The Great Gatsby: Key Quotations (OCR A Level English Literature)

The Great Gatsby: Key Quotations

One of the ways to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the text is through the effective use of quotations and references to the text. This means that summarising, paraphrasing, referencing single words and referencing plot events are all as valid as using direct quotations.

Overall, you should aim to secure a strong knowledge of the text, rather than memorising a list of pre-prepared quotations, as this will better enable you to respond to the question. It is the quality of your knowledge of the text that will enable you to select references effectively.

If you are going to revise quotations, the best way is to group them by character or theme. Below you will find definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following key themes:

• The American Dream

• Wealth and class

• Money and materialism

The American Dream

The American Dream is a significant theme in The Great Gatsby and drives many of the characters’ actions and motivations.

“He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling.” – Nick Carraway, Chapter 1

Meaning and context

• Nick Carraway, the narrator, sees Gatsby for the first time

• Gatsby is staring out into the water and is looking at a green light at the end of the dock

• We find out that the green light is at the end of the dock of Daisy Buchanan, whom he hopes to win over

Analysis

• On the surface, Gatsby is pining for his love and is stretching out his arms as a reaction to his desire for her

• However, upon deeper analysis, the green light could symbolise the American Dream and the pursuit of happiness:

  • Gatsby’s motivation for success and wealth is to win Daisy and live the ideal life he envisioned with her

  • However, Daisy rejects him and, as a result, he does not achieve his American Dream

  • Fitzgerald could be highlighting how the pursuit of the American Dream could ultimately lead to self-destruction

“‘Anything can happen now that we’ve slid over this bridge,’ I thought; ‘anything at all…’” – Nick Carraway, Chapter 4

Meaning and context

• Nick and Gatsby drive into New York city for lunch and Gatsby has revealed a mostly false version of his past

• Gatsby is aware that Nick wishes to know elements of his past and so he tells Nick that he is the son of a wealthy family in the Midwest

Analysis

• Gatsby embodies the pursuit of the American Dream and the belief that crossing thresholds will lead to a better and more fulfilling life

• The bridge can be seen as a metaphor or a symbol representing a transition and could signify a change in their relationships and perspectives:

  • Gatsby is letting Nick get closer to him by telling him elements of his past

  • He could be doing this in an attempt to gain Nick’s trust in order to further his ambitions and get him closer to his dream

“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired.” – Nick Carraway, Chapter 4

Meaning and context

• On his way home with Jordan Baker, Nick asks her out to dinner

• He met Jordan during his lunch with Gatsby, where he also met Meyer Wolfsheim

• Carraway also learns about Gatsby’s love for Daisy and his desire to meet her

• He ponders on the multifaceted nature of the characters and the society they inhabit

Analysis

• Caraway reflects on four categories of people: the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired:

  • The “pursued” refers to those individuals who are sought after and longed for as well as ideas and dreams that are being pursued

  • For example, Daisy is being pursued by Gatsby

  • The “pursuing” refers to those who are actively chasing their goals and desires

  • For example, characters like Gatsby are actively pursuing their dreams even if they are idealistic

  • The “busy” is a category that includes those who are occupied without a clear goal or ambition

  • The narrator, Nick Carraway, could fall into this category

  • The “tired” could refer to those who are weary and disillusioned such as the individuals who live in the Valley of Ashes

• By including these categories, Fitzgerald reflects on the multifaceted nature of the characters and the society they exist in

• It suggests that life, particularly in the context of the American Dream, involves a constant interplay between these categories

• The quote captures the dynamic and, at times, relentless nature of the pursuit of the American Dream

Wealth and class

Fitzgerald explores the theme of wealth and class in 1920s America while also highlighting the pitfalls associated with striving for these ideals.

“Can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!” – Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6

Meaning and context

• Gatsby says this to the narrator, Nick Carraway, in order to convince himself and Nick that the past cannot only be repeated, but fixed

• Gatsby’s main goal is to reunite with his past love, Daisy Buchanan, and his statement not only reflects his determination but also his desperation to recreate the past

Analysis

• This quote, spoken by Gatsby, reflects his belief that wealth can recreate the past and overcome time, showcasing the novel’s exploration of the American Dream’s illusions

• Gatsby’s belief in the ability to repeat the past reflects his profound yearning for a time when he and Daisy were in love and he had not experienced the complications of wealth and social status

• His accumulation of wealth is driven by his desire to turn back the clock and recapture a moment that has already gone

“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.” – Nick Carraway, Chapter 8

Meaning and context

• This is the final thing that Nick says to Gatsby the morning after the hit-and-run

• Gatsby tells Nick that he will tell the police that he was driving the car that killed Myrtle in order to spare Daisy

• Gatsby spent the majority of the night outside Daisy’s house to check if she was alright

Analysis

• This quote highlights the moral bankruptcy of the wealthy elite, suggesting that one individual of integrity is more valuable than an entire society of elites

• It reflects Nick’s disillusionment and judgement regarding the wealthy and privileged individuals he encounters in the story

• The choice of the word “rotten” suggests a moral decay and corruption within the social group of the elite:

  • It implies that their values and actions are morally questionable or corrupt 

• At the end of the quote, Nick is expressing his admiration for Gatsby’s character and integrity:

  • It suggests that Gatsby possesses qualities that make him morally superior to the entire wealthy society whom Nick has met

• The quote contributes to the larger theme of moral decay, disillusionment and the contrast between the appearance and reality of wealth during the Jazz Age

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money” – Nick Carraway, Chapter 9

Meaning and context

• Two years after the death of Gatsby, Nick meets Tom Buchanan, who confesses to telling George Wilson that Gatsby was driving the car

• Carraway concludes that Tom and Daisy are people who do not care about others and use their money as a means to get away with their actions

Analysis

• The word “careless” suggests a lack of concern for the consequences of their actions

  • Tom and Daisy’s wealth and privilege have protected them from the repercussions of their behaviour, allowing them to act without considering the impact on other people’s lives

• The quote indicates a destructive tendency, but instead of taking responsibility, they “retreated back into their money”:

  • This highlights a pattern of using their wealth as a shield

• The financial security gives them power and allows them to escape the real-world consequences of their actions, creating a sense of irresponsibility and moral detachment

Money and materialism

The theme of money and materialism plays a central role in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses the novel to highlight the moral decay and disillusionment that comes with the pursuit of wealth and materialism.

“I hope she’ll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” – Daisy Buchanan, Chapter 1

Meaning and context

• Daisy says this to Nick and Jordan in Chapter 1 as she talks about her daughter

• It is clear that Daisy is reflecting on her own relationships and her own life when talking about her daughter

Analysis

• Daisy’s statement reflects the societal expectations and limitations placed on women during the Jazz Age:

  • By expressing her desire for her daughter to be a “fool”, she suggests that ignorance and naivety may shield a woman from the harsh realities of a superficial society

• The use of the term “beautiful little fool” implies that she believes a woman’s physical attractiveness might be more valuable than intelligence:

  • This reflects the superficial and materialistic values of the time where outward appearances and social status were highly valued

• The use of the word “fool” suggests a level of delusion:

  • This aligns with the broader theme in the novel of characters constructing facades to navigate the complexities of their lives

• Fitzgerald, through Daisy’s character, subtly critiques the superficial and materialistic values of the society in the novel

“I’m going to make a list of all the things I’ve got to get. A massage and a wave, and a collar for the dog…” – Myrtle Wilson, Chapter 2

Meaning and context

• Myrtle, Tom’s mistress, is at Tom’s New York apartment with Tom, Nick and a group of other people

• They are talking about their marriages and relationships when Myrtle starts speaking about all the things she wishes to purchase

Analysis

• Myrtle’s statement is a concise expression of her materialistic aspirations and reflects the influence of consumer culture in the novel

• Myrtle’s character clearly has a strong desire to attain a certain level of material wealth and possessions:

  • It is clear that she associates social status with the ability to acquire material goods

• Myrtle sees material goods as a means of enhancing her social standing and achieving a sense of success:

  • Myrtle is not the only character who believes this, as we can infer that Daisy and Gatsby also have similar views

• Her desire to acquire material possessions may be an attempt to escape the dissatisfaction and limitations of her current life:

  • She is unhappy with her marriage to George Wilson, which is characterised by poverty and unfulfillment 

• Ironically, Myrtle’s pursuit of material success ultimately leads to her demise