I. Major Themes
1. Geography, Wealth, and Morality
● The East and West Eggs: The novel contrasts different types of wealth. East Egg
represents inherited "old money" and European aristocratic roots, embodied by Tom.
West Egg represents "new money" and serves as a land of hope and promise for
self-made individuals like Gatsby.
● The Midwest: Represents old-fashioned, traditional family values, which is the cultural
background Nick hails from.
2. Prejudices and Social Elitism
● Tom's Racism: Tom openly discriminates against Black people, referencing a white
supremacy book titled "The Rise of the Colored Empires". This underscores his arrogance
and deep-seated disdain for the working class and those with "new money".
● Class Confrontation: During the confrontation at the Plaza Hotel, Tom intentionally
disrespects Gatsby's background to maintain social distance, weaponizing class markers
by labeling him "the man from nowhere" and dismissively calling him "Mr. Gatsby".
3. Sexism, Male Dominance, and Status
● Devaluation of Women: Female intelligence is not valued by the upper class. Daisy
highlights this societal reality when she expresses her hope that her daughter will grow up
to be a "beautiful" little "fool".
● Physical and Freedom Controls: The lower class is entirely vulnerable to upper-class
whims. When Myrtle angers Tom by chanting Daisy's name, Tom asserts dominance and
"breaks" Myrtle's "nose". Similarly, Daisy is seen with "bruised knuckles," which
"[Tom] did it". In the lower class, when Wilson suspects his wife's infidelity, he attempts
to exploit her freedom and control her by "locking her up".
4. The American Dream and Gatsby’s Mystery
● The Dream Defined: The American Dream represents the ideal that equal opportunity
allows anyone to achieve their highest aspirations. For Gatsby, this entire ideal is
centralized around pursuing Daisy.
● An Enigmatic Figure: Nick initially knows nothing about his "neighbour next door".
Early on, Gatsby is spotted alone in the dark, "stretching out" his arms toward an
unknown goal.
● Rumors and Isolation: Wild rumors circulate among guests at his "lavish
parties"—some claim he was a "German Spy," that he "killed a man," or that he is an
"Oxford man". Despite throwing these extravagant events, Gatsby never drinks, flirts, or
shares his past; he stands "alone" at the edge of his parties, completely detached from
his guests.
1. Geography, Wealth, and Morality
● The East and West Eggs: The novel contrasts different types of wealth. East Egg
represents inherited "old money" and European aristocratic roots, embodied by Tom.
West Egg represents "new money" and serves as a land of hope and promise for
self-made individuals like Gatsby.
● The Midwest: Represents old-fashioned, traditional family values, which is the cultural
background Nick hails from.
2. Prejudices and Social Elitism
● Tom's Racism: Tom openly discriminates against Black people, referencing a white
supremacy book titled "The Rise of the Colored Empires". This underscores his arrogance
and deep-seated disdain for the working class and those with "new money".
● Class Confrontation: During the confrontation at the Plaza Hotel, Tom intentionally
disrespects Gatsby's background to maintain social distance, weaponizing class markers
by labeling him "the man from nowhere" and dismissively calling him "Mr. Gatsby".
3. Sexism, Male Dominance, and Status
● Devaluation of Women: Female intelligence is not valued by the upper class. Daisy
highlights this societal reality when she expresses her hope that her daughter will grow up
to be a "beautiful" little "fool".
● Physical and Freedom Controls: The lower class is entirely vulnerable to upper-class
whims. When Myrtle angers Tom by chanting Daisy's name, Tom asserts dominance and
"breaks" Myrtle's "nose". Similarly, Daisy is seen with "bruised knuckles," which
"[Tom] did it". In the lower class, when Wilson suspects his wife's infidelity, he attempts
to exploit her freedom and control her by "locking her up".
4. The American Dream and Gatsby’s Mystery
● The Dream Defined: The American Dream represents the ideal that equal opportunity
allows anyone to achieve their highest aspirations. For Gatsby, this entire ideal is
centralized around pursuing Daisy.
● An Enigmatic Figure: Nick initially knows nothing about his "neighbour next door".
Early on, Gatsby is spotted alone in the dark, "stretching out" his arms toward an
unknown goal.
● Rumors and Isolation: Wild rumors circulate among guests at his "lavish
parties"—some claim he was a "German Spy," that he "killed a man," or that he is an
"Oxford man". Despite throwing these extravagant events, Gatsby never drinks, flirts, or
shares his past; he stands "alone" at the edge of his parties, completely detached from
his guests.
