Assignment: Gatsby Questions

These are questions meant to check up on your comprehension and interpretation of the book so far, as we are now pretty darn deep into it, and things are going to change quite a bit in the remaining chapters. These questions are meant to be comprehensive, so discuss anything that has been in Chapters 1-6 as part of your response. Since these questions are NOT public discussion boards, if you have read the book before (or have been coasting from having seen the film and know what happens in the end), you can mention things that happen in the remaining chapters, but you certainly do not have to do so. Your answers don't need to be epic, but need to have some real content and thought to them as well. If in doubt, though, say more rather than less!

1. From Chapter 6 and previous material as well, what are as many of the rumors and gossip about Gatsby as you can find? That is, what do people at his parties think of who and what he is? Tom has a few words to say about this, too, and will have more in the remaining chapters!

2, What character do you admire/like the most so far in this book? Why? If possible as part of your response, give a quote or two to illustrate your thoughts.

3. What character do you dislike the most so far and why? Again, if possible, show some quotes from the pages that support/illustrate this.

4. What is your opinion of the people who come to Gatsby's many parties, and why (excluding Nick and Jordan, please)? What do you think Fitzgerald is saying about these rich people who attend Gatsby's gatherings, and, by extrapolation, the real life rich people of his day?

5. What do you think the truth of Gatsby's past and present is by the time you are done with Chapter 6? That is, in brief terms, who was he as a youth, what was the truth of his and Daisy's past, and how/why did Gatsby become who he is now in the present time of the action of the book, to your best interpretation/knowledge?