Chapter Three: Gatsby Study Questions and Vocabulary Packet

GATSBY STUDY QUESTIONS and VOCABULARY PACKET The following questions are a combination of comprehension/knowledge level questions and interpretive level questions. Answering them will help prepare you for class discussion, quizzes, and the final test for the unit. CHAPTER THREE 1. Describe the two ways in which Nick differs from the other guests at Gatsby’s party. Nick differs from the other guests at Gatsby's party in two main ways: he is one of the few invited guests who actually knows Gatsby personally, and he is more reserved and observant, rather than actively participating in the extravagant festivities 2. What does Nick think of Gatsby when he first meets him? When Nick first meets Gatsby, he is struck by Gatsby's smile and his genuine demeanor. However, he also feels a sense of mystery and uncertainty about Gatsby's background and intentions 3. Describe the events and atmosphere of the party. The party at Gatsby's mansion is lavish and extravagant, with a festive atmosphere, live music, dancing, and an abundance of food and drink. Guests mingle and socialize, indulging in the opulence of the event 4. What does the owl-eyed man in the library find extraordinary about Gatsby’s library? The owl-eyed man in the library finds it extraordinary that Gatsby's books are real, indicating that many wealthy individuals at the time often had libraries filled with decorative, but unread, books. Gatsby's library is authentic and reflects his intellectual curiosity 5. What does Nick learn about Jordan Baker after he has sent some time with her? After spending some time with Jordan Baker, Nick learns that she is a professional golfer and is known for her dishonesty on the golf course, suggesting that she is not entirely trustworthy 6. Why does Fitzgerald describe the party (in the passage beginning “By seven o’clock the orchestra has arrived”) in the present tense? Fitzgerald describes the party in the present tense to create a sense of immediacy and immersion for the reader, as if they are experiencing the events of the party in real time 7. How does Nick characterize the guests at Gatsby’s party? What do his characterizations tell us about how Nick feels about most of these people? What sense of life in the Jazz Age do we get from the description of this party? Nick characterizes the guests at Gatsby's party as shallow and superficial, primarily concerned with indulging their own desires and pursuing pleasure without regard for others. His characterizations suggest that he feels a sense of disillusionment and moral ambiguity about the people he encounters. The description of the party reflects the excesses and hedonism of life in the Jazz Age, marked by a pursuit of wealth, pleasure, and social status 8. Describe the ambiguity in Gatsby’s character that strikes Nick. The ambiguity in Gatsby's character that strikes Nick is Gatsby's mysterious background and the discrepancies in the stories he tells about himself. Despite Gatsby's charming demeanor and apparent success, Nick senses that there is something enigmatic and possibly dishonest about him 9. Describe two incidents involving automobiles in this chapter. What role do automobiles seem to play in the novel so far? Two incidents involving automobiles in this chapter are the car accidents caused by intoxicated guests leaving the party, and Gatsby's yellow car being involved in a hit-and-run incident. Automobiles seem to play a significant role in the novel as symbols of wealth, status, and the recklessness of the Jazz Age. They also serve as vehicles for both literal and metaphorical journeys for the characters