The Great gatsby

Author - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is a classic American novel set in the Roaring Twenties. It tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man known for his lavish parties, and his obsessive love for Daisy Buchanan. The book explores themes of wealth, class, love, and the American Dream, capturing the excesses and moral decay of the era.

Genre - Fiction

Notes: The Great gatsby

• • Nick Carraway moves to West Egg, a new money area on Long Island, next to the wealthy Jay Gatsby.
• • Nick's cousin, Daisy Buchanan, lives across the bay in East Egg, the old money side, with her rich and arrogant husband, Tom.
• • Nick learns that Gatsby throws extravagant parties every weekend, hoping Daisy will attend.
• • Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a reunion with Daisy, whom he loved years ago before going to war.
• • Nick agrees, and Gatsby's reunion with Daisy is awkward at first but soon becomes warm.
• • Daisy is impressed by Gatsby's mansion and wealth, which he accumulated for her.
• • Tom becomes suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy's growing closeness.
• • Tom discovers that Gatsby's wealth comes from illegal activities like bootlegging.
• • A tense confrontation occurs at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, where Gatsby demands Daisy leave Tom.
• • Daisy, torn between Gatsby and her comfortable life with Tom, can't bring herself to say she never loved Tom.
• • On the drive back from the city, Daisy, driving Gatsby's car, accidentally hits and kills Myrtle Wilson, Tom's mistress.
• • Myrtle's husband, George Wilson, is devastated and believes the driver of the yellow car (Gatsby's) was responsible.
• • Gatsby decides to take the blame for Daisy to protect her.
• • Tom tells Wilson that the yellow car belonged to Gatsby.
• • Wilson, seeking revenge, finds Gatsby at his mansion and shoots him dead.
• • Wilson then kills himself.
• • Nick is the only one who attends Gatsby's funeral, realizing how few people truly cared about him.
• • Nick becomes disillusioned with the wealthy elite and their carelessness.
• • Nick decides to move back to the Midwest, disgusted by the moral decay he witnessed.
• • The story highlights themes of the American Dream, wealth, class, love, and illusion.
• • Gatsby's dream of winning Daisy back was based on an idealized past and couldn't be recaptured.
• • The novel contrasts the "old money" of East Egg with the "new money" of West Egg.
• • Tom and Daisy represent the carelessness and moral corruption of the wealthy.
• • Gatsby's relentless pursuit of Daisy, fueled by wealth and hope, ultimately leads to his downfall.
• • Nick serves as the narrator, providing an outsider's perspective on the events.
• • The "green light" at the end of Daisy's dock symbolizes Gatsby's hope and his unattainable dream.
• • The parties are a symbol of Gatsby's superficial wealth and his attempt to attract Daisy.
• • Myrtle Wilson is trapped by her social class and seeks escape through her affair with Tom.
• • George Wilson is a working-class man whose life is destroyed by the actions of the wealthy.
• • The novel is set in the Roaring Twenties, a time of economic boom and social change.
• • Fitzgerald uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey the mood and themes of the novel.
• • The Jazz Age is depicted as a period of excess and moral ambiguity.
• • Gatsby's belief in the future and his ability to repeat the past is a central flaw.
• • The novel questions the true meaning of the American Dream.
• • Daisy's voice is described as being "full of money," reflecting her privileged background.
• • Tom's hypocrisy and arrogance are evident throughout the story.
• • Gatsby's past is shrouded in mystery, adding to his allure.
• • The valley of ashes represents the social and moral decay beneath the surface of wealth.
• • Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's eyes on the billboard watch over the events, symbolizing a god-like judgment.
• • Nick's journey is one of disillusionment and moral awakening.
• • Gatsby's love for Daisy is portrayed as both romantic and a form of obsession.
• • The novel explores the destructive nature of wealth and social status.
• • Gatsby's dream is ultimately an illusion, unable to withstand the reality of Daisy's character and circumstances.
• • The ending emphasizes the futility of Gatsby's efforts and the emptiness of the world he inhabited.
• • The pursuit of happiness through material possessions is shown to be flawed.
• • The novel critiques the superficiality and moral emptiness of the upper class.
• • Gatsby's unwavering hope, despite overwhelming odds, is a defining characteristic.
• • The contrast between Gatsby's genuine, albeit misguided, love and Tom's possessive, unfaithful relationship is stark.
• • The tragedy of Gatsby is that he believed he could erase the past and buy his way into a dream.
• • Nick's final reflections on Gatsby's dream and the nature of the past offer a poignant conclusion.
• • The novel leaves the reader pondering the cost of dreams and the realities of the American experience.
• • The story is a timeless exploration of love, loss, and the pursuit of an elusive ideal.
• • The rich are portrayed as careless people who destroy others and then retreat into their money.
• • Gatsby's belief in the "orgastic future" that recedes before us is a powerful metaphor for the elusive nature of dreams.