The Great Gatsby quiz: Chapters 1-7
Quick Gatsby quiz to test your knowledge. Instant results.
This quiz helps you check what you know from The Great Gatsby, chapters 1-7, with quick questions on plot, setting, and symbols. Warm up with the Great Gatsby chapter 1 quiz, revisit parties and rumors in the Great Gatsby chapter 4 quiz, then finish strong with the Great Gatsby chapter 7 quiz.
Study Outcomes
- Recall Major Plot Developments -
After completing the quiz, readers will be able to recount the key events and twists from chapters 1 - 7 of The Great Gatsby.
- Analyze Character Motivations -
Readers will analyze the driving forces behind the actions of Nick, Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom through targeted book questions.
- Interpret Central Themes -
Quizzers will interpret Fitzgerald's themes of wealth, social class, and the American Dream as they unfold in the first seven chapters.
- Evaluate Symbolic Elements -
Participants will evaluate how symbols like the green light and the Valley of Ashes develop the novel's deeper meanings.
- Compare Chapter Progression -
Readers will compare narrative shifts from chapter 1 through chapter 7 to understand plot and character evolution.
- Apply Textual Evidence -
Users will apply direct quotes and references to justify their responses on questions for The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 and beyond.
Cheat Sheet
- Narrative Perspective and Reliability -
Nick Carraway's first-person narration shapes our understanding of Gatsby's world, and his Midwestern sensibility offers both empathy and bias. Use the R.E.A.L. mnemonic (Reliability, Empathy, Accuracy, Limitations) to evaluate how Nick's viewpoint colors each event and dialogue (University of Virginia, "Narrative Reliability in Fiction").
- Symbolism of the Green Light and Valley of Ashes -
The green light across the bay symbolizes Gatsby's hopes for the future, while the desolate Valley of Ashes represents moral and social decay. Remember H+M=C (Hope + Moral decay = Contrast) to quickly recall how Fitzgerald juxtaposes aspiration against corruption.
- Character Dualities: Gatsby vs. Tom -
Gatsby's self-made optimism clashes with Tom Buchanan's inherited privilege, illustrating the tension between "new money" and "old money." Framing this as a study of dualities reinforces how social status drives major conflicts through Chapter 7.
- The American Dream and Class Divisions -
Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream by showing characters' relentless pursuit of wealth leading to disillusionment and tragedy. Cite JSTOR research on 1920s social mobility to understand how each character's ambition reflects broader class struggles.
- Chronological Plot Mapping with C.A.G.E. Mnemonic -
Use the C.A.G.E. framework to track key developments: C - Character introductions (Ch.1 - 3), A - Affairs and alliances (Ch.4 - 5), G - Gatsby's backstory reveal (Ch.6), E - Escalating conflicts and climax at the Plaza Hotel (Ch.7). This approach aligns with Cornell note-taking for clear event sequencing.