Directions: Choose one of the topics below and answer the associated questions in approximately one page. I am not grading this for structure; you may think of this as an extended reading journal. However, I will be looking for evidence that you have thoughtfully considered the topic as it relates to the entire book – do not settle for simple or surface level answers.
Cars as a Motif
What theme or themes might Fitzgerald be using cars to illustrate? Be sure to consider the various car accidents and Nick & Jordan’s conversations about bad drivers.
Time
What statement(s) does the novel make about people’s relationship to time? Particularly consider the characters’ feelings about the past.
Observing and Judging
Nick tells us on the novel’s first page that he is “inclined to reserve all judgment,” but also that “[his] tolerance has a limit.” When thinking about this idea, we might look at Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, whose billboard eyes see all. What statement or statements might the novel be making about observing vs. passing judgment?
East vs. West
What statement(s) does the novel make about the differences between the East and the West? Consider where people are from, why they have come East, and why they leave.