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The Great Gatsby (Characters (Nick Carraway (Nick is the narrator of the…
The Great Gatsby
Characters
Nick Carraway
Nick is the narrator of the book, and the next door neighbor of Gatsby in West Egg. He is Daisy's cousin. He has a mild-mannered personality and was taught from a young age by his father not to judge others and to be tolerant.
Daisy Buchanan
Daisy is a wealthy young woman who is married to Tom Buchanan (and has a child with him) and was a former lover of Gatsby's. She ends up having an affair with Gatsby, which leads to a lot of the conflicts in the book.
Jay Gatsby
Jay Gatsby was born James Gatz to a very poor family in North Dakota. He met Daisy while training for WWI combat, and became motivated to make himself wealthy to win her affection once the war is over. He makes his fortune by bootlegging during Prohibition. He would host large parties to attract Daisy, but it wasn't until he befriended Nick that he got her to reunite with him.
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Symbols
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The Valley of Ashes
long stretch of desolate land that represents moral and social decay that results from the all consuming search for wealth
the green light
represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams, loosely associated with Daisy, whom he loves. Also, more generally refers to the American dream
Motifs
Parties
Gatsby's lavish parties are a recurring motif, and they help drive the plot as this is where Nick and Gatsby first meet, as well as where his relationship with Jordan becomes more than basic acquaintance. The parties are representative of the lavish and hedonistic lifestyle of the Jazz Age.
East/West Divide
Similar to the actual geography of the real life United States, the East and West Eggs of Long Island have distinct identities. The East is a place of old money inherited from rich estates, while the West is a place where the ambitious and hard working made their living by their own merits.
Cheating
The characters in The Great Gatsby do a fair bit of cheating, which I believe was Fitzgerald's way of expressing his view that the Jazz Age was a time when traditional morals were abandoned in favor of whatever feels good.
Narrative/Plot
Nick is introduced to Daisy, Jordan, Tom, and Gatsby as the premise of the book is set.
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