The Great Gatsby
Themes
The American Dream
Gatsby made himself rich from nothing. The book asks whether money can buy the life he dreams of.
Chapter 6
Old money and new money
East Egg families were born rich. West Egg people like Gatsby made their money fast, and East Egg looks down on them.
Chapters 1 and 6
Can you repeat the past?
Gatsby believes he can win Daisy back and make it 1917 again. Nick is not so sure.
Chapter 6
Careless people
Tom and Daisy break things and people, then retreat into their money.
Chapters 7 to 9
Watching eyes
The faded billboard eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg stare over the valley of ashes, like a judge no one listens to.
Chapters 2 and 8
Image credits
- Still Long Island Sound at dawn with dock and sailboat, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
- Man seen from behind on a dock reaching toward the distant green light, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
- Colourful silk shirts tumbling across a bed, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
- Valley of ashes with the giant spectacled-eyes billboard, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
- Yellow 1920s roadster speeding on a night road, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead