Analyzing The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Chapter 1

by Let's English

​Before we start...

• ​How can the idea of American dream be defined?

• ​The ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.

born September 24, 1896, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.—died December 21, 1940, Hollywood, California. American short-story writer and novelist his most brilliant novel being The Great Gatsby (1925). His private life, with his wife, Zelda, in both America and France, became almost as celebrated as his novels.

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​Francis Scott Fitzgerald

​Before we start...

• At the break on page 2, what's Nick's attitude towards Gatsby?

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• Why does Nick move from Minnesota to New York?

• What is his vision of the American Dream?

• ​How does Nick describe the mood of 1920s American society?

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​The first time Nick sees his neighbor, he is standing on his lawn, reaching his arm out toward the water in the bay. When Nick looks out at the water, all he sees is a distant green light which might mark the end of a dock. The first image of a character in a novel is significant. What thoughts do you have about Nick’s neighbor based on this scene?

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• What does Daisy’s statement, “I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,” reveal about the way she views her own life?