Essay
Great Gatsby Notes + Discursive Essay
- Course
- English
- Book
- The Great Gatsby
Notes of The Great Gatsby including short character sketches, concise notes on themes and symbolism as well as a discursive mini essay on the novel.
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The Great GatsbyCharacter Sketches:
Nick Carraway is not necessarily the protagonist, Gatsby is the protagonist, yet Nick’s
character growth gives depth and dimension to the story. Nick admires Gatsby and is willing
to cover up for him/be at his side.
Nick Carraway is open minded and nonjudgmental:
“I'm inclined to reserve all judgements.”
“I am one of the few honest people I have ever known.”
“I wanted the world to be in a uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever”.
Jay Gatsby is the protagonist of this story.
“It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never
found in any other person” - suggests he has great hope and drive to attain his
dream.
“Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all.” - Gatsby is a
mysterious figure…
"So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would
be likely to invent”.
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Gatsby is a paradox:
• He’s surrounded by people; yet he’s isolated
• He is corrupt; yet his emotions are honest
Note: Gatsby’s naivety makes him a victim of Daisy’s carelessness.
Daisy Buchanan
“That’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
• society does not value intelligence in woman
• fickle
• materialistic
• not independent thinkers
• dependent on marriage.
Note: Daisy’s true nature — a fickle shallow soul caught within the foul dust.
Tom Buchanan
“Mr Nobody from nowhere make love to your wife”. - hypocritical and ironic.
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and
creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness”.
• The Buchanan’s are egocentric and consider themselves superior to others.
• Tom doesn’t take responsibility for his actions. “retreated back into their money”.
, NOTE: Characters project a facade. They want to be well-liked in order to fit into the
superficial society.
Jordan Baker is Daisy’s friend. She is more independent than Daisy. She symbolizes
freethinking.
“Clean, hard, limited person who dealt in universal scepticism”.
Symbolism:
The American Dream “land of opportunity”, but success isn’t always attainable.
The novel deals with the corruption of the American Dream. The affluent have everything yet
are without soul.
The Valley of Ashes symbolizes the corruption of the American Dream. The dismissal of the
people caught in between Old Money & New Money. People in the valley of ashes are
victims of the idea that money is the only route to happiness.
Dr T.J. Eckleburg “The God of the valley”. - he is the god who sees everything. There is
moral decay in the society due to the pursuit of money, resulting in a lack of spiritual
substance.
The Green Light is a symbol of hope and love. - the light is so close yet so far away. (their
love is unattainable)
Associations with green:
• Nature
• Growth
• Freshness
Links to ideas of the American Dream. The green light is a symbol of Gatsby’s American
Dream.
The Use of Colour
White:
• Innocence
• Purity
• Freshness
Showing Jordan and Daisy wearing white is merely a facade that hides deceit.
Gold:
• Gatsby’s wealth and materialism
• Examples: yellow car, images of sunshine etc.
• Benefits of the good life of the wealthy
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