Use these questions to guide your reading: 

Chapter 3 
1. Pay attention to Nick's judgments. What do they reveal about his character that he does this (especially in relation to his opening comments)? 
2. Describe Gatsby the first time Nick sees him. 
3. What rumors have been told about Gatsby? Why does Fitzgerald reveal rumors rather than facts? 
4. Why is Owl Eyes so amazed?  What does it mean when Owl Eyes assumed that the books were fake to begin with?
5. How does Nick meet Gatsby? What does Nick think of Gatsby after meeting him?
6. How is Gatsby different from his guests?
7. What happens in Gatsby’s driveway when the guests leave? Why is the situation both funny and frightening?
8. Why does Nick choose to share his thoughts and feelings with Jordan? 
9. What are the rumors concerning Jordan? Could they be true? How is she described like Gatsby?
10. Nick thinks he's one of the few honest people he knows, why? Do you think he is honest? Why?

Below is a photograph from 1924 of taxis lined up on Fifth Avenue awaiting passengers, probably during rush hour when all the markets closed for the day.

 

 

Chapter 4

1.  List all of the rumors told about Gatsby.

2.  Why does Fitzgerald list all of Gatsby's party guests? Do you recognize any of the names?

3.  Why does Gatsby tell Nick about his life? Do you believe Gatsby? Does Nick?

4.  What does the episode with the police officer seem to indicate?

5.  What is the weather like when Nick & Jay get to the cellar for lunch with Wolfsheim? What language clues us in?

6.  What is Wolfsheim’s role? Consider the story he tells. What kind of person is he and what kind of people does he hang around.

7.  Look at his evaluation of different characters (Gatsby & Jordan). What does Wolfsheim say about them; can we/should we trust him?

8.  What does Jordan's story of Daisy's marriage reveal about Daisy?

10.  Nick says, "There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired." What does Nick mean? How does each character in the novel fit into this schema? 

The character of Meyer Wolfshiem is based on the real Arnold Rothstein, the New York gambler. Rothstein was notorious for his involvement in the 1919 World Series (Black Sox) Scandal where the Chicago White Sox, who were heavy favorites, allegedly intentionally lost to make the money back on bets they (and Rothstein) had placed. 





 

Chapter 5

1.Why does Gatsby deliver so many goods and services to Nick's house?
2. Describe the effect of rain on the plot.
3. Why does Gatsby offer Nick work? How does Nick feel about this?  

4. How does Gatsby behave upon seeing Daisy again? How do you feel about his behavior, considering the title of the book?
5. Why does Gatsby show Daisy all of his shirts? How does Daisy react? Why?

6. Explain the significance of the green light.
7. Who is Klipspringer and what does Gatsby have him do? Why?
8. How long has it been since Daisy and Gatsby have been together?
9. Why does Gatsby get so many phone calls? What does this say about him?

Gatsby owned drugstores; he did not deal in hard drugs. Between 1919 and 1933 the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited sale of alcoholic beverages. However, drugstores were permitted to sell whiskey by prescription, and some of them were fronts for bootlegging.

 

SOURCE: http://mreldridge.net/