of this chapter.
a.
Myrtle:
b.
Wilson:
c. . Tom:
f
d.
e°
Nick:
Gatsby:
Daisy:
32.
At the end of the chapter, Gatsby is standing alone, looking at Daisy's house.
At the end of Chapter 1, Gatsby is seen by Nick looking out across the bay at
Daisy's house. At the end of Chapter 7, Nick comments that Gatsby was
"watching over nothing." Interpret this quote.
Chapter 8
33.
Nick visits Gatsb-y the day after the accident. Nick states: "it was this day he told
me the strange story of his youth with Dan Cody." [As narrator, Nick had chosen
to include this detailed information in Chapter 61] Explain why Gatsby Choose
this time to reveal this information about himself to Nick?
34.
Gatsby rejects Nick's suggestion to leave town until the news of the accident
¢"
dies down because
35.
a.
Interpret the following quote by Nick: "They're a rotten crowd. You're
worth the whole damn bunch of them put together."
Nick felt compelled to compliment Gatsby because
b.
f
36.
Nick says that just before Gatsby was shot, "he must have felt that he had lost
the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream."
Interpret this quote. In what way does it summarize the main thrust of the novel?
Chapter 9
37. After Wilson shoots Gatsby as he floats in the swimming PO01, he shoots himself,
"and the holocaust was complete."
a. The reason concluded at the inquest for Wilson's murdering Gatsby is
that
b. In actuality, Wilson sought out to murder Gatsby because
"Two details of Gatsby's life as revealed by his father Henry C. Gatz are
38.
b,
To what extent had Gatsby and his father had a.relationship?
39.
What is the irony of Gatsby's funeral?
40.
Chapter 9 makes clear that Gatsby's story is really a story about the subversion
of the American Dream. On the last page of the novel,. Nick imagines what the
continent must have looked like when it was first seen by Dutchsailors. In
relation to this passage, compare Gatsby's dream and the American Dream.