Gatsby

Gatsby is the character of which most of the focus is set on in the story. Gatsby is considered to be in his early 30s but it is never specifically given. He is a love obsessed millionaire who tries to impress the love of his life, Daisy. This love for Daisy has caused him to resort to shady criminal activity that allows him to rise to a social status that he sees fit for impressing Daisy. This love of Daisy eventually leads to his death. Gatsby tries to cover for an accident Daisy had which killed a women, and in retribution is shot in his pool. A quote that describes his optimism toward other's beliefs was, "Can't repeat the past?...Why of course you can!"

The Great Summary

Nick Carraway walks nervously into his eccentric neighbor's garden. The lights are shining brilliantly and illuminating the merry faces of all the guests. He weaves around the swinging couples on the dance floor. The musical laughter and bubbling champagne swirls in a blur as Nick navigates through Mr. Gatsby's party. He glances all around him in search for a man he has never met. That's when he sees a peculiar man, separated from the crowd, staring off somberly into the Sound.

This fantastical novel is set in the Prohibition Era, where alcohol was illegal and plentiful. The reader follows Nick Carraway as he is immersed in the New York life. He lives on Long Island, where he meets an interesting character by the name of Gatsby. Gatsby lives on an immaculate property on which there is a massive, sparkling party for all of the wealthy. Nick is so fascinated by Gatsby as they are thrown together in a tangle of love ties and secret business. Jay Gatsby, however, is fascinated by a relative of Nick's whom he has waited to see for five long years.

Tipsy History

One minute passed midnight on January 16th 1920 made the manufacture and distribution of alcohol a crime in America. America cried to stop the poison of alcohol from ruining their lives. What Congress actually did was increase the amount of organized crime, give rise to the American Mafia, and cause massive corruption and underground parties.

When the Volstead Act was passed, it invented a new crime to be performed by the powerful and crafty. Bootlegging was when someone made and sold alcohol illegally. The most famous and dangerous bootlegger in American history is Al Capone. He turned lawful American lawless with his underground work in gambling, saloons, and brothels. Between 1925-1930, Capone brought in a humongous $100,000,000 a year.

Underground parties became a giant social aspect among young, adventurous America. Speakeasies were underground saloons in which heavy carousing and dancing occurred in the big cities. The idea of a good time in the Prohibition Era was to party and do something illegal. While the promiscuous youth amused themselves underground, the religious America was scared that this bill had not preserved Christianity as they had hoped.

Author Info

Francis Scott Fitzgerald lived from 1896-1940. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He wrote four complete novels and had an unfinished novel published after his death. Fitzgerald was married to Zelda Sayre and they had one child together named Frances Scott “Scottie” Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald entered the army during World War I after dropping out of Princeton. He worked in Hollywood writing materials for movies including Gone with the Wind.

Fitzgerald was a heavy alcoholic which made him sick toward the end of his life. He had two heart attacks, the second of which killed him. His wife was in mental hospitals for her schizophrenia and died in a fire there in 1948. In 2009 Fitzgerald was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

10 Vocabulary Words

1. Fractiousness: Refractory or unruly, readily angered. (7)
His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed.

2. Accentuated: To give emphasis or prominence to. (11)
She was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which accentuated by throwing her body backwards at the shoulders like a young cadet.

3. Infinitesimal: Indefinitely or exceedingly small. (13)
After an infinitesimal hesitation he included Daisy with slight nod, and she winked at me again.

4. Cordial: Courteous and gracious. (42)
I found it necessary to attach myself to some one before I should begin to address cordial remarks to the passers-by.

5. Rivulets: A small stream. (51)
The tears coursed down her cheeks-not freely, however, for when they came into contact with her heavily beaded eyelashes they assumed an inky color, and pursued the rest of their way in slow black rivulets.

6. Somnambulatory: To walk during sleep. (69)
Gatsby took an arm of each of us and moved forward into the restaurant, whereupon Mr.Wolfsheim swallowed a sentence he was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory.

7. Caravansary: An inn, usually with a large courtyard. for overnight accommodations. (114)
So the whole caravansary had fallen in like a card house at the disapproval in their eyes.

8. Vicariously: Performed or exercised, received. (131)
As though neither of them had anything to conceal and it would be a privilege to partake vicariously of their emotions.

9. Portentous: Momentous, ominously significant or indicative. (135)
Before me stretched the portentous, menacing road of a new decade.

10. Bulbous: Bulging, large or fat. (171)
He held up two bulbous fingers.