Gatsby Listening Guide :)

1.) The theme could be about America and how the American dream interacts with the social classes. I think the main theme is the huge social divide we have in the United States and how we're all separated, no matter what we think the "American Dream" really is. The novel "The Great Gatsby" is all about being rich and having money. It's about how there is a huge difference between the social classes we have and how we control our money. The main point is how inherited money and earned money are two totally different things, but are seen the same way in the U.S.
2.)  Fitzgerald grew up in the area where the story was based off. He went to Princeton University, but never graduated for other reasons. The first idea and first drafts of The Great Gatsby were thought up there. Fitzgerald and his wife were trouble together, and they were always evicted from a lot of places they were able to stay at. The news always revolved around them; they were very popular.
3.) Many Americans and other people around the world can related to this book because there are so many similarities around us. The events the book describe are happening everywhere. Social and economic differences happen everywhere in the world. Many readers find the book relevant to economic issues happening in the government. 

4.) At first, this novel wasn't going to be named The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald was thinking about naming the book Red, White, and Blue, but instead changed his mind.

5.) To me, I think celebrities are very similar to characters in The Great Gatsby. Many of them change their appearance, their names, and even their lifestyles to impress the people around them. (ex. their fans.)