Discussion Questions for 'The Great Gatsby' Book Clubs

The Great Gatsby: Discussion Guide

F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece continues to captivate readers nearly a century after its publication. Use these questions to spark meaningful discussions in your book club.

Opening Questions

1. First impressions: What were your initial thoughts when you finished the book? How did they change upon reflection?

2. The narrator: How reliable is Nick Carraway as a narrator? What biases might color his perspective?

Character Analysis

Jay Gatsby

3. Do you see Gatsby as a tragic hero or a deluded fool? Can he be both?

4. What does Gatsby's reinvention of himself say about the American Dream?

5. Is Gatsby's love for Daisy admirable or obsessive? Where's the line?

Daisy Buchanan

6. How do you interpret Daisy's character? Is she a victim of her circumstances or complicit in her own unhappiness?

7. What does Daisy's voice—described as "full of money"—tell us about her character?

Tom Buchanan

8. Tom is often seen as the villain. But is he worse than Gatsby? In what ways?

Themes to Explore

The American Dream

9. What is Fitzgerald's view of the American Dream? Is it achievable, or inherently corrupted?

10. How does the geography of the novel (West Egg vs. East Egg vs. the Valley of Ashes) reflect class divisions?

Time and Memory

11. Gatsby famously says you can repeat the past. Do you agree? What does the novel suggest?

12. How does the past haunt each main character differently?

Wealth and Morality

13. What distinguishes "old money" from "new money" in the novel? Does it matter?

14. Who pays the price for the wealthy characters' carelessness?

The Green Light

15. What does the green light represent at the beginning vs. the end of the novel?

16. Nick says Gatsby "believed in the green light." What do you believe in that might be similarly symbolic?

Contemporary Relevance

17. How does the novel speak to current discussions about wealth inequality?

18. Is there a modern equivalent to Gatsby? Who?

Personal Connections

19. Have you ever reinvented yourself like Gatsby? How did it go?

20. Which character do you most identify with, and why?

Closing Discussion

21. Why do you think this novel has endured for nearly 100 years?

22. What's the single most important takeaway from the book?

Bonus Activities

• Watch the adaptations: Compare the 1974 and 2013 films. Which captures the book's spirit better?
• Themed meeting: Host a 1920s-themed book club with jazz and cocktails
• Read alongside: Pair with Rules of Civility by Amor Towles for a thematic companion

Happy discussing!