Keyword Guide · book-summary
This Great Gatsby summary gives you a fast, reliable overview of the novel’s plot, characters, and meaning. It’s designed for high school and college students preparing for classes, discussions, quizzes, or essays.
The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island during the 1920s. He becomes neighbors with Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and mysterious man known for his lavish parties. Gatsby is obsessed with reuniting with Daisy Buchanan, a woman from his past who is now married to Tom Buchanan. As Nick observes their world, conflicts over love, wealth, and honesty build toward a tragic ending.
Jay Gatsby represents hope and ambition, driven by his dream of reclaiming the past. Nick Carraway serves as both participant and observer, offering moral judgment. Daisy Buchanan symbolizes desire and carelessness, while Tom Buchanan represents power, entitlement, and aggression. Together, these characters reveal the social tensions of their time.
Major themes include the illusion of the American Dream, the corruption of wealth, and the conflict between past and present. The novel questions whether success and happiness can truly be achieved through money alone. It also explores moral responsibility and the consequences of selfish choices.
Focus on how characters change—or fail to change—over time. Track symbols like wealth, status, and dreams rather than memorizing details. For essays, connect Gatsby’s personal goals to the broader social values of the 1920s. For quizzes, know character relationships and major turning points in the plot.
It is about the pursuit of dreams, especially the American Dream, and how wealth and obsession can distort reality and lead to loss.
Nick tries to be honest, but his personal values and relationships influence how he presents events, which is often discussed in essays.
Its themes of ambition, inequality, and identity remain relevant, making it useful for analyzing both history and modern society.
Continue in App
Need faster summaries, theme breakdowns, and essay help? Download Readi.AI on iOS to study The Great Gatsby and other literature more efficiently.
