The Great Gatsby
Main Character Name Meanings

Nick Caraway-(Nicholas), victory of the people
Jay Gatsby - A bird in the crow family (James Gatz); one who supplants
Daisy Buchanan- day's eye, flower name
Tom Buchanan - (Thomas) a twin
Jordan Baker- descending, descendant
Myrtle Wilson - the tree, victory
George Wilson - tiller of soil farmer

East Egg party list:
Chester Beckers, Leeches, Bunsen, Webster Civet, Hornbeans, Willie Voltaires, Blackbuck, Ismays, Chrysties (Hubert Auerbach and Mr. Chrysties' wife), Clarence Endive, Cheadles, O. R. P. Schraeders, Stonewall Jackson Abrams, Fishguards, Ripley Snells, Mrs. Ulysses Swett, Dancies, S. B. Whitebait, Maurice A. Flink, Hammerheads, Belugas.

From West Egg:
Poles, Mulreadys, Cecil Roebuck, Cecil Schoen, Gulick, Newton Orchid, Eckhaust, Clyde Cohen, Don S. Schwartze, Arthur McCarty, Catlips, Bembergs, G. Earl Muldoon, Da Fontano, Ed Legos, James B ("Rot-Gut") Ferret, de Jongs, Ernest Lilly, Klipspringer, Gus Waize, Horace O'Donavan, Lester Meyer, George Duckweed, Francis Bull, Chromes, Backhyssons, Dennickers, Rusars, Scullys, S. W. Belcher, Smirkes, Quinns, Henry L. Palmetto, Benny McClanahan, Consuela, Gloria, Judy, Faustina O'Brian, Baedeker girls, Brewer, Mr. Albrucksburger, Miss Haag, Ardita Fitzpeters, Miss Claudia Hip.

The names that Fitzgerald uses for the members attending Gatsby's parties are symbolic of the class of people as a whole. The general mood of the names tells us how Fitzgerald feels about each class and gives a look at the type of personalities that are portrayed in that class. The names also provide a window into the characters' personalities.

Fitzgerald uses juxtaposition, which is placing two scenes, or in this case names, together for comparison. For example, on pages (65-67) Nick Carraway, the narrator, lists all of the names from both parties that he can remember. The East Eggers are generally rich while the West Eggers are generally new wealth although there are some middle class mixed in with the West Eggers, like Nick, in bungalows. Gatsby changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby when he moved away from home at the ripe age of seventeen to fulfill his disillusioned, romantic dreams of becoming rich. To do this, however, he felt that he needed to cut ties with his poor family roots.

From the meanings of the names of the main characters, there seem to be two themes; victory and workers. For example, George Wilson works hard for his money but has little. Meyer Wolfshiem who is well off is a different kind of worker. He is Gatsby's connection to organized crime. So he sells alcohol and recruits others to sell.

Page last updated on March 5, 1999.
Curator: Joe Polasek

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