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The Great Gatsby Motifs

Motifs and symbols tracked across analyzed chapters, with links back to chapter summaries and chapter analysis pages.

Hope/American Dream

8 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 3Analysis ch. 3
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Wealth and opulence

8 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 3Analysis ch. 3
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Reserved judgment

6 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Books and knowledge

5 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 3Analysis ch. 3
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Gatsby's mysterious past

5 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 3Analysis ch. 3
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7

Social class divide

4 occurrencesrecurring
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Social class divide (East vs West Egg)

4 occurrencesrecurring
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 3Analysis ch. 3
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4

Bootlegging speculation

3 occurrencesrecurring
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Racial superiority rhetoric

3 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 1Analysis ch. 1
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Rumor and legend

3 occurrencesrecurring
Summary ch. 6Analysis ch. 6
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8

Valley of ashes

3 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 4Analysis ch. 4
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7

Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg

2 occurrencespersistent
Summary ch. 2Analysis ch. 2
Summary ch. 7Analysis ch. 7

Green Light

2 occurrencesemerging
Summary ch. 5Analysis ch. 5
Summary ch. 8Analysis ch. 8