The Great Gatsby Chapters
4-6 Exam Questions with
All Correct Answers
Why does Gatsby throw all of his shirts on the table? - Answer-His shirts, like his cars,
house, and his parties, represents his wealth--Gatsby throws the shirts on the table
because he his proud of them
Daisy is very wealthy--why does she cry over the shirts? - Answer-Daisy is very
emotional already just seeing Gatsby again, but it seems like he's gone to a lot of
trouble to impress her, indicating his strong feeling and romantic nature
When the author uses the word "swathed" in Chapter 5, what is he describing, and what
does it mean? - Answer-Fitzgerald is describing the walls of Gatsby's house being
draped with rose and lavender silk
Nick talks about the three of them staring across the bay, and Nick wonders about
Gatsby's thoughts--what does he mean, "Compared to the great distance that had
separated him from Daisy"? - Answer-Previous to today, when Gatsby finally meets
Daisy, Nick seems to be saying that the light on Daisy's dock seemed closer to her than
Gatsby, though now Gatsby himself is closer than the light ever was
Nick also talks about how the "count of enchanted objects had diminished by one" in
this scene--to what does he refer? - Answer-The green light that had so enchanted
Gatsby was no longer a special symbol for Jay Gatsby--he's back together with Daisy,
and needs no more symbols...for the moment
What does Nick mean at the end of Chapter 5 when he talks about how Daisy is no
longer the girl of Gatsby's dreams? - Answer-Though it's not because of anything she
did, Daisy is now real for Gatsby, and could never live up to his dreams about what she
was
What do we learn about Gatsby in the beginning of Chapter 6? - Answer-Gatsby's
parents are farm people, and Gatsby leaves their home at the age of 16--his parents are
described to Nick as unambitious and unexciting
, When does James Gatz change his name, and why? - Answer-Though he tells Nick
he'd had the name of "Jay Gatsby" ready for a long time, he uses it for the first time
when he rows out to Dan Cody's yacht--he thinks the name sounds more glamourous
Nick talks about Gatsby inventing "just the sort of 'Jay Gatsby' that a seventeen year-old
boy would be likely to invent"--what will the ideal James Gatsby be, do, and have? -
Answer-Nick says that Gatsby imagines himself as the wealthy, glamorous, suave,
sophisticated man of the world, "a universe of ineffable gaudiness spun itself out in his
brain...Each night he added to the pattern of his fancies"
What does Dan Cody's yacht symbolize to young Gatz? - Answer-Dan Cody's yacht
symbolizes all the beauty and glamour in the world
Why does Jay Gatsby not get the $25,000 left to him in Cody's will? - Answer-Ella Kaye
somehow cheats Gatsby out of his inheritance from Dan Cody
Where did Gatsby receive his "singularly appropriate" education? - Answer-In spending
five years traveling the world in Dan Cody's service, Gatsby received his education,
developing fully his idea of the persona of Jay Gatsby
What does Nick mean when he says the "vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to
the substantiality of a man"? - Answer-Though Gatsby was relatively unformed at 22,
and a poor-but-dashing officer at 25, he is the wealthy and fully-realized Jay Gatsby at
the age of 30
How do we account for Tom's comment about being "old-fashioned" and "women
run[ning] around too much these days to suit [him]"? - Answer-Tom, though obviously
believing strongly in a double-standard of behavior, is completely sincere when he says
it, which makes one imagine he has limited intelligence and a high degree of arrogance
Since most of his guests ignore him, why do they come to Gatsby's house? - Answer-
Gatsby's house is a popular place, providing free food, drinks, and lavish amusements
What is a "bootlegger," and what does it have to do with the story? - Answer-A
bootlegger is a maker of illegal whiskey, especially during Prohibition, and it is rumored
that is how Gatsby made his fortune
In the list of guests to Gatsby's party, what further indication is there that old money is in
East Egg and the nouveau riche reside in West Egg? - Answer-Generally, the names of
the people at the party from East Egg have fancier, more elitest names, while those
from West Egg seem to have more ethnic names--also, the people from West Egg are
identified as show business people or gamblers, a lower class
Why is Nick a little disappointed with Gatsby at the party? - Answer-Gatsby has very
little to say at the party, which is disappointing to Nick--hard to get interested in Gatsby
