The Great Gatsby Seminar Prep
PART 1 SEMINAR QUESTIONS
· What does Fitzgerald communicate about the American Dream through Gatsby’s character?
· What are some common characteristics of West vs. East Egg residents and how do those characteristics relate to those of modern day West vs. East coast?
· What is Fitzgerald saying in the last two paragraphs of the book?
· What makes Nick’s perspective unique and why would Fitzgerald choose to write the novel from his perspective?
· How does Fitzgerald incorporate the theme of morality throughout the novel? Does he believe people’s morals can change?
· What does the green light represent?
PART II REACTIONS
What does Fitzgerald communicate about the American Dream through Gatsby’s character?
For someone who doesn’t personally know Jay Gatsby, he is seen as a quite jovial man known for his luxurious life and outrageous. In the beginning of the book, it is quite clear that Jay Gatsby is living the American Dream. His house resembles a castle and practically every night, people flood into it, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. However, throughout the novel, we begin to learn about Gatsby’s inner struggles. Outweighing any of Gatsby’s luxuries is his loneliness. Even though he hosted thousands of guests at his parties, he had only two of his friends show up to his funeral. Through this terrible turnout, Fitzgerald is trying to show how people get so wrapped up in achieving the American dream that we forget to enjoy our lives every day: “He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him…”(Page 189). I think that through the portrayal of Gatsby’s loneliness and despair, Fitzgerald is discrediting the American Dream and suggesting that it isn’t worth the struggle in the long shot.
What is Fitzgerald saying in the last two paragraphs of the book?
In the final two paragraphs of Fitzgerald’s novel, he summarizes his perspective on the American Dream. Fitzgerald first describes our futures as unachievable, saying that no matter how much effort we put into achieving our goals, we will always want more. This connects to Gatsby’s life because even though he was very wealthy and had a plethora of people to his house every night, he never accomplished his one meaningful goal: to be with Daisy. Through this metaphor, he is also suggesting that we will always want what we’ve had in the past: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Page 189). Even after Tom and Daisy had left without a trace, Gatsby continued awaiting a call from her, never giving up hope that he could have her again. Overall, Fitzgerald is saying that humans are hopeless creatures who always strive to repeat the past and accomplish what they are incapable of accomplishing.
What does the green light represent?
I think that the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents Gatsby’s hope that his relationship with Daisy will somehow work out. As soon as Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship comes back into existence, the green light loses meaning for Gatsby because he no longer has to hope for the relationship to be revived. The following quote is from the scene in which Daisy has come over to Nick’s for tea, but has wandered to Gatsby’s house:
“You always have a green light that burns all nigh at the end of your dock.”
Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. (Page 98)
Simply knowing that Daisy was always across the bay from him allowed Gatsby to have hope for his and Daisy’s relationship. The green light signifies the end of a search for Daisy and the beginning of a journey in pursuit of her.
PART III
· On the last page of the novel, it says “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning ----- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” To me, this passage says that no matter how hard we try, no matter how far we stretch our arms, we will never be satisfied because our goal is unreachable. This reminded me of the hedonic treadmill that we learned about in the film Happy. The hedonic treadmill says that no matter how much success you have, you will always want more.
· One way that I connect with this book is through the theme of the American Dream. I, like many other people around the world, have set my sights on going to college, getting a high-paying job, and starting a family. However, this book challenges those goals because I’ve seen that Gatsby is more unhappy that Nick, despite the fact that Gatsby has for more money and luxuries than Nick. This makes me question the value of the American Dream and wonder what benefits result from the American Dream.
· The car crash scene reminds me of the trolley car scenario that we studied in the morality unit. After Daisy hit Myrtle with the car, they had the option to stop and take responsibility for the crash or keep driving. In the end, Daisy and Gatsby’s decision to keep driving resulted in Gatsby’s death. This reminds me of the trolley car scenario because the driver has the choice to change tracks and kill only a few people or stay on track and kill everyone on board. Neither of the choices in both situations are ideal, but in the end, you have to chose and you won’t be happy with either choice.
· What does Fitzgerald communicate about the American Dream through Gatsby’s character?
· What are some common characteristics of West vs. East Egg residents and how do those characteristics relate to those of modern day West vs. East coast?
· What is Fitzgerald saying in the last two paragraphs of the book?
· What makes Nick’s perspective unique and why would Fitzgerald choose to write the novel from his perspective?
· How does Fitzgerald incorporate the theme of morality throughout the novel? Does he believe people’s morals can change?
· What does the green light represent?
PART II REACTIONS
What does Fitzgerald communicate about the American Dream through Gatsby’s character?
For someone who doesn’t personally know Jay Gatsby, he is seen as a quite jovial man known for his luxurious life and outrageous. In the beginning of the book, it is quite clear that Jay Gatsby is living the American Dream. His house resembles a castle and practically every night, people flood into it, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. However, throughout the novel, we begin to learn about Gatsby’s inner struggles. Outweighing any of Gatsby’s luxuries is his loneliness. Even though he hosted thousands of guests at his parties, he had only two of his friends show up to his funeral. Through this terrible turnout, Fitzgerald is trying to show how people get so wrapped up in achieving the American dream that we forget to enjoy our lives every day: “He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him…”(Page 189). I think that through the portrayal of Gatsby’s loneliness and despair, Fitzgerald is discrediting the American Dream and suggesting that it isn’t worth the struggle in the long shot.
What is Fitzgerald saying in the last two paragraphs of the book?
In the final two paragraphs of Fitzgerald’s novel, he summarizes his perspective on the American Dream. Fitzgerald first describes our futures as unachievable, saying that no matter how much effort we put into achieving our goals, we will always want more. This connects to Gatsby’s life because even though he was very wealthy and had a plethora of people to his house every night, he never accomplished his one meaningful goal: to be with Daisy. Through this metaphor, he is also suggesting that we will always want what we’ve had in the past: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Page 189). Even after Tom and Daisy had left without a trace, Gatsby continued awaiting a call from her, never giving up hope that he could have her again. Overall, Fitzgerald is saying that humans are hopeless creatures who always strive to repeat the past and accomplish what they are incapable of accomplishing.
What does the green light represent?
I think that the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents Gatsby’s hope that his relationship with Daisy will somehow work out. As soon as Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship comes back into existence, the green light loses meaning for Gatsby because he no longer has to hope for the relationship to be revived. The following quote is from the scene in which Daisy has come over to Nick’s for tea, but has wandered to Gatsby’s house:
“You always have a green light that burns all nigh at the end of your dock.”
Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. (Page 98)
Simply knowing that Daisy was always across the bay from him allowed Gatsby to have hope for his and Daisy’s relationship. The green light signifies the end of a search for Daisy and the beginning of a journey in pursuit of her.
PART III
· On the last page of the novel, it says “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning ----- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” To me, this passage says that no matter how hard we try, no matter how far we stretch our arms, we will never be satisfied because our goal is unreachable. This reminded me of the hedonic treadmill that we learned about in the film Happy. The hedonic treadmill says that no matter how much success you have, you will always want more.
· One way that I connect with this book is through the theme of the American Dream. I, like many other people around the world, have set my sights on going to college, getting a high-paying job, and starting a family. However, this book challenges those goals because I’ve seen that Gatsby is more unhappy that Nick, despite the fact that Gatsby has for more money and luxuries than Nick. This makes me question the value of the American Dream and wonder what benefits result from the American Dream.
· The car crash scene reminds me of the trolley car scenario that we studied in the morality unit. After Daisy hit Myrtle with the car, they had the option to stop and take responsibility for the crash or keep driving. In the end, Daisy and Gatsby’s decision to keep driving resulted in Gatsby’s death. This reminds me of the trolley car scenario because the driver has the choice to change tracks and kill only a few people or stay on track and kill everyone on board. Neither of the choices in both situations are ideal, but in the end, you have to chose and you won’t be happy with either choice.