The Great Gatsby
Main Theme:
1)The East and the West Egg (Geographical location and morality)
-Mid-west= old fashion, traditional family values where Nick comes from
-East= “old money”inherited money and European aristocrat e.g. Tom
-West(land of hope and promise)= “new money”people made their fortune recently
e.g. Gatsby (self-made man)
2)Prejudices (racist)
-Tom is a racist he discriminate the black “The Rise of the Colored Empires” , a book
about white supremacy. This shows that Tom is arrogant and looks down on the
working class and people who earns “new money”
-When the two men are confronting each other in the Plaza Hotel. Tom reveals
Gatsby’s business and his past. He calls Gatsby “the man from nowhere” and “Mr
Gatsby”. This shows that Tom disrespects Gatsby and he wants to keep a distance
between them.
3) Sexism/ Male dominance
-Women are not being respect and their intelligence are not being valued Daisy hopes
her daughter will be a “beautiful” little “fool”
4)The American Dream=the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any
American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
-Gatsby’s American Dream is pursuing Daisy. His desire and aim.
5)Mysterious figure
-Nick knows nth about Gatsby. He just know he is his “neighbour next door”
-Gatsby is standing in the dark “stretching out” his arms and seems wanting to
achieve sth but no one know what it is. His mysterious dream just reveal in chapter 4
-There are different rumours surrounding Gatsby. Some said that he is a“German
Spy”, he“killed a man”, he is an“Oxford man” but what they only know is Gatsby
always throws “lavish parties”no one knows about his past as he never clarifies it.
Until when Jordan reveals his love story with Daisy.
-Nick does not know who Gatsby is when he first attends the party even when Gatsby
is next to him only when Gatsby introduces himself to Nick.
-Gatsby has no connection and interaction with his guest and he does not drink and
flirt. Hejust observe the party and have never talk about himself in public. NO one
knows his intention of throwing extravagant parties.
, 6)The extra-marital (destruction of marriage/ lies/unhappy marriage)
-The open and public extra-marital affair between Tom and Myrtle. Tom introduces
his mistress to Nick, Daisy’s cousin when they are heading to New York. Nick insists
that he is “literally forced” to see his mistress. He tries to maintain a morally
highground.
-Nick helps Gatsby to arrange a tea meeting for him and Daisy to have a reunion. He
witnesses Daisy having an extra-marital affair. Even he claims that he “does not want
to”. Even he knows the intention of Gatsby arranging the meeting is to win Daisy
back. He covers up the relationship between them and shows the immorality of Nick.
-Tom is having many extra-marital affairs at the same time. When they attend Gatsby’s
party. Daisy offers him the “golden pencil”. The golden pencil is use to collect details
of the woman
7)Moral decay (The Valley Of Ashes vs The loudness and brightness of New York)/
(Pursuing materialistic life/ achieving dream through illegal business)
-The ugly side of the Egg, The valley Of Ashes, a ugly by-product of consumerism
-Gatsby has a criminal connection with Wolfsheim. He is involved in the underground
criminal business. Nick discovers is because Gatsby invites him have lunch in the
“half-darkness” restaurant
-Gatsby has all his extravagant lifestyle because of the illegal business. This shows the
corrupted lifestyle and they even ignore the prohibited law.
-Gatsby uses different ways to gain Daisy back including involvement in the illegal
business to earn more money to provide a materialistic lifestyle for Daisy. He does not
care that breaking up her marriage is immoral; he claims it is “nothing underhand”.
This shows the corrupted and selfishness.
8)Disrespect woman status
-In the party, Tom and Myrtle got drunk and Myrtle keeps on shouting Daisy’s full
name and Tom feels offended so he “breaks” Myrtle’s “nose”
-Tom treats both Myrtle and Daisy roughly. Daisy’s “bruised knuckles” and Myrtle’s
bloody and broken “nose”which “[Tom] did it” shows the lower class is vulnerable to
the whims of the upper class
-When Wilson discovers his wife having an extra-marital affair with another man.
“[Wilson] locks her up”.This shows that Wilson is trying to control her wife by
exploiting her freedom.
9)Hypocrisy and lack of restraint of the upper class
-Tom feels no guilt and regret betraying Daisy and Wilson and he uses his social
status to bully the lower working class. He looks down on Wilson and fools him by
telling him he will sell his car to Wilson“next week” but the fact he won’t
Main Theme:
1)The East and the West Egg (Geographical location and morality)
-Mid-west= old fashion, traditional family values where Nick comes from
-East= “old money”inherited money and European aristocrat e.g. Tom
-West(land of hope and promise)= “new money”people made their fortune recently
e.g. Gatsby (self-made man)
2)Prejudices (racist)
-Tom is a racist he discriminate the black “The Rise of the Colored Empires” , a book
about white supremacy. This shows that Tom is arrogant and looks down on the
working class and people who earns “new money”
-When the two men are confronting each other in the Plaza Hotel. Tom reveals
Gatsby’s business and his past. He calls Gatsby “the man from nowhere” and “Mr
Gatsby”. This shows that Tom disrespects Gatsby and he wants to keep a distance
between them.
3) Sexism/ Male dominance
-Women are not being respect and their intelligence are not being valued Daisy hopes
her daughter will be a “beautiful” little “fool”
4)The American Dream=the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any
American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
-Gatsby’s American Dream is pursuing Daisy. His desire and aim.
5)Mysterious figure
-Nick knows nth about Gatsby. He just know he is his “neighbour next door”
-Gatsby is standing in the dark “stretching out” his arms and seems wanting to
achieve sth but no one know what it is. His mysterious dream just reveal in chapter 4
-There are different rumours surrounding Gatsby. Some said that he is a“German
Spy”, he“killed a man”, he is an“Oxford man” but what they only know is Gatsby
always throws “lavish parties”no one knows about his past as he never clarifies it.
Until when Jordan reveals his love story with Daisy.
-Nick does not know who Gatsby is when he first attends the party even when Gatsby
is next to him only when Gatsby introduces himself to Nick.
-Gatsby has no connection and interaction with his guest and he does not drink and
flirt. Hejust observe the party and have never talk about himself in public. NO one
knows his intention of throwing extravagant parties.
, 6)The extra-marital (destruction of marriage/ lies/unhappy marriage)
-The open and public extra-marital affair between Tom and Myrtle. Tom introduces
his mistress to Nick, Daisy’s cousin when they are heading to New York. Nick insists
that he is “literally forced” to see his mistress. He tries to maintain a morally
highground.
-Nick helps Gatsby to arrange a tea meeting for him and Daisy to have a reunion. He
witnesses Daisy having an extra-marital affair. Even he claims that he “does not want
to”. Even he knows the intention of Gatsby arranging the meeting is to win Daisy
back. He covers up the relationship between them and shows the immorality of Nick.
-Tom is having many extra-marital affairs at the same time. When they attend Gatsby’s
party. Daisy offers him the “golden pencil”. The golden pencil is use to collect details
of the woman
7)Moral decay (The Valley Of Ashes vs The loudness and brightness of New York)/
(Pursuing materialistic life/ achieving dream through illegal business)
-The ugly side of the Egg, The valley Of Ashes, a ugly by-product of consumerism
-Gatsby has a criminal connection with Wolfsheim. He is involved in the underground
criminal business. Nick discovers is because Gatsby invites him have lunch in the
“half-darkness” restaurant
-Gatsby has all his extravagant lifestyle because of the illegal business. This shows the
corrupted lifestyle and they even ignore the prohibited law.
-Gatsby uses different ways to gain Daisy back including involvement in the illegal
business to earn more money to provide a materialistic lifestyle for Daisy. He does not
care that breaking up her marriage is immoral; he claims it is “nothing underhand”.
This shows the corrupted and selfishness.
8)Disrespect woman status
-In the party, Tom and Myrtle got drunk and Myrtle keeps on shouting Daisy’s full
name and Tom feels offended so he “breaks” Myrtle’s “nose”
-Tom treats both Myrtle and Daisy roughly. Daisy’s “bruised knuckles” and Myrtle’s
bloody and broken “nose”which “[Tom] did it” shows the lower class is vulnerable to
the whims of the upper class
-When Wilson discovers his wife having an extra-marital affair with another man.
“[Wilson] locks her up”.This shows that Wilson is trying to control her wife by
exploiting her freedom.
9)Hypocrisy and lack of restraint of the upper class
-Tom feels no guilt and regret betraying Daisy and Wilson and he uses his social
status to bully the lower working class. He looks down on Wilson and fools him by
telling him he will sell his car to Wilson“next week” but the fact he won’t
