Literary Form

• What is the definition of genre?

  A category of artistic composition
• Which genres are present in The Great Gatsby?

  Tragedy, realism, modernism, social satire
• What decade does The Great Gatsby depict?

  The 1920s
• Why is The Great Gatsby considered a tragedy?

  It reflects the elements of classical tragedy
• How does Fitzgerald depict realism in The Great Gatsby?

  By using recognizable New York landmarks
• What changes does Fitzgerald make to real locations in the novel?

  He renames Great Neck and Manhasset Neck
• What does the Valley of Ashes symbolize in the novel?

  The moral decay of society
• What historical event does Fitzgerald reference in The Great Gatsby?

  The 1919 World Series
• How does Fitzgerald use irony in The Great Gatsby?

  To mock the hedonism of 1920s America
• What tragic fate befalls Myrtle Wilson in the novel?

  She dies while trying to transcend her status
• What does Fitzgerald suggest about the lower classes in The Great Gatsby?

  They are victims of society's callousness
• How does Nick Carraway's perspective affect the story?

  It creates an unreliable narrative voice
• In what way does Nick serve as Fitzgerald's mouthpiece?

  He sometimes reflects Fitzgerald's own views
• What narrative style does Fitzgerald avoid in The Great Gatsby?

  Omniscient narrator
• How does Nick's dishonesty affect the reader's perception of Gatsby?

  It complicates Gatsby's character portrayal
• What is the significance of Nick's retrospective viewpoint?

  It adds mystery to Gatsby's character
• How does the structure of The Great Gatsby differ from traditional narratives?

  It follows Nick's memories, not chronology
• What are the three strands of storytelling in The Great Gatsby?

  1. Nick's own experiences in the East
  2. Gatsby's backstory from multiple perspectives
  3. Nick's reflections on the story
• What is the central chapter of The Great Gatsby, and why is it significant?

  Chapter five; it shows Gatsby and Daisy's reunion
• How does the narrative style shift in chapters 1-4?

  It is primarily from Nick's point of view
• What effect does the past tense narrative in chapter 5 have?

  It intensifies the sentimentality of the reunion
• What themes are explored in the latter half of The Great Gatsby?

  The ramifications of Gatsby's desire for Daisy
• How does Fitzgerald depict the old money class in the novel?

  Through their superficiality and carelessness
• What literary technique does Fitzgerald use to create a social satire?

  Irony, exaggeration, and ridicule
• What is metafiction in The Great Gatsby?

  • Nick is a self-conscious storyteller
  • He refers to "this book" he’s writing
  • He experiments with style and structure
• How does Nick's storytelling style compare to Marlow in Heart of Darkness?

  Both are unreliable and self-conscious narrators
• What does the quasi-volta structure of the novel signify?

  It highlights the turning point in the plot
• How many chapters are in The Great Gatsby?

  Nine chapters
• What does the term 'lost generation' refer to in the context of The Great Gatsby?

  A generation disillusioned by societal changes
• How does Fitzgerald's poetic language reflect Romantic influences?

  It suggests a connection to beauty and nature
• What does Daisy's reaction to the nightingale symbolize?

  Her enchantment with beauty and nature
• How does modernity affect the beauty of nature in The Great Gatsby?

  It diminishes and cuts off natural beauty
• What does the phrase "the eyes of an advertising billboard" represent?

  A lack of values in society
• How does Fitzgerald critique modernity in The Great Gatsby?

  By depicting the ruin of nature and values
• What is the significance of the 'laissez-faire' attitude in the novel?

  It highlights the carelessness of the old money class
• How does Nick's narrative control the story despite Gatsby being the protagonist?

  Nick shapes the story through his perspective
• What does Nick's withholding of Gatsby's past signify?

  It creates mystery around Gatsby's character
• How does the fragmented storytelling affect the reader's understanding of Gatsby?

  It mirrors Nick's own discovery of Gatsby
• What role does Jordan Baker play in the narrative?

  She provides insight into Gatsby's past
• How does the structure of the novel contribute to its themes?

  It emphasizes the inevitability of Gatsby's fate