QUESTIONS for Friday's test

These are the questions that will comprise Friday's test. You will not be able to hand in pre-written answers on Friday, but you can study these and practice your answers. REMEMBER: you will not be able to use the text OR any pre-written notes on the exam on Friday.

Here are the questions:

(1) There is significance to the fact that all of the major characters in "The Great Gatsby" are Westerners (they originally come from the western part of the country). Throughout American history, the West has been seen as a land of promise and possibility—the very emblem of American ideals. Tom and Daisy, like other members of the upper class, have betrayed America’s democratic ideals by perpetuating a rigid class structure that excludes newcomers from its upper reaches, much like the feudal aristocracy that America had left behind. Gatsby, alone among Nick’s acquaintances, has the audacity and nobility of spirit to dream of creating a radically different future for himself, but his dream ends in failure.

(a) Why?

(b) Based on what you know about the time period and about modernism, what might Fitzgerald be trying to say about the dreams and aspirations of Americans through Gatsby’s failure?

(2) Analyze Gatsby’s dream from beginning to end: (a) Has Gatsby ALWAYS had the same dream? (b) What was it that he REALLY believed in? (c) Do you think his dream is worthwhile? Why or why not. Explain your answers.

(3) Consider EACH of the following characters in the novel: (a) Nick (b) Gatsby (c) Tom (d) Daisy (e) Myrtle and (f) Wilson. Did everyone get what they “deserved” in the end? Who did? Who didn’t? Explain your answers.

(4) In "The Great Gatsby", Fitzgerald uses contrasting places (East Egg, West Egg, and the Valley of Ashes) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Explain (a) how these places differ, (b) what EACH place represents, and (c) how their contrasts contribute to the meaning of the work.

(5) Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Discuss the contribution such scenes (specifically the (a) parties and the (b) funeral) make to the meaning of Fitzgerald’s "The Great Gatsby" as a whole.