The Great Gatsby

A quote about the lavish parties Gatsby throws is "I spent my Saturday nights in New York because those gleaming, dazzling parties of his were with me so vividly that I could still hear the music and...

Not until the end of the novel do readers learn it was Tom who told Wilson that Gatsby killed Myrtle. According to Tom, Wilson came to the Buchanan house with a gun seeking answers, and Tom told him...

In The Great Gatsby, the quote "he half expected her to wander into one of his parties" appears on various pages depending on the edition. It arrives eight paragraphs from the end of chapter 4.

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses weather as a symbolic device to reflect the emotional tone and foreshadow events. Intense heat in Chapter 7 parallels rising tensions and conflict, while...

Rumors about Gatsby being a bootlegger emerge in chapter 4 when a woman says “he’s a bootlegger” at a party (61). Then in chapter 7, Tom says Gatsby “sold grain alcohol over the counter” (134). Also...

The Great Gatsby has numerous references to alcohol, starting from chapter one with Nick's dinner at Tom and Daisy's where he mentions "four cocktails" and "claret." In chapter two, Nick, Tom,...

The puppy episode in The Great Gatsby symbolizes Myrtle's aspirations and the dynamics between her and Tom. Myrtle's desire for the dog represents her wish to domesticate her relationship with Tom,...

In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby's car symbolizes his wealth, flamboyance, and the superficiality of his lifestyle. The car's extravagant features and "rich cream color" reflect Gatsby's nouveau riche...

When Nick says "I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life" in The Great Gatsby, he means that the fashionable lifestyle of Tom, Myrtle, and...

In The Great Gatsby, illicit business is hinted at when Gatsby ambiguously offers Nick a side job that requires confidentiality and promises significant money for little work, indicating it's likely...

The phrase "old sport" in The Great Gatsby signifies Gatsby's attempt to present himself as a sophisticated, upper-class gentleman. It reflects his desire to fit into the elite social circles and...

The quote "it was an extraordinary gift for hope [...]" from The Great Gatsby is located on page two of the novel, specifically in the first chapter, paragraph four. This early introduction to Gatsby...

"Blocks" Biloxi is significant in The Great Gatsby as a symbol of deceit and the superficiality of social connections. He is a wedding crasher who pretends to be someone he is not, reflecting the...

The butler's nose anecdote in The Great Gatsby highlights the theme of superficiality among the wealthy. The story about the butler's career change due to nasal issues underscores the absurdity and...

Jordan's comment "the pearls were around her neck" signifies Daisy's choice of wealth and luxury over love. The $350,000 pearls symbolize her captivity to materialism and societal expectations,...

Nick Carraway moves to New York in The Great Gatsby to pursue a career in the bond business after becoming restless and disillusioned with life in the Midwest following World War I. He seeks change...

In The Great Gatsby, when Jordan tells Nick that she met another bad driver, she means that Nick isn't the honest, straightforward person she thought he was. In other words, Nick is just like her,...

The Great Gatsby does include physical descriptions of Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, but they are minimal and not detailed. Daisy is described as having a "sad and lovely" face with "bright eyes and...

Catherine, Myrtle's sister in The Great Gatsby, is depicted as a slender, worldly woman in her thirties. She is characterized by her bobbed red hair, heavy makeup, and a penchant for gossip and...

Readers don't know what the letter contained or who wrote it, but we can infer that it was a letter from Gatsby, since Daisy had a brief and passionate affair with him. After Daisy receives the...

This quote alludes to Gatsby's criminal business ventures and portrays him in a different light. Gatsby's entire disposition changes on the phone as he takes on a serious, direct tone. The nature of...

Direct characterization in The Great Gatsby includes explicit descriptions, such as Nick describing Gatsby as having "an extraordinary gift for hope." Indirect characterization is shown through...

Tom and Daisy disapprove of Gatsby's party because they find it vulgar and excessive. Their old-money sensibilities clash with Gatsby's ostentatious display of wealth, highlighting the social divide...

The quote about Wolfsheim selling grain alcohol in drug-stores is found in Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby. This revelation is made by Tom Buchanan during a heated argument with Jay Gatsby at a hotel...

The quote about the green light and diminished enchanted objects in The Great Gatsby symbolizes Gatsby's realization that his dream of rekindling his romance with Daisy is unattainable. The green...

Owl Eyes notes that Gatsby's books are real, but the pages are uncut. This is a giveaway that Gatsby has not actually read the many books on his shelves. They are for display. Owl Eyes' observation...

Ella Kaye is a minor but significant character in The Great Gatsby. She is a journalist who becomes Cody's mistress and inherits his wealth after his death, preventing Gatsby from receiving his...

Tom and Daisy moved from Chicago to escape the scandals and troubles they had created, seeking a fresh start. After leaving New York, they continue their pattern of fleeing from the chaos they cause,...

In The Great Gatsby, rain symbolizes renewal and change, reflecting the emotional states of characters. It appears during key moments, such as Gatsby and Daisy's reunion, highlighting tension and...

In The Great Gatsby, the ladder symbolizes Gatsby's personal pursuit of the American Dream, representing a path to success, peace, and fulfillment. The ladder metaphorically transforms a sidewalk...

Wilson believes Gatsby killed Myrtle because Tom Buchanan tells him that the car that struck Myrtle belongs to Gatsby. Consumed by grief and seeking revenge, Wilson goes to Gatsby's mansion and kills...

Myrtle's statement, "you can't live forever," in The Great Gatsby reflects her justification for pursuing an affair with Tom Buchanan. It symbolizes her desire to escape her lower-class life and...

Trimalchio, a wealthy and ostentatious character from Roman literature, parallels Gatsby's extravagant lifestyle and social aspirations in The Great Gatsby. Both characters embody the excess and...

Foreshadowing in The Great Gatsby is used to hint at future events and the eventual tragic end. Examples include the recurring motif of the green light symbolizing Gatsby's unattainable dreams, and...

Fitzgerald employs the contrast between "hard rock" and "wet marshes" in The Great Gatsby to symbolize the moral foundations of the characters. "Hard rock" represents individuals with solid,...

The phone call Tom receives during dinner in The Great Gatsby insinuates his ongoing affair, hinting at marital instability between him and Daisy. It's a bold move by his mistress, probably aiming to...

The quoted lines from chapter 8 reveal Nick's interpretation of how Jay Gatsby, who grew up poor, saw the rich, lovely Daisy Buchanan when they first met. The lines convey how dazzled Jay was by...

The bond business involves the buying and selling of bonds, units of corporate debt issued by governments and private companies. In the 1920s, when The Great Gatsby is set, a lot of people like Nick...

Following their honeymoon in The Great Gatsby, Tom and Daisy experience marital troubles. Tom engages in numerous affairs, which strains their relationship. Daisy becomes increasingly disillusioned...

Fitzgerald uses the intense summer heat in The Great Gatsby to heighten the tension and discomfort among the characters. The oppressive heat mirrors the escalating conflicts, emotional turmoil, and...

Changing dresses impacts Myrtle by altering her perceived identity and behavior. Initially, she appears sensual and vital in a dark blue dress. She then changes into a brown muslin dress for the...

In The Great Gatsby, symbolism enriches the narrative, highlighting themes of aspiration, class, and the American Dream. Key symbols include the green light, representing Gatsby's hopes and dreams,...

Daisy kills Myrtle presumably because she cannot react in time to avoid hitting her with Gatsby's car. Myrtle runs into the street when the yellow car approaches because she mistakenly believes Tom...

The flower names in The Great Gatsby symbolize the characters' personalities and roles. Daisy's name reflects her superficial purity and innocence, masking her inner shallowness. Myrtle, another...

Acts of violence in The Great Gatsby highlight the destructive nature of the characters' desires and the moral decay of society. Key examples include Tom Buchanan's abuse of Myrtle Wilson, which...

Dan Cody's yacht, Tuolomee, symbolizes wealth and the American Dream in The Great Gatsby. It represents Gatsby's introduction to a life of luxury and opulence, shaping his aspirations and future...

The main conflicts in The Great Gatsby include Gatsby's struggle to rekindle his past romance with Daisy, Tom Buchanan's attempts to maintain his social status and marriage, and the clash between old...

At dinner, Daisy accuses Tom of accidentally bruising her knuckle. Though it seems minor at this early stage in the novel, it foreshadows a dark and abusive side to Tom and Daisy's relationship.

Some quotes in The Great Gatsby that contain paradox include when Nick says, "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past," Nick's description of Meyer Wolfshiem...

Nick learns the truth about Gatsby from Jordan Baker, who reveals Gatsby's past, including his real name, James Gatz, and his humble origins. This revelation helps Nick understand Gatsby's...