The Great Gatsby Lit Group

The Great Gatsby Book Club

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Great Gatsby Book Club! I am so thrilled that you will be joining us! We meet Friday from 7:30-8:30 pm (Kyiv time). 2025 was the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, so there has been a lot of interest recently in the book. A lot of things have changed since 2022, when the story was set, but many things remain the same! There are several options for reading: the original and the graded (simplified/easier) versions. We will read one chapter a week.

Original text (B2/C1 Upper Int/Adv): https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200041h.html

Easier version (B1/B2 Int/Upper Int): https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources/paul-nations-resources/readers/mid-frequency-graded-readers/The-Great-Gatsby-Simplified-4000-Version.pdf

Easiest version (Elementary/A2: To buy online):

https://www.amazon.ca/Penguin-Readers-Level-Gatsby-Graded-ebook/dp/B0891SHNSN

Chapter summaries and analysis (If you want support with reading the novel or don't have time to read the chapter): https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/section1/

Audio book (Original version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9U43te3ZFw

Audio book (Easier version): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eayuRBrYN3k

Google Meet (To join online): https://meet.google.com/xuw-tinm-pnm?hs=224

More information about your facilitator Laura: https://auroraenglish.wixsite.com/english

Week One: Friday, May 29: 7:30-8:30 pm

Introductions and Setting

1) Introduce ourselves and the literature we enjoy.

2) What is the geographical, historical and physical setting of the novel? You can do some research online.

3) What do you know about the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald? His wife Zelda?

4) What do you know about the Jazz Age? The Roaring Twenties? Prohibition? The suffrage movement and feminism?

5) What is the same and different from 1922 when the novel takes place? Think about Ukraine, North America and the world.

6) Why is The Great Gatsby considered a great American novel?

6) What are your thoughts about the novel and the book club?

Here are some extra resources:

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARN6agiW7o

The 1920s: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AnCVV3Xr6qE

F. Scott Fitzgerald: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XvIXvD3AXz0&pp=ygUMRml0emdlcmFsZCBm

Week Two: Friday, June 5: 7:30-8:30

Chapter One Discussion Questions

Try and answer the discussions questions. You do not need to answer every question.

1) What advice does the narrator's father give him? What does this tell us about the narrator?

2) What does the narrator say about Gatsby?

3) What is the narrator's name? Where is he from? What has he done? Where does he move to? Why?

4) What are East and West Egg?

5) Who are Daisy and Tom? Describe them.

6) Who is Jordan Baker? Why does she say "You live in West Egg" contemptuously (p. 11)?

7) What secret is revealed during dinner? What does this tell us about Tom and Daisy's relationship?

8) What does Daisy say about her daughter? Why?

9) What do we learn about Nick's love life? Why doesn't he get married?

10) Who does Nick see at the end of the chapter? Why doesn't he talk to him?

11) What is the purpose of the first chapter?

12) What are your thoughts about the book so far?

Week Three: Friday, June 12: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Two Discussion Questions

1) Describe the Valley of the Ashes. Contrast it with East and West Egg. What do you think the Dr Eckleburg sign represents/symbolizes?
2) Describe Mr Wilson and Myrtle Wilson. How do they compare to the Buchanans? You can use STEAL (Say, Think, Actions, Effect on Others, Looks).
3) What kind of marriages do the Wilsons and Buchanans have? What does this tell us about the 1920’s?
4) Catherine, Myrtle Wilson’s sister, says Tom and Myrtle want to get married. Is this true?
5) Why doesn’t Myrtle love her husband? Why does she have an affair?

6) Why does Tom have an affair? What are the different standards for men and women?
7) What does Tom do to Myrtle at the end of Chapter Two? What does this tell us about him?

8) What are Nick's reflections and feelings about the trip to New York? What is the significance of buying the dog?

9) Summarize the party at the apartment in New York. Who are the guests? Describe them. Contrast this party with the first dinner party in East Egg at the Buchanans' house.

10) How do class differences manifest themselves nowadays? Ukraine? North America?

11) What are some differences in this chapter from contemporary society?

12) What are you impressions of the novel so far?

Week Four: Friday, June 19: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Three Discussion Questions

1) What is the setting of this chapter? Describe it with details from the text.

2) What happens on weekends?

3) Who does Nick try and find at the party? Who does Nick actually see?

4) What do the other guests know about Gatsby? Be specific. Use page numbers and quotations.

5) What kinds of people are at the party? What are they doing? Why?

6) Who recognizes Nick from the war? What do we learn?

7) How old is Gatsby?

8) Who starts to fight at the party?

9) What does Gatsby talk to Jordan about?

10) What relationship do Nick and Jordan have? Why doesn't Nick fall for Jordan immediately?

11) What kind of guy is Nick (according to Nick)?!

12) What is the purpose and significance of this chapter?

13) Have behaviour and parties changed much from 1922-2026? Why/why not?

14) Additional thoughts/comments.

Week Five: Friday, June 26 7:30-8:30

Chapter Four Discussion Questions

1) What do people think about Gatsby?

2) What year is it?

3) What kind of car does Gatsby drive? What does this tell us? What colour is it?

4) Where does Gatsby say he’s from? Why is this strange? Who are his parents? Where did he go to school? Does Nick believe him? What does Gatsby show Nick? What else does Gatsby tell Nick about himself?

5) Why doesn’t the police officer give Gatsby a ticket? What do you think this means? What other car do they see on the drive to New York? How does Fitzgerald describe it?

6) Why does Nick get annoyed with Gatsby?

7) Who is Mr. Wolfshiem? What did he “fix”? What relationship does he have with Gatsby? Is this part of the novel based on real events? Do some online research.

8) Who else do Nick and Gatsby meet at the restaurant? How does Gatsby react?

9) What story does Jordan tell Nick? Why is this important?

10) What present did Tom give Daisy? Describe it.

11) What kind of husband is Tom? What does Jordan say about Daisy?

12) Why did Gatsby buy his house in West Egg? What does this tell us about Gatsby? Do you think modern readers react differently to this than readers in 1925?

13) What does Gatsby want Nick to do? Does Jordan think this is a good idea? What do Nick and Jordan do at the end of the chapter? What would you do?

14) Why is this chapter important to the story?

15) Are there any lines that you think are particularly well written?

16) Are there an any events in the chapter that have similarities to contemporary events?

Week Six: Friday, July 3: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Five Discussion Questions

1) What is the setting of this chapter?

2) What do Nick and Gatsby talk about? Why does Gatsby want to cut Nick’s grass?

3) Why doesn’t Nick accept Gatsby’s offer of money/work?

4) Does Gatsby understand who Nick is? What does this show us about Gatsby and Nick?

5) Is Gatsby happy or nervous about seeing Daisy? When did they see each other last?

6) How does the tea begin? What is the atmosphere like? How does Gatsby act? What is the significance of the clock and time?

7) When Nick comes back, what is Daisy doing?

8) Why does Gatsby want to show Daisy his house? Describe his house and the visit.

9) What do you think the shirts represent? Daisy's response to the shirts?

10) What does the green light represent? Think about it in relation to Gatsby but also America and American society.

11) What does Daisy think about Gatsby, his house and possessions?

12) What happens at the end of the chapter? What kind of friend is Nick?

13) Choose a memorable/beautifully written line. Why do you like it?

14) Can you think of any similarities between the novel and society nowadays? Do you think the novel reflects the views and behaviour of people in America in the 1920s? Why/why not?

Week Seven: Friday, July 10: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Six Discussion Questions

1) Why does the reporter want to talk with Gatsby?

2) Nick now chooses to tell us about Gatsby's past. Why does Fitzgerald do this? What is Gatsby’s real name? Why did he change it?

3) What did Gatsby do for work?

4) Where did he go college?

5) What else do we learn about Dan Cody? Why is he important to Gatsby?

6) Who do Nick and Gatsby meet? What conflict appears? What does this show us about Gatsby’s character?

7) What does Tom think of Daisy meeting Gatsby? What does this tell us about his character?

8) Who comes to Gatsby’s next party? Do they enjoy the party? What could the party symbolize?

9) Why is Daisy “appalled” by West Egg?

10) What does Tom want to know about Gatsby?

11) Does Gatsby think Daisy had a good time? What does Gatsby want?

12) What does Gatsby tell Nick about the past? What does Nick think?

13) Who do you think is a better match for Daisy, Gatsby or Tom?

14) Choose a memorable/beautifully written line. Why do you like it?

Week Eight: Friday, July 17: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Seven Discussion Questions

1) "Trimalchio" is an allusion in that it refers to something real outside of the text. Who was Trimalchio? Why is this significant? What has happened at Gatsby’s house? Why did he change the servants?

2) Who is at Daisy’s house? Who does she kiss?

3) How does Daisy behave during the lunch? What does Tom realize?

4) Why does Nick/Gatsby say “[h]er voice is full of money”?

5) Where do they go after lunch? How do they go? Who goes with who?

6) When they stop for gas, what does Wilson say about his wife?

7) Who does Myrtle Wilson stare at? Why?

8) Why does Tom drive so fast?

9) What month and place were Daisy and Tom married?

10) Did Gatsby really go to Oxford? Explain. When did he go there? Why was he able to go to Oxford? Why is Nick so happy about this?

11) What does Tom mean by saying “[w]hat kind of row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow? What is ironic about this? What else does Tom say? What kind of person is he?

12) What does Gatsby say to Tom? What does he want Daisy to say to Tom? Why is that “too much”?

13) Why did Daisy and Tom leave Chicago?

14) What has Tom found out about Gatsby?

15) What day is it? How old is he?

16) What happens on the way back to West Egg?

17) Who does Wilson think did it? Who was driving?

18) What is Gatsby worried about? Why does Gatsby wait outside? What does this symbolize about Gatsby, hope and the American dream?

19) Physical setting refers to setting outside of time and geography. It can include seasons, weather, whether the characters are inside/outside and what kind of buildings/homes they are in to create atmosphere and mood. How does Fitzgerald use weather in this chapter? Other aspects of physical setting? The Buchanan's home? The Plaza Hotel?

20) What do you think the climax of the novel is? The scene at the Plaza Hotel? Later, when Gatsby is watching Daisy's house, or do you think that the climax has not occurred yet?

Week Nine: Friday, July 24: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Eight Discussion Questions

1) What does Nick tell Gatsby to do? Why?

2) What is Gatsby’s answer?

3) What do we learn about Daisy’s and Gatsby’s past? What lie did he tell?

4) What kind of girl was Daisy?

5) What was the name of the military camp in Louisville? What excited Gatsby about Daisy?

6) What military rank did Gatsby get?

7) After the war, what happened?

8) What did Gatsby do with the last of his money from the war?

9) Why does Gatsby keep saying Daisy never loved Tom?

10) What compliment does Nick give Gatsby?

11) What does Nick think about Gatsby?

12) What happens between Nick and Jordan? Why?

13) How does Wilson react after his wife’s death? Who does he think was his wife’s lover?

14) Who is Michaelis?

15) Why does Michaelis think Myrtle was running on the road?

16) How long were George and Myrtle married? Did he know she was having an affair?

17) What happens at the end of the chapter?

18) Why does Fitzgerald say Gatsby "looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is" (161)?

19) Why does Fitzgerald mention ghosts? What could they symbolize?

20) How does Fitzgerald use the physical setting in this chapter? (Gatsby's house, seasons and weather) in this chapter?

Week Ten: Friday, July 31: 7:30-8:30

Chapter Nine Discussion Questions

1) After Wilson’s and Gatsby’s deaths, how do the other characters react? What does this tell us about these characters? Who does Gatsby call first? Is Daisy sad? Where is she?

2) What does Nick try and do? What does Klipspringer call about?

3) How does Gatsby’s business partner, Meyer Wolfshiem, react to Gatsby’s death? Why doesn’t he come?

4) Who does come to Gatsby’s funeral? What is Gatsby’s father’s name?

5) Why does the Owl-Eyed Man say “[t]he poor son-of-a-bitch”?

6) What kind of friend does Nick say he and Gatsby were?

7) What does Daisy send? What does Nick think of her now?

8) What does Nick think about Eastern life? Where does he go?

9) What does he do before leaving? Explain.

10) When Nick sees Tom, what doesn’t he do? What does Nick ask Tom about? What is ironic about this? Did Daisy tell Tom the truth?

11) What does Nick think of Tom and Daisy?

12) What is the “green light”?

13) Do a close reading of the last paragraph. What is Fitzgerald trying to tell us?

14) Who is the protagonist of the novel?

15) What is/are the main conflicts of the story?

16) Why is the setting important?

17) What examples of irony can you find?

18) What are the best lines in the story? Why?

19) Does The Great Gatsby remind you of any other books or movies?

20) Do you have any other books to read after this?