2. Structure
• The Great Gatsby is structured as a series of
flashbacks
• When the novel opens Nick lets us know the
events happened in the past
• Nick’s narration “frames” the narrative
• There other flashbacks within Nick’s
flashback: Jordan telling of Daisy’s early life,
Gatsby’s early life
3. Narrator
• Most of the story is told from Nick’s point of view -
author
• The novel begins with Nick stating that he was
taught by his father to “withhold judgment”
• Father tells him people have not “had all the
advantages you’ve had.”
• As a result of this trait many people have confided in
him
• From the Minnesota from a “well to do family” –
old money
4. Nick Carraway
• Moves to West Egg -
fictional place on Long
Island
• Visits his cousin Daisy who
is married to Tom
• Daisy and Tom live in East
Egg – old money
• Nick and Tom both went to
Yale but not friends – he
has a “cruel body”
• Rents the old house next to
Gatsby’s mansion
5. • When Nick visits Daisy and Tom describes their wealthy
lifestyle
• At dinner he meets Jordan, a socialite and golf pro that Tom
and Daisy want Nick to take a romantic interest in
• It is obvious that things are not right
• Tom tries to interest Nick in a racist book
• Tom’s lover calls during dinner and Jordan says “everyone”
knows
• Daisy calls Tom a brute and accuses him of bruising her
finger
• Nick says “that the thing for Daisy to do was to rush out of
the house, child in arms…”
6. Daisy Buchanan
• Nick describes her face as
“sad and lovely with bright
things in it”
• Her voice has “excitement”,
is “thrilling”, “is an
arrangement of notes
• She murmurs and brings
people closer
• She is alluring
• Wants her child to be “a
beautiful little fool” –
comment on the situation of
women
7. Jay Gatsby
• The mysterious title
character
• Nick first spies him
outside his mansion
stretching his arms out
to shore – green light
• He throws lavish parties
• No one knows where he
is from and where his
fortune comes from
8. Color Symbolism
• White – often uses to describe Daisy – usually means
innocence, purity but in the novel it is corrupted
• Gold and Yellow – Gatsby wears a gold tie, Daisy is the
“golden girl” – wealth but yellow is fake gold – Gatsby’s car
also Dr. T. J. Eckleburg’s glasses
• Grey – lack of life, prosperity – the valley of ashes, Wilson’s
face
• Green – life, hope, the future – like plants and trees – the
green light
• Blue – illusions – Gatsby’s blue lawn, his butler’s uniform –
the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg
9. Symbolism
• The Valley of Ashes – a grey no man’s land
were workers work in an “ash farm” between
the city and wealthy Long Island – poverty,
hopelessness – Wilson
• Dr. T. J. Eckleburg – his blue eyes loom over
the valley of ashes – watching – God’s eyes?
• The Green Light – Gatsby watches it and
stretches his arms out toward it – Daisy -his
dreams and hope
10. Symbolism
• The Owl-eyed Man – owls are wise and
knowing – he first discovers that Gatsby’s
books’ pages aren’t “cut” – has the car
accident – comes to the funeral
11. Major Themes
The American Dream
• The American Dream – Gatsby strives for this ideal –
Wealth – Daisy is the “golden girl” of his dream.
When he kisses her his transformation from James
Gatz to Jay Gatsby is complete. She is only part of it.
He seeks wealth, acceptance also
• Fitzgerald demonstrates how this dream is corrupted
– the idea that hard work will help you obtain it is a
lie – old money will never accept you
• For Gatsby his pursuit leads to demise – Daisy is not
who she seems to be
12. Major Themes
The American Dream
• The dream is really about materialism –
empty pursuit – Gatsby’s parties – the alcohol,
shady deals, the shirts
• All the while God watches – What does he
do?
• Last pages – “the green light, the orgastic
future that year by year recedes before us…”
• The American Dream – Dead? – Was it ever
really real?
13. Major Themes
Class
• Class divides the “old money” – Daisy and
Tom – from “new money” – Gatsby
• West Egg and East Egg
• The valley of ashes
• The poor are dispensable and used – Wilson,
Daisy runs over Myrtle and never stops
• Wilson kills Gatsby and no one comes to
funeral
14. Major Themes
Compassion and Forgiveness
• Nick says at one point that he was “sick of all
of them” however he is the only one who
stands by Gatsby
• Gatsby can forgive Daisy for marrying Tom
but he can’t forgive her for loving him
• Daisy can forgive Tom’s cheating but resents
him for it
• Daisy can’t forgive Gatsby for the way he has
earned his money
