The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

-Weak, 'pushover' character (described as lifeless)

- Myrtle Wilson's husband

- Owner of a garage/ gas station in the Valley of Ashes

- Suspicious and over-protective

- Confused/ irrational

- Nick describes her as not just a golf cheat, but a cheat at life

- She's somewhat shallow in her approach to life

- She wasn't able to endure being at a disadvantage

Myrtle Wilson:

George Wilson:

Pammy Buchanan

- Married to George Wilson, and has an affair with Tom Buchanan

- Bossy: “Get some chairs, why don't you, so somebody can sit down.” Pg 26

- Unsatisfied with her life (with both Tom and George):

- Jealous:

> The Daisy! Daisy! Daisy scene in the apartment that got her a nose bleed from Tom

> “... Her eyes, wide with jealous terror... on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife” Pg 125

Catherine:

* Tom and Daisy’s daughter

* Looks like Daisy

* Born into a Old money family

* She's a symbol that everything can NOT go back to the way it used to be in Louisville (between Gatz and Daisy)

Jordan Baker:

- Myrtle Wilson's sister

- We learn in chapter 2, she has bright red hair, and wears lots of make-up

- Another 'gossip-girl' (she tells Nick that Gatsby is the nephew of Kaiser Wilhelm)

- Represents women of a particular class

- Jordan represents one of the “new women” of the 1920s—cynical, boyish, and self-centered

- Represents the independence and self-sufficiency of women

- Young, single, wealthy

- Admired by men wherever she goes

- Jordan is a contrast to Daisy!

- Her body has "demands," which just means sex

- Daisy is always fluttering, babbling and giggling and basically acting like a "dumb girl" whereas Jordan is hard and direct

- She is independent

Meyer Wolfshiem:

-Jewish man

-Little information about him, which adds to his mysterious character

-Apparently fixed the 1919 World Series

-Greatly associated with underworld, and a 'friend' of Gatsby's

Tom Buchanan

The Great gatsby

* Rich

* Physically Strong

* Arrogant

* Racist

* Daisy’s Husband

* Hypocrite

* Affair with Myrtle Wilson

* Easily angered

* Originated in East Egg. Now lives in West Egg.

By: Anas, Gagandeep, & Karanveer

Daisy Buchanan

* Beautiful/Charming

* Selfish

* Shallow

* Tom's Wife

* Affair with Gatsby

* Nick's 2nd cousin once removed

* Moves around alot. Originally lived in East egg.

Currently lives in West Egg

Owl Eyes

* He’s an odd character

* He’s found drunk

* 'Book Worm': found looking through Gatsby’s library in amazement that the books are real

* Moocher: Attends Gatsby's parties without knowing who he truly is

Klipspringer

* Real Name Ewing Klipspringer

* Lives at Gatsby’s house

* Takes advantage of his generosity

* Disappears after Gatsby’s death

* Doesn’t show up to funeral

* Calls Nick to get back his shoes

Michealis

* Runs restaurant

* Witnessed hit and run of Myrtle

* Not Old money or New money

* Means well, but could have stopped

George when he left in a bad temper

Nick Carraway

Background Info:

Jay Gatsby

- One of the MAIN characters

- A Yale graduate

- Initially away from the action, but slowly becomes involved to the point where he becomes an important part for the novel's messages

- Birth name: James Gatz, Jay Gatsby represents the reinvention of himself

- Longed for wealth, and detested poverty

- Apart of military during WW1

- Traveled on long voyages with a man name Dan Cody (a wealthy man, a hardcore alcoholic, grateful/considerate and inspired Gatsby to attain wealth)

- Son of Henry G. Gatz (loving father, who travelled from Minnesota to bury his son)

.

WHO AM I?

Who is he?

- Ultimate central character

- 30 years old

- Starts out very calm, busy, and mysterious. And still humble.

- Extremely wealthy with involvement in organized crime, and illegal acts during prohibition

- Appears to be Gatsby's only 'true' friend

- When everyone leave after Gatsby's death, Nick ensures Gatsby isn't alone in his death

- Starts as a man dreaming of a fortune, to a man who understands the misery fortune can bring

- His family descended from the "Dukes of Buccleuch," but really started when Nick's grandfather's brother came to the U.S. in 1851

- The Carraways have been in the country for a little over seventy years

- When the civil war began, Nick's relative "sent a substitute" to fight for him, while he started the family business

- This suggests that the early Carraways were tied more into business than justice

Gatsby's Personalities

- Dynamic character

- Motivated by his love for Daisy

- Lovesick: He becomes sensitive, and timid with her presence

- With time, he becomes almost over-confident

- Met the love of his life Daisy, in Louisville, and lied about his background,

- Attended Oxford to attain education, but only went for two weeks

- Determined, and yet naive for hope of attaining Daisy

- He is Great because, “Mr. Gatsby has an amazing ability to transform his dreams into reality.”

- He realizes that he must spread around the Midwest and to make his fortune

- He is an educated man who desires more out of life than the quiet Midwest can offer

- Motivated by his conscience, Nick tries not to get socially 'close' with people like the Buchannans and Jordan Baker.

- From Chapter 1, we see that he's different from characters he interacts with (Daisy, Tom, and Jordan)

- Reserved: He doesn't feel the need to tell anyone about his adventures

- Also appears to be least concerned with making money compared to those characters

RESOURCES:

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

-The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald novel (1896-1940)

-http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/

-http://www.gradesaver.com/the-great-gatsby/study-guide/character-list/

-http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/barrons/grtgats.asp

-http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Gatsby.html#Gatsby

-http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Great_Gatsby/Great_Gatsby_Fitzgerald_Study_Guide01.html