Exam-Ready Summaries

đź’° The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  • 🏙️ Setting:
    • The novel is set in the 1920s, during the Jazz Age, a time of excess and materialism.
    • The story takes place in Long Island, New York, where the rich live in luxury.
  • 🌟 Main Character:
    • Jay Gatsby is a wealthy and mysterious man who throws extravagant parties, hoping to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan.
    • Gatsby’s wealth is built on shady dealings, and his obsession with the past prevents him from seeing reality.
  • đź’” The Love Triangle:
    • Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, but Gatsby believes he can rekindle their romance.
    • Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy ultimately leads to his tragic end.
  • 📉 Themes:
    • The American Dream: Gatsby represents the idea of self-made success, but his dreams are ultimately hollow and unattainable.
    • Materialism: The characters are consumed by wealth, and their lives are shallow and empty.
    • Illusion vs. Reality: Gatsby’s vision of Daisy is idealized and disconnected from who she truly is.
  • đź’” Conclusion:
    • Gatsby is killed by George Wilson, who believes Gatsby was responsible for his wife’s death.

The novel ends with Nick Carraway reflecting on the impossibility of the American Dream and the emptiness of the world Gatsby tried to conquer.