From A to Z By Kendra Zacour
Common Core State Standards
11th Grade
Reading Literature Standard 3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
Standard 9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
About the Book This book is an A to Z account of everything Gatsby!
A Adultery Daisy and Gatsby, Tom and Myrtle, the novel spins a complicated web of unfaithfulness. Gatsby wishes that he had married Daisy before Tom did. Myrtle would still be alive if she hadn’t been involved with Tom.
B
Buchanan The Buchanan’s, Tom and Daisy, are two main characters with a flawed and failing marriage. Tom is a dominant, aggressive, unfaithful, arrogant, and extravagantly wealthy man. Daisy is a careless, indecisive, delicate, golden girl and the object of Jay Gatsby’s affection.
C Cars Cars are a big deal in this novel. They signify power and wealth. Gatsby uses cars to show his status and significance. Myrtle is killed in a hit and run incident in which the car indicates her killer and leads to Gatsby’s downfall.
D
Dan Cody Dan Cody is a wealthy man with a yacht. Gatsby was seventeen when he met and started working for him. He gave James Gatz the name Jay Gatsby and transformed him into what he has become.
E
East Egg The East Egg was a peninsula in New York in the 1920s. It is where people with “old money� reside. Tom and Daisy live on East Egg.
F
Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald published his first novel, “This Side of Paradise,” in 1919. Fitzgerald wrote “The great Gatsby” in 1925. In 1940, at 44 years old, he suffered a heart attack and died.
G
Gatsby Jay Gatsby is the novel’s protagonist. He is very private and has an aspect of mystery. He is hopelessly caught up in the past.
H
Hope
Hope is a prevalent theme throughout the novel. Gatsby never gives up hope on Daisy, or at least the idea of her. One of the biggest symbols of hope in the novel is the green light Gatsby can see at Daisy’s house.
I
Isolation Isolation is another theme that runs throughout the novel. This period of history is sometimes referred to as “the lost generation.” The characters, while they are together in the physical sense, never really make lasting connections to eachother.
J Â Â
Jazz Age The Jazz Age was a time of celebration in the 1920s that glorified city life and extravagance. F. Scott Fitzgerald called it a time when, "the parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the buildings were higher, the morals looser." The excesses of the Jazz Age came to an end with the stock market crash of 1929.
K
Klipspringer Klipspringer is a mysterious character. He seems to live at Gatsby’s house and mostly just take advantage of him and his wealth. He doesn’t even attend Gatsby’s funeral and isn’t seen again.
L
Louisville Louisville, as in Louisville, Kentucky. Gatsby was in Louisville before leaving to fight in World War I. This is where he met Daisy.
M
Money Money is the driving factor behind many of the situations presented in this novel. Gatsby believes that money will help him win Daisy‌ remember the scene where he shows her all his shirts? Money allows characters to act selfishly and carelessly.
N
Nick Carraway Nick narrates the novel. He is loyal, honest (mostly), observant, and moral. He is Daisy’s cousin as well as Gatsby’s friend and neighbor.
O
Owl Eyes Owl Eyes is also referred to as “the man with the owl-eyed glasses.” He is seen drunken at several of Gatsby’s parties, but he is one of the few that actually come to his funeral. He is curious about Gatsby and tries to discover who he really is.
P
Prohibition Prohibition is in full swing as the novel takes place. Prohibition took place in the 1920s but was largely lifted at the end of the decade. This influenced the illegal manufacturing and selling of alcohol throughout the United States.
Q
Quiet Gatsby is a quiet character throughout the novel. He keeps mostly to himself. It adds to his aura of mystery.
R
Roaring 20s The Roaring 20s represent the economic prosperity following WWI. They were a time of extravagance and parties. “The Great Gatsby� takes place during this time.
S
Symbolism The novel is full of symbolism. Colors are important: green represents life and the future, yellow/gold represents money, white represents innocence and femininity, and grey represents a lack of life. The green light represents the unattainable dream of the future. The uncut books represent Gatsby’s inauthenticity.
T
T.J. Eckleburg The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg loom over the Valley of Ashes on an old billboard. The novel describes it as, "The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose" (2.2). The eyes seem to be always watching the characters like they are the eyes of God.
U
Unattainable Dreams Everyone is chasing the American dream in this novel. Gatsby is constantly chasing the unattainable dream of having Daisy. No amount of work and effort could change where Gatsby came from or how his life unfolded.
V
Valley of Ashes The Valley of Ashes is a place that is dark and covered in ash and filth. It represents poverty, hopelessness, and the American dream’s downfall. The characters have to pass through it to travel from West Egg to East Egg and back.
W
West Egg The West Egg was a peninsula in New York in the 1920s. It is where people with “new money� reside. Nick and Gatsby live on East Egg.
X
oXford Tom and Nick both attended Oxford. Gatsby claims to have attended Oxford for about five months. Tom accuses Gatsby of lying about it.
Y Yale Nick and Tom also attended Yale. It is implied that only the wealthy upper class generally attend. Nick and Tom are both involved in a secret society there.
Z Zelda Zelda Sayre is the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. She wrote one novel: "Save Me the Waltz," eleven short stories, and twelve articles during her lifetime. The character of Daisy is based off of her.
References English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature » Grade 11-12. (2016). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/ Fitzgerald, F. S. (2013). The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner. People & Events: The Jazz Age. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/monkeytrial/peopleevents/e_jazzage.html Willett, E. (n.d.). Biographies. Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/kteh/amstorytellers/bios.html