F. SCOTT FITZGERALD BY: Your Name Your Class THE GREAT GATSBY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD BY: Your Name Your Class

CHARACTERS Nick Carraway -  The novel’s narrator, Nick is a young man from Minnesota. After moving to West Egg, Nick quickly befriends his next-door neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby.  Jay Gatsby -  The title character and protagonist of the novel, Gatsby is a fabulously wealthy young man living in a Gothic mansion in West Egg. Daisy Buchanan -  Nick’s cousin, and the woman Gatsby loves. She fell in love with Gatsby and promised to wait for him.

Tom Buchanan -  Daisy’s immensely wealthy husband, once a member of Nick’s social club at Yale.  Jordan Baker -  Daisy’s friend, a woman with whom Nick becomes romantically involved during the course of the novel. Myrtle Wilson -  Tom’s lover, whose lifeless husband George owns a run-down garage in the valley of ashes. George Wilson -  Myrtle’s husband, the lifeless, exhausted owner of a run-down auto shop at the edge of the valley of ashes. 

FAVOURITE CHARACTER (Your comments and ideas.)

PLOT SUMMARY Nick Carraway, a recent Yale graduate returns home to West Egg to start a career Neighbors to the mysterious Jay Gatsby Invited to the home of his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan on East Egg. Meets Jordan Baker, the golf pro who Daisy wants him to date Nick notices that Daisy is unhappy in her marriage, desperate to escape domesticity Tom gets a call from a mysterious woman, his mistress Myrtle Wilson

Tom takes Nick to Queens to meet Myrtle The relationship is permitted by Tom and Myrtle’s friends because both were “vastly unhappy in their marriages.” Myrtle mocks Daisy and Tom beats her to Nick’s horror Weeks later, Nick and Jordan attend a Gatsby party, shocked that few of the guests actually know him and gossip that he is a murderer. Nick meets Gatsby who asks him to lunch the next day.

Daisy and Gatsby reunite and their relationship begins once again Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby’s parties and Daisy becomes overwhelmed with emotion The party moves to the Buchannan’s house but Daisy declares that they should move to a hotel to escape the heat. Much to Tom’s dismay, Daisy rides in Gatsby’s yellow car with him, while Tom is forced to drive Nick and Jordan. On the way into town, Tom meets with Tom Wilson who has locked Myrtle in the house because of her continued affair.

The party moves to the Plaza Hotel where Tom confronts Daisy about her relationship with Gatsby. Gatsby brings Daisy to an ultimatum: she must choose to be with Tom or himself. Daisy is unable to make a decision and runs away with Gatsby. Furious, on the way home, Daisy seizes control of the car from Gatsby and hits Myrtle Wilson who instantly dies. Back at the Buchanan’s home, Tom and Daisy flee Long Island unable to face responsibility for their actions

Determined to avenge his wife’s death, George Wilson sneaks into Gatsby’s backyard and murders both himself and Gatsby. Nick (now separated from Jordan) notifies Gatsby’s father of his son’s death. Gatsby refused to meet with father because he wanted to get rid of his past. Few present at the funeral (Owl Eyes) Nick reflects upon his experiences with Gatsby and realizes albeit loathingly, the truth of his character.

Favourite Scene: Death of Gatsby In the last chapter, Gatsby goes to swimming pool with an airbed. Nick goes to Gatsby’s house and finds out that he is not there. He goes to swimming pool with servants. The airbed was moving slowly round and round. There was a little blood in the water and Gatsby lay on the airbed - dead. As they carried Gatsby's body up to the house, they saw Wilson lying on the grass. Wilson shot Gatsby and then shot himself. This part affected me deeply, BECAUSE…

Here is the death scene of Gatsby from the movie ‘The Great Gatsby’ (Baz Luhrmann, 2013)

ALTERNATE ENDING (Your comments and ideas.)

UNKNOWN WORDS Porch: a covered area built onto the entrance to a house, veranda. Dusty: covered with dust (=powder of dirt) Doorway: an entrance to a building or room through a door. Bleeding: to have blood coming from a cut in your body Yawn: to take a deep breath with your mouth wide open, because you are tired or bored.

UNKNOWN WORDS Butler: a man who opens the door, serves dinner, etc in a large house as a job Bootlegger: someone who ​sells ​illegally made ​goods Gamble: to risk money on the result of a game, race, or competition Enormous: extremely large Charming: pleasant or attractive