The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald 1925

Setting Information East Egg - where Daisy and Tom lived - old $ West Egg - where Nick and Gatsby lived - new $ Long Island Sound - island east of NY located 20 miles from the city New York Prohibition 1922 Spring Valley of Ashes - separates Long Island from New York

Nick Carraway Plot Character/Narrator Cousin to Daisy Story is told from his point of view Grew up in American mid-west/conservative/middle class Financial investor - Bond man Lives on West Egg next to Jay Gatsby - moved there after WWI Lives in a small bungalow

Nick continued Realistic Non-judgmental Observes other characters/honest/simple/high moral standards "I am one of the few honest people that I ever known."

Daisy Buchanan Nick's cousin Mother to a three year-old Plot character Aware of, yet calm about, Tom's infidelity Seems miserable with Tom

Daisy continued Small Delicate Like a flower

Tom Buchanan Daisy's husband Racist (The Rise of the Colored Empires) Bully Having an affair with a woman in NY Plot character Arrogant and rich 30, sturdy straw-haired man, physically strong Had an affair on his honeymoon

Miss Jordan Baker Athlete in training Single, wealthy, upper class woman From Louisville, Daisy's friend "Critical" story about her that Nick cannot remember - an article in the newspaper accusing her of cheating in a game Golf professional Nick believed she was "incurably dishonest"

Myrtle Wilson Plot character Married to George Wilson Mistress of Tom Buchanan Has a sister named, Catherine Lower class woman who seeks upper class lifestyle through Tom Vibrant woman, mid-30s, thickish figure, not beautiful

George Wilson Story character Owns a garage in the Valley of Ashes Blond, pale Spiritless Submissive

Mr. and Mrs. McKee Story characters Neighbors of Tom and Myrtle's New York love nest (apartment).

Mr. Gatsby Plot character, protagonist, 31-32 years-old Lives in West Egg in a huge mansion Mysterious character...many rumors surround him Holds parties that last all weekend long, people are not invited...they just went there, behavior was that of an amusement park

Jordan Baker - after chapter 7 Immoral Dishonest Careless Unemotional Fills in gaps about Daisy and Gatsby's earlier relationship Displays Nick's character

Gatsby continued Brought up in America Educated at Oxford Son of a wealthy family in Midwest Family is dead Traveled the world hunting, collecting jewels, painting Fought in WWI Claims to have won honors and medals

Gatsby in chapter 6 Born James Gatz Changed his name to Jay Gatsby and later joined the army As a lieutenant, he was stationed near Louisville, which is where he met Daisy Fay He dated Daisy, but then had to go to war While away at war, Daisy married Tom Self-made man

Ewing Klipspringer Story character Lives with Gatsby - "the boarder" - Plays piano for Daisy and Gatsby in chapter 5 Refuses to go to Gatsby's funeral

"Owl Eyes" - chapter 3 Story character A guest at one of Gatsby's parties Appears as an observer on three occasions and identifies what the reader should believe: 1) books are real - Gatsby owns books just so he looks educated and well-read. This is symbolic of the pretentiousness and superficiality of society. 2) Car accident - shows how careless/reckless the characters behave. 3) funeral - out of the hundreds who attended Gatsby's parties there was one unselfish person.

The Valley of Ashes - chapter 2 Halfway between West Egg and New York City Desolate barren land Where Tom's dishonesty is revealed Place where poor/lower class people live Symbolizes sadness/suffering/despair - affair Symbolizes lawlessness and corruption - car accident

Dr. T.J. Eckleburg - chapter 2 Eyes on advertisement board looking out at Valley of Ashes Symbolizes God watching over them

Meyer Wolfsheim - chapter 4 Story character A small, flat-nosed Jew with a large head, hairy nostrils, and tiny eyes. Fixed the 1919 World Series Wears human-molar cufflinks Gangster and gambler associated with Gatsby's wealth Met Gatsby after the War. Through association, Wolfsheim reveals Gatsby's connection to crime. Does not attend Gatsby's funeral - he believes that friends are only important and useful when they are alive.

Mr. Sloane - chapter 6 Story Character Tom Buchanan's friend Visits Gatsby with Tom and acts rude - meant to show Gatsby is "new" money and not the same class as these people, even though he has the same money as them.

Jay Gatz - chapter 6 Raised on a farm in the mid-west His parents were poor farmers Removed from his past At 17, he met Dan Cody and sailed with him for two yrs. Changed his name to Jay Gatsby and later joined the army As a lieutenant, he was stationed near Louisville, which is where he met Daisy Fay He courted Daisy Fay, but then had to go to war While away at war, Daisy married Tom Self-made man

Dan Cody - chapter 6 Story Character Became Gatsby's image of wealth Millionaire who taught Gatsby how to get rich Self-made man whose money had no purpose

Pammy Buchanan - chapter 7 Story character Daisy and Tom's daughter Displays the emotional distance between herself and Daisy Symbolizes the reality of Buchanan's marriage

Michaelis - chapter 7 Story character Owns coffee shop next to Wilson's garage Witnesses Mrytle's death

Dan Cody - Chapter 6 Story character Became Gatsby's image of wealth Millionaire who taught Gatsby how to get rich A self made man whose money has no purpose

Daisy - final thoughts Falls in love with Gatsby again; however, she will not leave Tom to be with him. She drove the car that killed Myrtle Never admits her guilt to her husband Daisy and Tom leave the U.S. Weakest main character Will not challenge her husband Emotionally distant from her husband Careless regarding the lives and feelings of others In the end, she deserts Gatsby Represents the American Dream

Tom - final thoughts Violent man Becomes concerned about Daisy and Myrtle only when he thinks he might lose them Seems emotionally unaffected by Myrtle Demonstrates how money corrupts Contrasted to Nick and Gatsby's personalities

Gatsby - final thoughts Romantic - believes money can buy anything, such as youth, beauty, and love His only reason for living is to win Daisy back; he creates a wealthy image to impress her. Material wealth-based ideals lead to his destruction. Idealizes the rich; however, in the end, he is betrayed by them. Shot and killed by George Wilson who thought that Gatsby was having an affair with Myrtle. He becomes destroyed by his own ideals. Great because of his dream

Nick - final thoughts Arranges Gatsby's funeral In the end, he moves back to the mid-west Brutally honest - except on two occasions: 1) denies Gatsby's illegal dealings 2) does not admit to Tom that Daisy was driving the car that killed Myrtle. Would rather side with Gatsby than with Tom. Reveals other characters Stable character who is worthy of compassion A simple character who cannot dream like Gatsby; therefore, Gatsby's dreams seems great