The Great Gatsby Practice Test Questions
and Answers All Correct
Fitzgerald employs a rather unusual narrative technique in the novel: his first person
narrator is not the protagonist but a secondary character. This technique purposefully
limits the amount of omniscience the narrator can employ. What might be some reasons
why an author would choose to employ this technique? - Answer-It distances the author
from the narrator because he wants to keep himself he in good terms with his wealthy
friends. Fitzgerald had many wealthy friends and to keep himself in good terms with his
friends he created Nick as the narrator. He paints the wealthy in a negative light and if
they say anything about the book, he can say it's not my opinion, it's Nicks'.
How does #1 above (Fitzgerald employs a rather unusual narrative technique in the
novel: his first person narrator is not the protagonist but a secondary character. This
technique purposefully limits the amount of omniscience the narrator can employ. What
might be some reasons why an author would choose to employ this technique?) explain
Nick Carraway's disclaimer on pp. 1-2? - Answer-The fact that he suggests in the
beginning of the novel that he is trying to give a balanced view of who Gatsby is and
because he uses a detached narrator to distance himself from the story was the authors
way to not defend his wealthy friends so he could critic the society without offending
anyone
Fitzgerald's biographers note that he carried on a love/hate relationship with the wealthy
(aristocratic father/working class mother), seeking their approval and company while
simultaneously being aware of and critical of (in his writing) their materialism and
condescension toward those less advantaged. How does this explain Carraway's initial
description of Gatsby on p. 2 - Answer-Because of the author's relationship with wealthy
people in his past, he gives Carraway a similar relationship, one that is modeled after
his own experiences. Nick says that he didn't hate Gatsby as a person, he just hated
some of the ideas that Gatsby had, just like how Fitzgerald liked the rich, but hated their
attitudes. Nick's reaction is extremely positive but at the same time Gatsby's personality
is somewhat flawed. Fitzgerald does that because he is distancing from the criticism of
the rich people only because he has many rich friends and doesn't want to offend them.
He uses Nick as a narrator so that he can write such a critique without directly offending
his wealthy friends.
What does Fitzgerald's physical description of Tom Buchanan on p. 7 foreshadow? -
Answer-"Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face" implies
that he will try to control situations and that he is a "scary" guy. When Fitzgerald
describes Buchanan as having a "cruel body," he implies that he is capable of doing
evil. These descriptions foreshadow what Buchanan does when Mrs. Wilson keeps on
repeating Daisy's name. Buchanan gets very angry and ends up breaking Mrs. Wilson's
nose. Also, in the beginning chapters, when Nick goes to visit Daisy and Tom for the
,first time, Daisy mentions how Tom hurt her finger. She described Tom as being a
"brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen."
What is suggested by the following exchange on p. 11?
"You must know Gatsby."
"Gatsby," demanded Daisy. "What Gatsby?" - Answer--It is suggested that daisy had
some encounter with Mr. Gatsby. For some odd reason the mention of Mr. Gatsby's
name causes turmoil in daisy's normal behavior. I can only conclude that they have
some sort of past, that has yet to be acknowledged in the book.
-The way Daisy reacts towards Gatsby's name when having a conversation with Nick
and Jordan, it makes it seem like she has had a past with Gatsby, and she feels
uncomfortable with people knowing about it.
6. On pp. 12-13, Tom Buchanan makes some overtly racist comments. Based on the
overview of the Roaring '20s, what might have sparked Tom's bigotry? - Answer-Along
with many other Americans at the time, Tom's overt racism originated way back when
the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment were passed in the 1860's.
Blacks were finally freed, but they were soon submitted to the Jim Crow laws,
segregating them from whites. Whites didn't want to see them as their equals. The
contemporary Great Migration was likely an even bigger contributor to Tom's racism.
Many whites felt invaded and feared such an influx of blacks would threaten white
culture and stature. Tom's racism was most influenced by the events of the Great
Migration, following the events sixty years prior. This also applied to Jews Eastern
Europenas nad the Irish.
7. Based on the Roaring '20s overview, what does Fitzgerald foreshadow by making
Nick Carraway a bond trader? - Answer-Fitzgerald making Nick Carraway a bond trader
is foreshadowing how Nick being a bond trader, while having poor living conditions,
shows how the stock market will eventually crash if it keeps going down the same path.
The bonds trader character being a narrator for a story that has everything getting
people killed, it foreshadows that the same thing will happen to the stock market if
things continue to go in the same direction.
On p. 17, Daisy makes a comment about her daughter. What facet of her marital
situation precipitates this comment and why?
What is the tone^ of Daisy's comment: "Sophisticated—God, I'm sophisticated"? What
comment is Fitzgerald making about class in using this tone? - Answer--Daisy's
comment regarding her daughter, that the best thing a girl ought to be is a fool, comes
as a reflection of Tom and her marriage. Daisy is aware of the extent of Tom's fidelity
and knowing the truth is making her life and marriage unpleasant. She believes that by
being a fool, her daughter can avoid being in a situation similar to her's, where knowing
to much leads to sorrow
Contrast Fitzgerald's first physical descriptions of Daisy Buchanan (pp. 8-10) and Myrtle
Wilson (pp. 25-27). What does the contrast suggest about Tom's attitude toward his wife
and his mistress? - Answer-Myrtle was described in less of an affectionate way than
, Daisy. This proves to use that she is truly only being used for sex. Daisy is shown as
more of a dainty spirited woman. While Myrtle is shown as a thicker, less attractive, on
edge woman. Myrtle is stocky, desperate, obnoxious. While Daisy is beautiful and
charming.
What does the purposeful use of incorrect grammar on p. 31 ("when she gave me the
bill, you'd of thought she had my appendicitis out") suggest about Myrtle? - Answer-
Myrtle using incorrect grammar, proves that she is an uneducated women. Also, a
women who is not wealthy. Tom on the other hand is a sophisticated and rich man.
Knowing that Tom's wife is an educated and rich women herself, why would Tom leave
her for Myrtle? For a more physical relationship.
On p. 34, Myrtle makes two bigoted comments. Combined with her comment about her
husband on p. 35, what do the two statements suggest about her attraction to Tom
Buchanan? - Answer-Myrtle's attraction to Tom is not based on love or affection.
Rather, Tom represents something that Myrtle has never had: endless wealth. Myrtle is
a member of the lower class, obviously she is seeing Tom because she wants to
transcend her lower class roots and distinguish herself from other sets of individuals;
such as, Jews, African Americans, etc. She makes disparaging comments about them
to ingratiate herself with Tom.
On p. 33, Nick catches Tom in a lie. What does this lie tell the reader about Tom's
relationship with Myrtle? - Answer-Tom's lie about Daisy being Catholic shows he does
not want a full-time relationship with Myrtle. He uses Daisy's religion as an excuse for
not getting divorced and marrying Mytle.
On pp. 23-24, Fitzgerald introduces the three symbols of the novel: the green light at the
end of Daisy's dock, the "valley of ashes" between the Eggs and New York City, and the
billboard with the giant eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. Critics suggest that the valley of
ashes is a reference to T.S. Elliot's poem "The Wasteland"* and that the eyes of T.J.
Eckleburg represent the omniscience of God. Based on your reading of the Roaring '20s
overview, what commentary do you think that Fitzgerald is making about the Roaring
'20s by placing the first instance of each the three symbols in such close proximity? -
Answer-In T.S. Elliot's "Wasteland, Elliot believes that community lacked a common
center or spiritual unity. The green light at the end of Daisy's dock symbolizes Gatsby's
desire for the love he lost in her. He bought the house on the other side of bay
purposefully with Daisy's proximity in mind. We know that during the Roaring Twenties
that women has little rights. They were homemakers who married whom could provide
best for their lifestyle. He could not give her the lifestyle she was accustomed to when
they were in a relationship, so the green light symbolizes his desire to create a wealth
that would satisfy Daisy to get her back. The "valley of the ashes" which is derived from
the River Stix, which was the passageway into the land of Hades in Greek Mythology is
depicted in Elliot's ideology of humans being isolated. How the Eggs and New York
were different social classes of wealth and prosperity and how crossing the sections
and mingling could be dangerous. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg represent the
omniscience of God because in "The Wasteland" Eliot alludes to various ancient
