Study Questions for The Great Gatsby



Study Questions for The Great Gatsby

Chapters 5 & 6

“Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;

If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,

Till she cry “Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,

I must have you!”

Chapter Five

1. What is Gatbsy doing at two in the morning? What is his real intention?

2. Gatsby doesn’t want to put Nick to any trouble. What does this tell you about him?

3. What does Gatsby suggest in order to try and help Nick with his financial state?

4. What does Gatsby do to Nick’s home to prepare for his tea with Daisy?

5. What colors make up Gatsby’s attire? What do these colors symbolize?

6. What is Gatsby’s emotional state prior to Daisy’s arrival?

7. What surprises Nick on his re-entry into his living room?

8. What description of Gatsby does Nick give of Gatsby standing at the door?

9. What change occurs in Daisy’s character?

10. What does Gatsby first believe about the arranged meeting?

11. What atmosphere is in the room when Gatsby and Daisy first meet?

12. Is there any significance to the clock on the mantel? What is it?

13. Rain is an important symbol in literature. What could it signify in Chapter 5?

14. What, according to Nick, are Americans occasionally willing to be? What does he mean by this statement?

15. What change has occurred with Gatsby upon Nick’s re-entering the house?

16. Why is it important to Gatsby that Daisy see his house?

17. How does daisy contradict his past in telling Nick the time it took for him to earn money for his house? How does he correct himself? What do you believe is the true story about Gatsby’s money?

18. What two businesses does Gatsby say he has been involved in?

19. How does Nick say that Gatsby re-values his house?

20. Your bedroom is supposed to be a true revelation of who you are. What does Gatsby’s bedroom say about him?

21. Daisy justifies her frying by saying, “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shorts.” Why is she really crying?

22. What does Gatsby reveal about the placement of her house?

23. Who is in the picture that Nick notices?

24. Nick says, “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams – not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.” Has Gatsby made Daisy out to be more than she really is?

25. What is one thing about Daisy that Gatsby cannot alter in his dream?”:

26. We don’t know what happened in the exchange between Gatsby and Daisy while Nick stands in the rain outside of his home. What things do you believe might have been said? Remember, Nick returns to find Daisy’s face streaked with tears.

Chapter Six

1. Who arrives to investigate Gatsby?

2. What was Gatsby’s legal name?

3. At what age did he change his name?

4. What event initiated the changing of his name?

5. Who created Jay Gatsby?

6. What had James Gatz been doing before he met Dan Cody?

7. What was James Gatz’s financial state?

8. Fitzgerald alludes to a famous American writer. To whom does he allude in the following statement: “He stayed there two weeks, dismayed at its ferocious indifference to the drums of destiny. . .”

9. What does Fitzgerald say about Gatsby in making this allusion?

10. What does Dan Cody’s yacht represent to Gatz?

11. What does Gatz do for Cody?

12. Why does Gatsby drink so little?

13. What does Cody leave to Gatsby? Why does he not get it?

14. When do Gatsby and Tom meet? Under what circumstances?

15. Why do you suppose Gatsby wants to see more of Tom?

16. Do Tom, Mr. Sloane, and the woman really want Gatsby to come along on horseback?

17. Tom is upset that Gatsby knows Daisy. What literary device is this an example of? (HINT: What is ok for Tom in not ok for Daisy.)

18. What does Tom’s presence add to Gatsby’s party?

19. Explain the meaning of the following quotation: “It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things which you have extended your own powers of adjustment.”

20. What adjective does Fitzgerald use to describe Tom’s eyes? What does the adjective reveal about the man?

21. What does Gatsby identify Tom as?

22. How does Tom want to look at famous people? What does this remark say about him?

23. Why id Daisy not having a good time?

24. Explain the statement: “She saw something awful in the failed simplicity she failed to understand.”

25. What does Tom guess about the source of Gatsby’s wealth?

26. What does Gatsby want of Daisy?

27. What advice does Nick give Gatsby about the past?

28. What does Gatbsy plan to do to gain Daisy’s favor?

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