Jay Gatsby’s quotes show love’s power to motivate.
In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is a wealthy man who lives in a huge mansion and throws lavish parties.
He is obsessed with a woman named Daisy Buchanan, who is married to another man.
85 The Great Gatsby Quotes With Page Numbers
Jay Gatsby Character Analysis
Jay Gatsby is the central character of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. He is an enigmatic, wealthy man trying to recapture a lost love, Daisy Buchanan.
Physically, Gatsby is described as having a slender figure and a vibrant smile. His background is mysterious, and his past is alluded to throughout the novel, making him a complicated and layered character.
His actions in the novel show his unwavering devotion to Daisy, and his tragic story highlights the dangers of pursuing the American Dream. Analysis of Gatsby shows his ambition, love for Daisy, and struggle to be accepted in the upper class.
Quotes from Gatsby reveal his inner thoughts and feelings, such as when he says, “Can’t repeat the past?… Why of course you can!”
Finally, common discussion topics and essay ideas related to Gatsby include his pursuit of the American Dream, his relationships with other characters, and his role in the novel.
Jay Gatsby Quotes with page numbers
Jay Gatsby’s best quotes with page numbers and meaning or context.
1. “Want to go with me, old sport? Just near the shore along the Sound.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 3, Page 32
Meaning: Jay Gatsby’s quote to Nick Carraway demonstrates his desire to recreate the past and win back the heart of Daisy Buchanan.
He offers to take Nick to a place near the shore along the Sound to make a good impression on him before asking him a favor. This desperate gesture to win Daisy back a gesture that demonstrates his unwavering faith in achieving all his dreams.
Daisy Buchanan Quotes With Page Numbers
2. “I’m Gatsby,” he said suddenly. “What!” I exclaimed. “Oh, I beg your pardon.” “I thought you knew, old sport. I’m afraid I’m not a very good host.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 3, Page 33
Meaning: This quote from Jay Gatsby shows his humility and desire to make a good impression on those around him. In this exchange,
Gatsby’s identity is revealed to the narrator, who did not know his true identity before, and Gatsby is embarrassed about not introducing himself earlier.
He apologizes for not being a good host and shows his humility in doing so. It’s a memorable moment from the novel that reveals much about Gatsby’s character.
Because of all the attention, he gives Nick, whom he just met, it’s hard to believe he didn’t know he hadn’t introduced himself yet.
3. “If there’s anything that you want, just ask for it, old sport.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 3, Page 33
Meaning: Jay Gatsby’s quote, “If there’s anything that you want, just ask for it, old sport,” expresses his generous and open-hearted nature. He offers to provide whatever his companion needs as if it were nothing.
His willingness to offer assistance reflects Gatsby’s desire to be loved and accepted by others. Because Nick just met him, he wonders, “Why”? What does he want from me.”
4. “Good morning, old sport. You’re having lunch with me today and I thought we’d ride up together.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 41
Meaning: This quote from Jay Gatsby to his friend Nick Carraway is indicative of his friendly, generous, and hospitable attitude, as Gatsby extends an invitation to Nick to join him for lunch.
It also highlights his need to appear wealthy and successful, as he offers to take Nick out on a ride in his car. Gatsby’s insistence on treating Nick to lunch reveals his loneliness and longing for companionship.
Quotes By Nick Carraway With Page Numbers
5. “It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?” He jumped off to give me a better view. “Haven’t you ever seen it before?”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 41
Meaning: Jay Gatsby’s pride and joy is his car, which he eagerly demonstrates to Nick Carraway. Gatsby is enthusiastic and proud of his car, showing his wealth and admiration for worldly objects.
This quote highlights Gatsby’s need to impress and his desire to show Daisy his success and wealth.
6. “Look here, old sport,” he broke out surprisingly. “What’s your opinion of me, anyhow?”
(Nick) A little overwhelmed, I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves. “Well, I’m going to tell you something about my life,” he interrupted. “I don’t want you to get a wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 42
7. “I’ll tell you God’s truth.”
(Nick) “His right hand suddenly ordered divine retribution to stand by. “I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West — all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 42
8. “My family all died and I came into a good deal of money.”
(Nick) His voice was solemn, as if the memory of that sudden extinction of a clan still haunted him. For a moment I suspected that he was pulling my leg, but a glance at him convinced me otherwise.
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 42
9. “After that I lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of Europe — Paris, Venice, Rome — collecting jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only, and trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me long ago.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 42
Meaning: Jay Gatsby’s quote reflects his life of luxury and his apparent desire for distraction from his past. It reveals his status as an aristocrat and his fondness for collecting expensive items and engaging in recreational activities.
His sorrowful past is left unspoken, but it is clear that the wealth and opulence of his lifestyle are a form of escapism from his pain.
10. “Then came the war, old sport. It was a great relief, and I tried very hard to die, but I seemed to bear an enchanted life.
“I accepted a commission as first lieutenant when it began. In the Argonne Forest I took two machine-gun detachments so far forward that there was a half mile gap on either side of us where the infantry couldn’t advance. We stayed there two days and two nights, a hundred and thirty men with sixteen Lewis guns, and when the infantry came up at last they found the insignia of three German divisions among the piles of dead. I was promoted to be a major, and every Allied government gave me a decoration — even Montenegro, little Montenegro down on the Adriatic Sea!”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 43
11. “That’s the one from Montenegro.”
(Nick),To my astonishment, the thing had an authentic look.“Orderi di Danilo,” ran the circular legend, “Montenegro, Nicolas Rex.”Turn it.” “Major Jay Gatsby,” I read, “For Valour Extraordinary.”Here’s another thing I always carry. A souvenir of Oxford days. It was taken in Trinity Quad — the man on my left is now the Earl of Dorcaster.” It was a photograph of half a dozen young men in blazers loafing in an archway through which were visible a host of spires. There was Gatsby, looking a little, not much, younger —with a cricket bat in his hand.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 43
12. “I’m going to make a big request of you to-day,”
(Nick) he said, pocketing his souvenirs with satisfaction, “so I thought you ought to know something about me. I didn’t want you to think I was just some nobody.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 43
Meaning: Jay Gatsby’s request of Nick is an interesting moment because it shows that Gatsby is using his past as some capital as if he must justify why he should make such a big request by revealing something personal about himself.
It also reveals his lack of belonging, as he constantly sees himself as a “somebody” among strangers.
His request also contributes to the growing mystery surrounding him and his character.
13. “You see I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad things that happened to me.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 43
Meaning: F. Scott Fitzgerald conveys through Jay Gatsby’s words that he is searching for solace and a sense of belonging by drifting from place to place and seeking out unfamiliar strangers.
He suggests that this is a result of the trauma he has experienced in his life, which has caused him to feel a deep loneliness.
This quote speaks to the power of our pasts in shaping our present selves and the difficulty of finding true connections in a hostile and lonely world.
14. “I was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year.”
(Nick)“With fenders spread like wings we scattered light through half Long Island City — only half, for as we twisted among the pillars of the elevated I heard the familiar “jug — jug — SPAT!” of a motorcycle, and a frantic policeman rode alongside. “All right, old sport,” called Gatsby. We slowed down. Taking a white card from his wallet, he waved it before the man’s eyes. “Right you are,” agreed the policeman, tipping his cap. “Know you next time, Mr. Gatsby. Excuse ME!” “What was that?” I inquired. “The picture of Oxford?” “I was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, a policeman, and Nick Carraway, Chapter 4, Page 44
Meaning: The line “With fenders spread like wings we scattered light through half Long Island City” is a metaphor for Gatsby’s extravagant parties and how they illuminated the area.
It conveys that Gatsby’s parties were so grand that they created a spectacle of light, which could be seen from far away. He used extravagance and light to draw attention to himself and his lifestyle.
Quotes About Gatsby’s Parties With Page Numbers
15. “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,”
“If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” said Gatsby. “You always have a green light that burns at the end of your dock.” Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to him, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted things had diminished by one.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 5, Page 59
The Great Gatsby Quotes About The Green Light and Page Numbers
Meaning: This quote from Jay Gatsby symbolizes his hope of reuniting with Daisy, his lost love. The green light that burns at the end of Daisy’s dock is a beacon of hope for him, representing the possibility of them being together again.
The mist between them symbolizes the obstacles that prevent them from being together, showing the struggle between hope and reality.
16. “I’d like to just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan to Jay Gatsby, Chapter 5, Page 59
Meaning: This quote by Daisy expresses her deep love for Gatsby and his desire to protect and shelter her from the harshness of reality.
He wishes to create a perfect world for them, free from all the social constraints and materialistic pursuits that have come to define the American Dream.
By envisioning a romantic fantasy of a pink cloud, Daisy conveys her secret desire to keep Gatsby for herself.
The Great Gatsby Love Quotes and Page Numbers
17. “Can’t repeat the past?… Why of course you can!”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6, Page 69
Meaning: This quote from Jay Gatsby reflects his hope of reclaiming the past and his relationship with Daisy. It speaks to his optimism and belief that a person can recreate memories and experiences, even though they may not be the same.
Ultimately, the quote reminds us to make the most of each moment and to look forward instead of trying to relive the past.
18. “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6, Page 69
Meaning: In this quote, Jay Gatsby expresses his determination to revive his past relationship with Daisy Buchanan despite all the changes in their lives.
He is clinging to his dream of reclaiming their love, attempting to recreate their past together. However, this is impossible, as the past is already gone and cannot be reclaimed.
19. “Her voice is full of money,”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 75
(Nick) That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money— that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it… . high in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl… .”
Meaning: Jay Gatsby was captivated by Daisy’s voice, which was like a beautiful and melodic song full of wealth and luxury. Her voice was enchanting, and he could not help but be mesmerized by its captivating sound. Daisy’s voice symbolizes the allure of money privilege and its power to attract and mesmerize.
20. “I can’t describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her, old sport.
I even hoped for a while that she’d throw me over, but she didn’t, because she was in love with me too. She thought I knew a lot because I knew different things from her. . . . Well, there I was, ‘way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I didn’t care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?” On the last afternoon before he went abroad, he sat with Daisy in his arms for a long, silent time. It was a cold fall day, with fire in the room and her cheeks flushed. Now and then she moved and he changed his arm a little, and once he kissed her dark shining hair. The afternoon had made them tranquil for a while, as if to give them a deep memory for the long parting the next day promised. They had never been closer in their month of love, nor communicated more profoundly one with another, than when she brushed silent lips against his coat’s shoulder or when he touched the end of her fingers, gently, as though she were asleep.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway as the narrator, Chapter 8, Pages 92, 93
21. “Old sport.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 2, Page 33 (first appearance)
Meaning: Jay Gatsby uses his famous catchphrase, “old sport,” to emphasize his attempt to portray himself as a wealthy upper-class member, even though his “Oxford man” claims are immediately met with cynicism.
22. “Your wife doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby. “She’s never loved you. She loves me.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 81
Meaning: This quote from Jay Gatsby to Tom Buchanan is the climax of the love triangle between him, Daisy, and Tom. Gatsby finally puts his cards on the table and tells Tom that Daisy has never truly loved him and is only in love with him.
This statement reflects Gatsby’s internal struggle and desire to hold onto the one he loves. The quote is a powerful reminder of the tragedy that ensues when love is not enough.
Tom Buchanan Quotes With Page Numbers
23. “Daisy, that’s all over now,” he said earnestly. “It doesn’t matter any more. Just tell him the truth — that you never loved him — and it’s all wiped out forever.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 82
Meaning: This quote by Jay Gatsby shows his desperate attempt to reclaim his relationship with Daisy and his belief that if she admits to never having loved her husband, Tom, then “all will be wiped away forever.”
However, it conveys Gatsby’s disconnect from reality and unrealistic expectations that Daisy can erase her past and move on with him so easily.
It further proves Gatsby’s gratefulness and always wanting what he can’t have.
24. “What part of the Middle West?” I inquired casually. “San Francisco.”
“I see.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 4, Page 42
Meaning: Jay Gatsby told Nick many unbelievable stories about himself. He wanted to believe him despite the rumors. But When Gatsby says that San Francisco is in the Middle West, Nick doubts Gatsby’s story.
Jay Gatsby quotes about Daisy with page numbers
Jay Gatsby’s quotes about Daisy express his unrequited love for the woman he longs for. These quotes reflect his hope, admiration, and desperation to win her love. Here are some of the most famous quotes from The Great Gatsby about Daisy:
“I loved her, old sport,” –
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 8, Pages 92, 93
“It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy—it increased her value in his eyes.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Nick about Jay Gatsby and Daisy, Chapter 8, Page 92
“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Nick about Gatsby and Daisy, Chapter 5, Page 60
“You can’t repeat the past? … Why of course you can!”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6, Page 69
“I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, nodding determinedly. “She’ll see.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6, Page 69
“Her voice is full of money—that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Nick about Gatsby and Daisy, Chapter 7, Page 75
“The officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking, in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at sometime, and because it seemed romantic to me I have remembered the incident ever since.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby and Daisy (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 4, Page 48
“He hadn’t once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes. Sometimes, too, he stared around at his possessions in a dazed way, as though in her actual and astounding presence none of it was any longer real.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Daisy and Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 5, Page 58
“I’d like to just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Daisy to Gatsby, Chapter 5, Page 59
“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams — not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby and Daisy (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 5, Page 60
“His hand took hold of hers, and as she said something low in his ear he turned toward her with a rush of emotion. I think that voice held him most, with its fluctuating, feverish warmth, because it couldn’t be over-dreamed —that voice was a deathless song.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby and Daisy (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 5, Page 60
“His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed like a flower and the incarnation was complete.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby and Daisy (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 6, Page 70
Jay Gatsby quotes about money
“If there’s anything that you want, just ask for it, old sport.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 3, Page 33
“I did [inherit my money], old sport,’ he said automatically, ‘but I lost most of it in the big panic – the panic of the war. […] I was in the drug business and then I was in the oil business. But I’m not in either one now.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 5, Page 57
“And it was from Cody that he inherited money — a legacy of twenty-five thousand dollars. He didn’t get it. He never understood the legal device that was used against him, but what remained of the millions went intact to Ella Kaye. He was left with his singularly appropriate education, the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 6, Page 64
“Her voice is full of money,”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 75
Quotes that describe Jay Gatsby
“The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s Business, the service of a vast, vulgar and meretricious beauty.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 6, Page 62
“If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away. This responsiveness had nothing to do with that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name of the “creative temperament”–it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. No–Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 7, Page 84
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter–tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning—- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. ”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (by Nick Carraway), Chapter 9, Page 110
“His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed every day.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby, by Nick Carraway as the narrator, Chapter 3, Page 33
Nick Describing Gatsby Quotes
“Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and shortwinded elations of men.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 1, Pages 7-8
“signed Jay Gatsby, in a majestic hand.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 3, Page 29
“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 3, Page 33
“I was looking at an elegant young roughneck, a year or two over thirty, whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 3, Page 33
“Then it had not been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendour.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 4, Page 50
“He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths – so that he could ‘come over’ some afternoon to a stranger’s garden.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Jay Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 4, Page 50
“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted, across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Gatsby (Character: Nick Carraway to Jay Gatsby), Chapter 8, Page 95
“He had passed visibly through two states and was entering upon a third. After his embarrassment and his unreasoning joy he was consumed with wonder at her presence. He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock.
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, about Gatsby, (Nick Carraway), Chapter 5, Page 58
“I wouldn’t ask too much of her,” I ventured. “You can’t repeat the past.” “Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!” He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand. “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, nodding determinedly. “She’ll see.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Characters:Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby), Chapter 6, Page 69
“I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Nick Carraway about Gatsby), Chapter 9, Page 110
“He was never quite still; there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Nick Carraway about Gatsby), Chapter 4, Page 41
“Don’t mention it,” he enjoined me eagerly. “Don’t give it another thought, old sport.” The familiar expression held no more familiarity than the hand which reassuringly brushed my shoulder. “
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Nick Carraway about Gatsby), Chapter 3, Page 36
Jordan Baker Quotes With Page Numbers
Jay Gatsby quotes about love
“I can’t describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her, old sport. I even hoped for a while that she’d throw me over, but she didn’t, because she was in love with me too. She thought I knew a lot because I knew different things from her. . . . Well, there I was, ‘way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I didn’t care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?” On the last afternoon before he went abroad, he sat with Daisy in his arms for a long, silent time. It was a cold fall day, with fire in the room and her cheeks flushed. Now and then she moved and he changed his arm a little, and once he kissed her dark shining hair. The afternoon had made them tranquil for a while, as if to give them a deep memory for the long parting the next day promised. They had never been closer in their month of love, nor communicated more profoundly one with another, than when she brushed silent lips against his coat’s shoulder or when he touched the end of her fingers, gently, as though she were asleep.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway as the narrator)Chapter 8, Pages 92, 93
“Your wife doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby. “She’s never loved you. She loves me.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 81
“Daisy, that’s all over now,” he said earnestly. “It doesn’t matter any more. Just tell him the truth — that you never loved him — and it’s all wiped out forever.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, Chapter 7, Page 81
The Great Gatsby American Dream Quotes
What is Gatsby’s famous line?
Jay Gatsby’s most famous line is, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” he says to Nick Carraway as he expresses his obsession with rekindling his past romance with Daisy Buchanan.
This line symbolizes Gatsby’s desire to reclaim the past and his struggle to fulfill his dream of winning back Daisy’s heart.
What is Gatsby’s dream quote?
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther….”
This quote captures the essence of Gatsby’s dream: the idea of an ever-elusive goal beyond one’s reach yet still inspires hope for the future.
Why did Gatsby’s dream fail?
Gatsby’s dream ultimately fails due to his inability to recognize the limits of the American Dream; he’s too focused on the external trappings of success, such as wealth and power, and fails to realize the importance of relationships and genuine happiness.
Furthermore, despite the illusion of infinite possibilities,
What destroyed Gatsby’s dream?
Greed destroyed Gatsby’s dream. The death of Gatsby’s mentor, Dan Cody, deprived him of the financial and emotional support needed to pursue the American Dream, leading him to resort to illegal and immoral means such as bootlegging and working with the mafia.
He was used to using any means necessary to get what he wanted. And his ungratefulness led to his demise. He almost had Daisy back, but her love wasn’t enough. He wanted more.
What is the irony of Gatsby’s death?
The irony of Gatsby’s death is that it came at the hands of George Wilson, who mistakenly believed that Gatsby was responsible for the death of his wife.
Gatsby, who ultimately sacrificed his life for Daisy’s happiness, was ironically killed by the husband of the woman to whom he had devoted his life. This underscores the tragedy of Gatsby’s death and the fragility of life and love.
George Wilson Quotes With Page Numbers
What was Gatsby’s fatal weakness?
Gatsby’s fatal weakness was his inability to be content with what he had, his unquenchable pursuit of wealth and power, and his impossibly perfect representation of his love for Daisy.
This obsession with chasing the unattainable ultimately led to his downfall and death. His failure to appreciate and be thankful for what he had at the present moment ultimately cost him the most.
What foreshadows Gatsby’s death?
The foreshadowing of Gatsby’s death is subtly hinted at when Nick sees him standing with his arms outstretched and “trembling” toward the green light that is “minute and far away,” as well as when Nick remarks on the “foul dust that floated in the wake of his dreams.”
These clues suggest that Gatsby’s quest is ultimately doomed and that he cannot attain the object of his desire.
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Conclusion:
No matter what happens in life, Jay Gatsby will always be remembered for his quotes. His words of wisdom and insight continue to inspire people worldwide.
If you’re ever feeling lost or down, remember these quotes from Jay Gatsby and let them guide you back to the path of success.