Chapter 5
1. Gatsby’s actions in preparing for Daisy’s arrival seem both flamboyant and
absurd. What does he do? Why?
a. He excessively cleans it, has the yard taken care of, even has Nick’s lawn
mowed, and makes it look perfect – for Daisy.
2. Discuss Gatsby’s actions once Daisy arrives.
a. He is extremely nervous, he almost backs out of the whole thing, and he is
convinced she is not going to show up.
How do we know he is nervous?
b. He is pacing back and forth, starts to leave, and speaks nervously.
How does he try to impress her? He takes her to his house, takes them on a tour of
the house.
c. When they get to his room, it is a bit different because it was very simply
decorated. When he shows her his clothes, Daisy comments about how
beautiful his shirts are – so beautiful they make her weep.
3. Toward the end of the chapter, Nick attempts to explain “the expression of
bewilderment that had come back onto Gatsby’s face.” What explanation does
Nick give?
a. Nick thinks that Gatsby doubts everything he has done in the past 5 years.
Gatsby has put Daisy on this huge pedestal and once the moment of their
(Gatsby and Daisy’s) meeting has arrived, he thinks Gatsby is questioning
why he has done everything he has done in the past years, and doubting
the validity of his dream.
Why, in his opinion, is Daisy not at fault?
i. Daisy didn’t ask to be put up on this pedestal, she has already
moved on.
4. Describe Daisy’s reactions during the course of her meeting with Gatsby.
a. Daisy is overcome with emotion. We never really know which part makes
her weep – seeing Gatsby or seeing the wealth he has or seeing what
Gatsby has done for her – or all of it. She appears overwhelmed by
superficial things. She talks about impossible, romantic things; for
example, she mentions a wish to push him around in a pink cloud.
5. Has Nick been affected by the meeting between Gatsby and Daisy?
a. Yes. In what way? Nick feels like an intruder, and attempts to stay in the
background. As always is his role, he watches, and seems to grow in his
understanding of the impossibility and enormity of Gatsby’s dream. Nick
realizes that now that Gatsby has Daisy within his reach, the green light
becomes just a green light, rather than a symbol of his great love. Nick
says his “count of enchanted objects had diminished by one”. He makes
some lightly ironic remarks, such as asking “to see the rubies,” as Gatsby
shows off his wealth. Nick realizes that Gatsby will be disappointed. He
states that “No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will
store up in his ghostly heart.” Nick realizes that it is what Daisy
symbolizes…and mentions her voice as having a hold on Gatsby. It is the
voice that Gatsby had said earlier was full of “money.”