Plot Overview

Set in the 1920s in New York, a wonderful story told

by the point of view of Nick Carraway. Nick moved
from the West to learn about bonds. Neighbor to
Jay Gatsby, which was very interesting. Nick went
over to the East Egg to meet his second cousin,
Daisy Buchanan. While there he meet her friend
Jordan Baker and her husband Tom Buchanan.
Jordan informs Nick that Tom has a lover named
Myrtle which is George Wilsons wife. Daisy
mentions, when she sees her daughter that being a
fool is the best thing that can happen to a woman.
Summer continues and eventually Caraway gets
invited to one of Gatsbys great parties. When he
arrives he encounters Jordan and then a man tells
him to follow him. Once he gets further into the
house he meets Gatsby himself. It turns out that
Mrs. Buchanan and Mr. Gatsby know each other
from Louisville in 1917. He looks out his yard
towards a green light by her house. Gatsby asks
Nick to arrange a tea party with Daisy, so he does.
Gatsby and Daisy meet once again and an affair
takes place. Tom starts picking up strange signs
between Daisy and Gatsby. Although, Tom is having
an affair he is angry at the idea that Daisy is having
an affair. The suggestion to take a trip to New York
City arises. At the hotel, Tom confronts them both
with Jordan and Nick in the room. One their way
home, Myrtle (Toms mistress) got hit by Gatsbys
car. Tom and the rest stop to check what happened
and found out, Tom tells George that Gatsby was
the one driving. Nick finds out that it was actually
Daisy driving, but Gatsby took the blame. George
being outraged, goes to Gatsbys mansion and
shots him while in the pool then himself. Nick and
Gatsbys father go to the funeral and then Nick
moves back to the Midwest.

About the Author

Include important information about the author. You
may want to include what inspired them, other
works they have written, significant life events, what
time period he or she wrote in, and how the time
period influenced the writing.

Full name is Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald; born

September 24, 1896. His first novel got him
famous and married. He was education at a
catholic high school and he was able to attend
princeton university. He moved to Hollywood to
become a scriptwriter. Died of a heart attack at
the age of 44 in 1940. Sadly, his final novel was
only completed half way.

Novel Notes
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Lissa Colin
05/15/16

Essential Quotes
You cant repeat the past. Cant repeat the
past? he cried incredulously. Why of course
you can (Fitzgerald 118).

Historical Context
Include information on the time period, social,
economical, cultural, and other significant
influences that characterize this novel.
The great gatsby was published in the early 1920s
following the economic prosperity in major cities.
Placed in modern day 1920s the great gatsby tells
the story of wealthy personnel. In this time the
production and consumption of alcohol was very
high. Bootlegging is the illegal transportation of
alcohol in which gatsby gained his riches.

They were careless people, Tom and Daisy

they smashed up things and creatures and then
retreated back into their money or their vast
carelessness or whatever it was that kept them
together, and let other people clean up the
mess they had made (191).
Add Work Cited Here:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. London:
Heinemann Educational, 1987. Web.

Character Analysis

Jay Gatsby

Speech: Gatsby has a habit of calling guys, old

sport
Thoughts: He thinks that Daisy is willing to drop
everything he has for him.
Effects: Caused tension between Daisy and
Tom. Nick becomes very close to him.
Action: Has done so much to get to where he
is, illegally, just to earn Daisys love.
Looks: Has a person sending expensive
clothes.

Nick Caraway

Speech: Quietly talks about everything, but

never really questions.
Thoughts: Thinks very highly of Gatsby.
Effects: Since he is so tolerant, open-minded,
quite most trust him with secrets.
Action: Follows around Gatsby or other people,
usually just observing.
Looks: Well dressed like the rest.

Daisy Buchanan

Speech: Always speaking, mostly positively.

She just wants to be a fool.
Thought: She thinks that the best thing that can
happen to a girl is being a fool.
Effects: She has a strong effect on all
character, seeming she is being chased by
Gatsby.
Action: She does what she wants and tries to
hid the truth from everyone else.
Looks: Very elegant, dressed extremely well
when around Jay Gatsby.

Themes

Motifs and Symbols

Identify and analyze some of the significant themes

in the novel.

Identify and interpret some of the major motifs and

symbols in the novel.

Society

The Green Light

From start to finish, this novels theme is clear,

society's way of being. Most people in the story did
not earn their money in hard-working way. Society
is full of secrets and lies. They make people believe
there is such thing as an American Dream, but it
really is just dust in the wind.

Throughout the whole novel, Gatsby looks out

towards a green light that is placed in front of
Daisys house. Its so far away, yet so close. Which
is why it can be a symbol for his goals and dreams.
At one point Nick suggests it is an Enchanted
object that we all have. Something we want.

Love

Gold/Yellow

Being a romance novel set in the 1920s just shows

the unjust that love was. Love is a fools game
played by foolish people. Tom and Daisy barely love
each other, but the same could be said about Daisy
and Gatsby. The only reason Tom and Daisy are still
together is because have a strange loyalty, but
definitely not love. Also goes to show you
sometimes, love is not enough for a person.

Is a huge and common color that shows up several

times in the novel. One expects that gold or yellow
would be connected to riches and it is. Yet, the
author puts a dark side to this. Although, it is on the
wealthy, something bad happens. For example, the
yellow car that runs Myrtle over.
Richness with corruption/amorality
Wealth and beauty
Wealth and death
Doctor ringed yellow
Car buttons flowers pale gold

America
America during the 1920s was a strange time,
being alcohol was banned. There was much wealth
going around and less morality. During this time
people were not doing the correct thing, trying to
chase this American Dream that really doesnt
exist.