The Great Gatsby Quotes - Chapters 1 & 2

A strong belief that one can obtain anything desired.

Wealth replaces morality and righteousness as the focus of Heaven.

Nick's narration is inconsistent and unreliable, often due to heavy drinking.

Excessive pleasure-seeking, often disregarding morality and responsibility.

Whiskey represents luxury and wealth, yet reveals the characters' disregard for morality.

Group pursuit of pleasure, prioritized over morality and humanity.

Men are mentally decaying due to expectations, losing hope and purpose.

Materialism corrupts beauty and societal benefits.

Tom's behavior portrays a lack of concern for others and a sense of entitlement; his attitude is a reflection of his wealth and social standing.

Tom's pursuit of pleasure and excitement without regard to consequence.

Tom's arrogant and condescending behavior; he views himself as superior to others.

Nick feels disconnected from Tom and Daisy due to their perceived superficiality and old money status.

Gatsby demonstrates a confident belief in his right to own things, especially Daisy.

Gatsby's focus on material possessions as a means to achieve status and pleasure.

The novel explores the differences and conflicts between those with inherited wealth (old money) and those who have acquired wealth (new money).

F. Scott Fitzgerald's experiences with poverty influence his portrayal of Tom's character.

Parties filled with excessive alcohol, extravagance, and a disregard for moral codes, showcasing the prioritization of pleasure over responsibility.

Gatsby's carefully crafted image, emphasizing luxury and wealth to impress others, concealing his true self.

The use of colours, particularly yellow, to represent wealth, decadence, and materialism in the novel.

The contrasts between the newly acquired wealth and the established wealth of the older families. New money often tries to mimic the style and behavior of old money.

The historical period in the US where the sale, manufacturing, and transportation of alcoholic beverages was prohibited.

A focus on pleasure-seeking, often disregarding morality or responsibilities.

A place representing the negative consequences of materialism, portrayed as a desolate area.

Fitzgerald shows that extreme materialism corrupts society, causing suffering and dehumanization.

Gatsby's parties are a symbol of the emptiness and superficiality of 1920s American society.

People in parties are like moths--attracted, but doomed to be consumed by excess and hedonism.

The working class is exploited for the benefit of the wealthy, their labor trivialized.

The butler represents dehumanization, as the wealthy view workers as tools for their pleasure.

Fitzgerald recognizes and criticizes the incomplete emancipation of women in the 1920s, despite an apparent liberation.

The pursuit of pleasure in parties and materialism is artificial and not fulfilling.

Gatsby's public persona, projecting wealth and prestige, concealing his humble origins and possibly criminal past.

The contrast between wealth acquired through effort and inherited wealth, highlighting the struggle of the "new money" class to fit.

Gatsby's carefully crafted persona, designed to impress and maintain a public image.

The difficulty of achieving social status in the 1920s, especially for those with newly-acquired wealth.

Gatsby's attempts to project an image of elegance, while concealing his true character and social class.

Gatsby's extravagant parties, intended to attract a specific audience and uphold his image.

The established system of social classes, influencing interactions and perceptions.

The image a person projects to the world, often different from their true identity.

Gatsby's meticulously planned public persona, designed to seem sophisticated and thorough, to mask his true origins and life.

The novel highlights the societal judgment against new wealth, contrasting it with the established status of older, inherited wealth.

Gatsby's carefully crafted image is vulnerable; any disruption could expose his true self and lead to reputational collapse.

Gatsby's calculated approach to appearing mysterious and alluring, maintaining a sense of secrecy and distance to uphold his persona.

The novel emphasizes that new wealth lacks the permanence and stability associated with established wealth, highlighting its vulnerability.

Gatsby meticulously crafts an appearance of status to attract and impress others, concealing his true self and origins from view.

Gatsby's public persona is presented as a performance, designed to entertain and impress, rather than reflect his true self or values.

Gatsby is driven by a relentless pursuit of Daisy, wealth, and a certain status, yet his attempts are ultimately unsuccessful.

The novel critiques the unrealistic nature of the American Dream, contrasting the wealthy elite's aspirations with the fragility of these goals.