Study Guide for Great Gatsby Test (Friday!)

Short Answer – Be able to answer the following questions in short, complete sentences: 

Why does Tom hit Myrtle in New York City?

Where is Gatsby’s mansion located?

Where does Gatsby’s reunion with Daisy take place?

What is Jordan Baker’s occupation?

What is Nick’s home state?

Why did Gatsby drop out of college?

Where is the Valley of the Ashes?

Who is Tom’s extramarital lover?

How are Daisy and Nick related?

At the end of the novel, who does Daisy chooses to be with?

Character Analysis – Be able to give a detailed analysis of the following characters: 

Nick

Gatsby

Daisy

Tom 

Jordan

Be able to answer the following essay questions: 

Discuss Gatsby’s character as Nick perceives him throughout the novel. What makes Gatsby “great”?

What is Nick like as a narrator? Is he a reliable storyteller, or does his version of events seem suspect? How do his qualities as a character affect his narration?

What are some of The Great Gatsby’s most important symbols? What does the novel have to say about the role of symbols in life?

How does the geography of the novel dictate its themes and characters? What role does setting play in The Great Gatsby?

Be able to identify the speaker and situational significance of the following quotes:

“‘He’s a bootlegger….One time he killed a man who found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil.’”

“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” 

"I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world."

"He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York. He's so dumb he doesn't even know she's alive."

"Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away."

"Her voice is full of money."

“They were careless people [. . . ] they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness [. . .] and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”

"'They're a rotten crowd,' I shouted across the lawn. 'You're worth the whole damn bunch put together.'"

"'You always look so cool,' she repeated. She had told him she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw."

"Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"

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Here's a great site that has questions for each chapter:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/literature/resource/2924.html

And here's a site that talks about the chronology of events in the novel:
http://www.skyminds.net/american-literature/the-ordering-of-events-in-the-great-gatsby/