Chapter OneNick Carraway: narrator
always inclined to reserve judgements
From midwest (Chicago?)
Went to college at Yale (New Haven); graduated in 1915
Was in WWI
Came back; decided to go into the bond business
Arrives at West Egg in late spring 1922
West Egg: the “less fashionable” of the two
“New Money”—people make it suddenly
Nick lives there pretty much by accident
Gatsby lives there too: describe his house
Gatsby’s mansion:
Imitation of a Hotel in Normandy
Other details?
East Egg: the snobbier one“Old Money”—families who have inherited it, sometimes for many
generationsTom and Daisy Buchanan live there
Daisy is Nick’s “second cousin once removed”; Tom knew Nick in college
Describe their house
“Georgian red and white
colonial”
What else?
Nick visits Buchanans
Describe Daisy:
Describe Tom:
Who else is at the Buchanan home?
Jordan Baker---describe her
How do Daisy and Tom get along?
What about the phone call?
--Jordan is a gossip
--Perhaps Daisy is ignoring the affair?
Daisy tells Nick…
• When her daughter was born, she said “I hope she’ll be a fool---that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (What does this say about Daisy?)
• “I think everything’s terrible anyhow…..God, I’m sophisticated.” (Does Nick believe this?)
Nick returns home….
Who does he see? What is this person looking at?
Chapter 2
What is the “Valley of Ashes”?
What about the Eyes?
Identify Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson
Where does Tom insist they go?
Does it even occur to him that Nick might object to this? Why not?
