1. The Great Gatsby
Chapters 3-4

2. Gatsby’s Parties
Lavish, extravagant, almost unbelievable parties are thrown at Gatsby’s mansion every weekend
No invitations are needed; everybody is invited, and everybody shows up!
Free alcohol, full orchestra, hundreds of staff, dancing, music; it’s an insane event
Around 2 a.m. people finally start to leave the party
Huge symbol for the American wealth at the time

3. Jay Gatsby Gatsby is finally introduced in chapter 3, at his own party
He is an embodiment of the American Dream; rich, powerful, handsome, brave, educated etc. (but we learnt hat he is desperately lonely)
Mysterious- phone calls from “Chicago”, Wolfsheim being a close business associate, no family member still living, he throws parties for people that he does not know, gets out of a speeding ticket by showing a card…
Went to Oxford University, was honored in the Great War, collected jewels in Europe, hunted big game, etc.
Madly in love with Daisy

4. Jay Gatsby
He brings Nick to a lunch where we meet Wolfsheim, a shady guy with ”molar cufflinks”
They go to an underground bar where Nick begins to suspect Gatsby of having illegal business affairs, which make Gatsby an even more perfect embodiment of the American Dream of the time period; a mixture of moral decay for money, and unprecedented hope and optimism
There are two “Gatsby’s” we learn of now; the lovesick innocent war hero, and the crooked businessman. Because of this Nick is internally battling with himself over his thoughts on the man

5. East Egg vs. West Egg
At Gatsby’s party both eggs are represented; many people who live on each are in attendance.
The “new rich” at Gatsby’s party are wild and uncontrollable while the ”old rich” are refined and all about manners.
The “new rich” although love to party still long to be accepted into the East Egg mentality; they want to feel important and you have to be accepted by the “old rich” to do that.
Owl-Eyes being surprised that the books are real suggests that people would do anything to keep up appearances in this time

6. The American Dream Symbols of the American Dream: Gatsby’s Party
The Englishmen at Gatsby’s Party
The West Egg being full of “new rich”
The Valley of Ashes

7. Happiness
True happiness has not been seen yet in the book; every character only pretends to be happy
The book makes the reader wonder if any person in this novel is happy at all
Those who are rich beyond measure are the most unhappy
Happiness is not an easy thing to achieve for any character

8. The Green Light Although the green light has only been mentioned once:
The green light is a symbol of Gatsby’s hope and dreams.
He is constantly reaching for the green light; it is always in his sight or on his mind
It is what he wants to grab ahold of and never let go
It can be interpreted in so many other ways, Fitzergerald purposefully created a symbol that can mean many different things to different readers.
What does it symbolize to you?