The Great Gatsby Overview Quiz

Overview of The Great Gatsby

• Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 during the Jazz Age in America.
• Explores themes of wealth, class, love, and the American Dream.

Main Characters

• Nick Carraway: Narrator, moves from the Midwest to New York to work as a bond salesman.
• Jay Gatsby: Wealthy neighbor of Nick, known for his extravagant parties and mysterious past.
• Daisy Buchanan: Nick's cousin, the object of Gatsby's affection, married to Tom Buchanan.
• Tom Buchanan: Daisy's wealthy, arrogant husband, classmate of Nick from Yale.
• Jordan Baker: A professional golfer, friend of Daisy, has a cynical outlook on life.
• Myrtle Wilson: Tom's mistress, who lives in the "valley of ashes."
• George Wilson: Myrtle's husband, devastated by her death.

Setting

• West Egg: Represents "new money," home to Gatsby and Nick.
• East Egg: Represents "old money," traditional wealthy families like the Buchanans.
• Valley of Ashes: A desolate area symbolizing the moral decay of society resulting from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth.

Key Plot Points

• Nick attends dinner at the Buchanan's and learns about Tom's affair with Myrtle.
• Gatsby invites Nick to his lavish parties, introducing the theme of loneliness despite wealth.
• Nick learns of Gatsby's past love for Daisy, revealing Gatsby's motivation for accumulating wealth.
• Gatsby and Daisy rekindle their affair, leading to tension with Tom.

Climax

• Confrontation at the Plaza Hotel where Tom exposes Gatsby's illegal wealth.
• Daisy is unable to definitively choose between Tom and Gatsby, complicating their relationships.
• Myrtle's accidental death caused by Gatsby's car, though Daisy was driving.

Consequences

• Tom manipulates George Wilson to seek revenge against Gatsby, believing Gatsby killed Myrtle.
• George murders Gatsby before taking his own life, illustrating the tragic fallout of the characters' choices.

Themes and Motifs

• The American Dream: Critique of the idea that wealth leads to happiness or fulfillment.
• Class Disparities: Contrast between the "old rich" and the "new rich" depicted in East Egg and West Egg.
• The illusion of love: Unfulfilled relationships and the inability to attain true happiness.
• Isolation amid wealth: Characters surround themselves with luxury but are fundamentally lonely.

Nick’s Transformation

• Disillusioned by the moral decay of the East Coast's elite, Nick decides to return to the Midwest.
• Reflects on Gatsby’s dreams and the unattainable nature of the American Dream, signifying a poignant critique of society.