Chapter 1-2

Quote Label Analysis

“Instead of being the warm American dream Nick Carraway was chasing the
center of the world, the Middle American dream, and that is
West now seemed like the what compelled him to travel
ragged edge of the universe–so I west to learn more about the
decided to go East and learn the bond business. He sought the
bond business. Everybody I American dream by getting into
knew was in the bond business, bonds like many others, and
so I supposed it could support business was booming in the
more than one single man” 1920s.
(Fitzgerald 12).

Quote Label Analysis

“But I didn’t call out to him, for Green light Nick Carraway saw his neighbor
he gave a sudden intimation that Gatsby, reaching out towards a
he was content to be alone–he green light across the bay. The
stretched out his arms toward green light is at the dock of
the dark water in a curious way, Daisy’s house, and it represents
and, far as I was from him, I Gatsby’s love for her. Gatsby
could have sworn he was was reaching towards it, filled
trembling. Involuntarily I with hope.
glanced seaward–and
distinguished nothing except a
single green light, minute and
far away, that might have been at
the end of the dock” (Fitzgerald
22).

Chapter 3

Quote Label Analysis

“In his blue gardens men and American dream Gatsby threw many extravagant
girls came and went like moths parties during the summer.
among the whisperings and the Many rich, class, or famous
champagne and the stars” people just showed up at
(Fitzgerald 31). Gatsby’s parties usually with no
 invitation. His parties are a
demonstration of Gatsby
achieving the American dream.

Quote Label Analysis

“But young men didn’t—at least American dream Nick is in awe of Gatsby’s
in my provincial experience I achievement of the American
believe they didn’t—drift coolly dream, as he is seeking it for
out of nowhere and buy a palace himself as well. He marvels at
on Long Island Sound” the fact that Gatsby is young and
(Fitzgerald 36). newly rich, as it is very rare for
young people to achieve the
American dream.

Chapter 4

Quote Label Analysis

“‘I understand you’re looking Bootlegging Nick Carraway joins Gatsby for
for a business gonnegtion.’ The lunch and meets his friend
juxtaposition of these two Wollfsheim. This quote hints at
remarks was startling. Gatsby the audience that Gatsby is
answered for me: ‘Oh, no,’ he involved in bootlegging, or the
exclaimed, ‘this isn’t the Mafia business. This meeting
man’”(Fitzgerald 48). gives us more of a backstory as
to how Gatsby earned his
money.

Quote Label Analysis

“The modesty of the demand Love Jordan Baker tells Nick

shook me. He had waited five Carraway about Gatsby’s secret,
years and bought a mansion his love for Daisy. She tells him
where he dispensed starlight to that he bought his mansion so
casual moths—so that he could Daisy would be just across the
“come over” some afternoon to bay. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is
a stranger’s garden”(Fitzgerald so strong and hopeful that he
52). waited five years just to buy a
mansion and have his neighbor
invite Daisy for tea.
Chapter 5-6

Quote Label Analysis

“Gatsby looked with vacant eyes Gatsby’s character The reader learns that there are
through a copy of Clay’s more sides to Gatsby. Before we
“Economics,” starting at the just saw Gatsby as a composed,
Finnish tread that shook the wealthy man. But here we see
floor, and peering toward the that Gatsby is nervous and a bit
bleared windows from time to awkward or fidgety. This is a
time as if invisible but alarming completely different side to him
happenings were taking place that we discover in this chapter.
outside” (Fitzgerald 55).

Quote Label Analysis

“Tom was evidently perturbed at Tom’s character Tom is disturbed and uneasy that
Daisy’s running around alone, Daisy is “running around alone”
for on the following Saturday even though he has been
night he came with her to cheating on her for a while. He
Gatsby’s party. Perhaps his is a bit oppressive and
presence gave the evening its controlling of his relationships,
peculiar quality of as he gets nervous when he
oppressiveness–it stands out in can’t.
my memory from Gatsby’s other
parties that summer”(Fitzgerald
66).

Chapter 7

Quote Label Analysis

“The next day was broiling, Weather The hot summer day is a bit of
almost the last, certainly the foreshadowing to what goes
warmest, of the summer. As my down later in the day. Tom
train emerged from the tunnel Buchanan and Gatsby get into a
into sunlight, only the hot heated fight, and Gatsby loses
whistles of the National Biscuit his temper in front of Daisy. The
Company broke the simmering hot weather in this chapter could
hush at noon”(Fitzgerald 71). definitely be foreshadowing and
related to the messy fight that
happens later in the day.
 Quote Label Analysis

“As we passed over the dark Foreshadowing Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway,
bride her wan face fell lazily and Jordan Baker are driving
against my coat’s shoulder and back from the hotel room after
the formidable stroke of thirty Daisy and Gatsby left in
died away with the reassuring Gatsby’s car. This quote
pressure of her hand. So we foreshadows Myrtle Wilson’s
drove on toward death through death that they will soon find out
the cooling night”(Fitzgerald as they are driving back.
84).

Chapter 8-9

Label Analysis

“Standing behind him, Michaelis The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg George Wilson recalled his last
saw with a shock that he was conversation with Myrtle and
looking at the eyes of Doctor said that he told her she might
T.J. Eckleburg, which had just fool him but she couldn’t fool
emerged, pale and enormous God. As he told her this, he was
from the dissolving night” facing the billboard, his face
(Fitzgerald 97). pressed up against the glass.
This implies that the eyes
symbolize God watching over
the valley of ashes and judging
people that sin.

Quote Label Analysis

“She had caught a cold, and it American dream/ living in the Daisy is one of the figures in the
made her voice huskier and past / simile Great Gatsby who has achieved
more charming than ever, and the American dream. Fitzgerald
Gatsby was overwhelmingly shows this multiple times using
aware of the youth and mystery similes, as he compares Daisy to
that wealth imprisons and silver. This quote also shows
preserves, of the freshness of that Gatsby has been living in
many clothes, and of Daisy, the past as his obsession with
gleaming like silver, safe and Daisy stemmed from five years
proud above the hot struggles of ago, and he still has hope that he
the poor” (Fitzgerald 91). can relive the past.
Quote Label Analysis

“‘They’re a rotten crowd,’ I Foreshadow/materialism vs. true This is the first time someone in
shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re happiness the book acknowledges the
worth the whole damn bunch put flaws that Tom and Daisy
together.’ I’ve always been glad Buchanan possess, and implies
I said that. It was the only that money does not make them
compliment I ever gave him, happy. This is also a bit of a
because I disapproved of him foreshadow to Gatsby’s death,
from beginning to end” when Fitzgerald wrote:
(Fitzgerald 94). “beginning to end”.

Quote Label Analysis

“It was all very careless and Materialism vs. true This is not a perfectly clear
confused. They were careless happiness/old money example of materialism vs. true
people, Tom and Daisy–they happiness, but it definitely
smashed up things and creatures shows that Daisy and Tom are
and then retreated back into their careless because they do
money or their vast carelessness, whatever they want without
or whatever it was that kept caring about how it will affect
them together, and let other other people. This does not
people clean up the mess they make them happy, as they
had made”(Fitzgerald 108). destroy things and hide like
“cowards” almost. This quote
also summarizes Tom and
Daisy’s similar situations as they
both were born into money.

Quote Label Analysis

“And as I sat there brooding on Green light Fitzgerald brings up the green
the old, unknown world, I light theme one last time. This
thought of Daisy’s dock. He had time, Nick Carraway thinks that
come a long way to this blue Gatsby’s dream was unattainable
lawn, and his dream must have even if he did live. Yet, he does
seemed so close that he could admire Gatsby’s hope for Daisy
hardly fail to grasp it. He did not as he pictures the green light on
know that it was already behind Daisy’s dock.
him, somewhere back in that
vast obscurity beyond the
city…”(Fitzgerald 109).