Entire detailed and comprehensive notes of The Great Gatsby- A Level text. Includes plot summary and chapter-by-chapter analysis, character analysis, context, symbols and motifs, themes and important quotes.
- Fiction novel published in 1925 by F Scott Fitzgerald, inspired by his own experiences
during Jazz Age of 1920s.
- It captures the prosperity and hedonism of era through characters who reside in
fictional Long Island towns of West and East Egg.
- Despite cold reaction from critics and audiences upon its release, many modern
scholars include TGG in canon of Great American Novels.
- In 2009, the Modern Library selected TGG as 2nd best English language novel of 20th
century.
Plot Summary
- Narrator, Nick Carraway, moves to Long Island after returning from WW1. Originally
from Minnesota, he feels restless after war and believes that East Coast is more
interesting and exciting than Midwest.
- After he relocates to fictional town of ‘West Egg’ and begins job as bond salesman,
Nick becomes reacquainted with distant cousin, Daisy, and husband, Tom Buchanan.
- Both are from wealthy families and Tom is successful businessman.
- Nick also meets friend, Jordan Baker, professional female golfer.
- Tom and Daisy live in Easy Egg, the more prestigious ‘old money’ counterpart to
West Egg, where people with ‘new money’ live.
- Tom also has mistress- Myrtle Wilson- the wife of a gas station and car dealership
owner called George.
- One night, Nick meets Jay Gatsby, his neighbour. Although Gatsby is extremely rich
and holds lavish parties at his home, he has few close friends.
- He invites Nick to one of his parties, and they become acquainted.
- Jordan approaches nick to inform him that Gatsby and Daisy were once romantically
involved and asks Nick’s assistance in facilitating a reunion.
- Gatsby and Daisy begin an affair, which soon becomes apparent to tom. He despises
Gatsby and informs Daisy that Gatsby is a criminal.
- This is true: Gatsby is not from a family with money but is instead a self-made
alcohol smuggler from a modest Midwestern family.
- After revelation. Daisy and Gatsby drive away, and Daisy runs over Myrtle by
accident.
- Two do not stop car, and later Tom convinces a distraught George that Gatsby drove
car. George pursues Gatsby, murders him, then commits suicide.
- None of Gatsby’s party guests, nor any of his criminal associate, attend his funeral.
- Disillusioned, Nick makes up mind to return to Midwest.
Chapter 1 Summary
- Narrator Nick Carraway relates details about his upbringing in an affluent Midwest
family. He explains that while they represent themselves as descendants of royalty,
their origins only go back as far as a mid-19th century hardware store proprietor.
,- Supported by family wealth, Nick graduated from Yale in 1915 and fought in World
War I. Restless after the war, Nick forgoes returning to his home and moves to New
York to pursue a career as a bond salesman.
- Instead of living in New York City, he decides to live in the nearby country town of
West Egg on Long Island.
- Nick lives at the end of West Egg closest to more fashionable East Egg, located across
the Long Island Sound.
- From his house, he can see the neighboring large home that turns out to belong to
Gatsby. House is a conspicuous and “colossal” ivy-covered home, with a marble
swimming pool.
- Nick has acquaintances in East Egg: his second cousin Daisy lives there with her
husband Tom Buchanan, whom Nick knew at Yale.
- Tom was excellent college football player and comes from a very wealthy family.
Home is described as a “Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay”, covered
like Gatsby’s in ivy.
- Tom often evokes dislike because of his wealth/ physique/ tendency to come across
as haughty. On a visit to the Buchanans’ home, Nick spends time with them as well
as their friend, Miss Jordan Baker, who looks familiar to Nick.
- During a frivolous and privileged conversation among the group, Tom mentions “The
Rise of the Coloured Empires,” a racist book about protecting the White race; Tom
claims the book’s arguments are scientific fact.
- Explains that the Nordic races, of which he says he and Nick are members, created
civilization. No one engages Tom in this discussion, and Nick is perturbed by it.
- After some whispered words from his butler, Tom leaves the table. He is quickly
followed by Daisy.
- Nick attempts to maintain light conversation, but Jordan interrupts. Explains that the
interruption in dinner has to do with an affair Tom’s having with a woman who lives
in New York City.
- According to Jordan, the mistress may have brazenly called during dinner. Tom and
Daisy return just after Miss Baker’s explanation.
- Daisy distracts from the obvious tension by describing a nightingale that she claims
to have heard singing on the lawn.
- Phone rings, and tension overwhelms the gathering. Nick is distressed by situation.
After a few minutes the group splits up in the library: Tom and Jordan wander
around while Nick is left with Daisy. To his surprise, Daisy confronts him with the fact
that Daisy and Nick, though related, are not at all close. Disconcerted, he changes
the subject to her daughter.
- Jordan leaves because she has to play in a golf tournament the next day. At this
point, Nick realizes that she is a well-known athlete who is also somewhat notorious
for her personal life.
- Nick is left alone with Tom and Daisy, who chide him about a rumor that he was
involved in a failed engagement to a woman. Although Nick tells the reader the
rumor is untrue, their curiosity touches him.
- Upon returning home, Nick sees Gatsby standing close by and thinks of calling to him
and inviting him for dinner. But something about Gatsby’s demeanor leads Nick to
make up his mind not to do so.
, Chapter 1 Analysis
- Novel begins with the narrator, Nick Carraway, providing some oblique thoughts
about moral or ethical judgment and class.
- Becomes clear very quickly that his values are entangled with his sense of class.
This chapter introduces many of the complex class tensions that exist in the novel,
between “old money” and “new money,” between Midwestern middle-class and
East Coast opulence, and—most dramatically—between rich and poor.
- At very start, Nick imparts a piece of advice given him by his father: “Whenever you
feel like criticizing any one […] just remember that all the people in this world
haven’t had the advantages you’ve had”.
- Statement is telling, because it shows that people like Nick’s wealthy father
assumes that poor people will be more prone to moral failings than the affluent.
The tolerance he hopes to impart to his son has to do with how he judges the less
prosperous.
- Yet in adulthood, Nick reverses this truism, forgiving wealthy people for their
transgressions because wealth inevitably damages one’s moral compass.
- That Nick has unfortunately been indoctrinated by his father, is shown by his
attitude toward Gatsby. He admires Gatsby’s personality, which is in many ways
appropriate for someone with wealth. But he admits despising Gatsby’s desire to
rise out of his inherited social station.
- This is ironic, as Nick’s family is guilty of the same sin; the only difference is that
they have solidified their position while Gatsby’s remains unstable.
- Nick explains that, much to his surprise, he turns out to have chosen to live in “one
of the strangest communities in North America.” As the narrative progresses, the
reader discovers that Long Island is strange because it is by heritage a fishing
village, but has become inhabited by some of the richest people in America due to
its proximity to New York City.
- This is important thematically because it reminds us that in America, even as late
as the end of World War I, society is created on a new slate that has been cleared
of its original inhabitants.
Chapter 2 Summary
- Nick describes the midpoint between East and West Egg, where the railroad runs
alongside the road for a stretch. Nick calls this area a “valley of ashes.” It’s an area
where ashes from factories are dumped, creating an ugly wasteland.
- Over the ash dump, an old optometrist’s billboard, advertising Dr. T.J. Eckleburg,
features a pair of absurd faceless eyes and glasses that look out at those who pass
by.
- The train stop near the dump, overlooked by the Eckleburg billboard, turns out to
be the place of residence of Tom’s mistress, Myrtle. Myrtle’s husband, George
Wilson, owns an unsuccessful auto repair and sales shop.
- As the action of the chapter begins, Tom interrupts a weekend train ride to the
city, dragging Nick off to meet his Myrtle, his “girl.”
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