CHARACTER LIST. Nick Carraway: The narrator of The Great Gatsby. Nick represents the middle class. He is Daisy Buchanan’s second cousin.

CHARACTER LIST

Nick Carraway: The narrator of The Great Gatsby. Nick represents the middle class. He is Daisy Buchanan’s second cousin.

Jay Gatsby: A very mysterious character. No one really knows who

this man is or what he is all about. He lives in a gorgeous house and always throws parties.

Daisy Buchanan: Born into tremendous wealth. She is lovely, but careless. She is married to Tom Buchanan.

 TOM BUCHANAN: DAISY’S HUSBAND. ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO. COMES

FROM A VERY WEALTHY FAMILY. HE IS A CONCEITED CHARACTER.

JORDAN BAKER: A GOLFER—GOOD FRIENDS WITH DAISY BUCHANAN.

MYRTLE WILSON: A RESIDENT OF THE VALLEY OF ASHES. THE WIFE OF GEORGE WILSON. SHE IS DESPERATE TO ESCAPE HER POOR LIFE

WITH GEORGE.

 GEORGE WILSON: HUSBAND OF MYRTLE. OWNER OF A GAS

STATION/ WORKSHOP IN THE VALLEY OF ASHES.

DOCTOR T. J. ECKLEBURG: THE DOCTOR WHOSE ADVERTISEMENT—A BILLBOARD FEATURING A PAIR OF

GIGANTIC BLUE EYES BEHIND ENORMOUS YELLOW GLASSES— LOOKS DOWN UPON THE VALLEY OF ASHES.

NOTES ON THE AUTHOR:F.SCOTT FITZGERALD

* Born on September 24, 1896.

* Went to Princeton University, but he failed to graduate.

* Joined the army and while he was stationed inAlabama he met his future wife Zelda Sayre.

* The two married after Fitzgerald’s first novel The

Side of Paradise was published.

* The couple had a daughter named Frances.

* They moved to France and this is where Fitzgerald

created his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby.

* Not long after The Great Gatsby’s publication, Fitzgerald became a drunk and this ultimately led to his downfall.

* His wife, Zelda suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to a

mental institution.

* On December 21, 1940, Fitzgerald suffered a fatal heart attack and left his final novel, The Last Tycoon, unfinished.

SETTING The Great Gatsby is set in New York City and

on Long Island, in two areas known as "West Egg" and "East Egg"—in real life, Great Neck and Port Washington peninsulas on Long Island.

“West Egg” is New Money: this section represents the newly rich- they have made their money within their own lifetimes. West Egg is the playground for the young, wealthy Americans who lack the connection to the affluent society.

“East Egg” is Old Money: the people who live here were born into money and are more refined. The wealth has been in their families for generations and generations.