Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-2-chapter-five-love-and-historical-context

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a.md) › Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context

# Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context

English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A, topic 3.5.2

## Chapter Five - Love, Historical Context and Historicism

For specification A, you are specifically interested in the implication of texts in history and how the ideology of love is presented in this text. Here are some ideas relevant to that reading:

### Significance of the business opportunity

![Significance of the business opportunity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/f42c89c8-6068-4e52-8cc0-6f9a3b2aaf48/Crime-Criminal-BadGuy-Hood.jpg)

- The business opportunity offered to Nick by Gatsby is typical of this era – in that it indicates a shady and criminal activity. 
- However, it is partially this kind of activity that has allowed for ‘new money’ to emerge. This was a phase of society associated with goals rather than roles. His goal is to find love again.
- Probably many business deals in this era were completed ‘confidentially’ out of the eyes of the law.

### Gatsby's attempts to impress Daisy

![Gatsby's attempts to impress Daisy](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/f9d28c7b-4d87-4955-95e1-45257e4188fa/loveRelationships.jpg)

- To impress Daisy, Gatsby represents the ostentatious nature of this period. He hopes this will __‘make’__ her love him again.
- This is symbolised in the gardeners mowing the grass while it is raining and in the flowers delivered.

### Gatsby's outward power

![Gatsby's outward power](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/bb23fe27-9074-4f19-9c25-ef203e9f8132/tie-suit-job-work-.jpg)

- The outward power of Gatsby and his type is symbolised by his flashy clothes, but this image is undercut by his pale exterior and sleeplessness.

### Meeting: Daisy and Gatsby

![Meeting: Daisy and Gatsby](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/5800435d-96dc-4452-b614-fe6e5aac97a8/Love-Heart-Relationship.jpg)

- The meeting between Daisy and Gatsby captures all of the affected and awkward social mannerisms of the period. 
- They are, however, still trying to almost negotiate a love affair.

## Chapter Five - Love, Historical Context and Historicism

For specification A, you are specifically interested in the implication of texts in history and how the ideology of love is presented in this text. Here are some ideas relevant to that reading:

### Gatsby's clothes and mansion

![Gatsby's clothes and mansion](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/444d5927-f437-4cdf-b13b-0f083b58aed9/mansion-.jpg)

- Gatsby’s mansion and clothes show Daisy what ‘new money’ can bring. He hopes this will make her love him again.

### Significance of Daisy's tears

![Significance of Daisy's tears](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/adf4d8fe-823f-4a8b-be22-6856a0213f2f/sad-crying-depressed-.jpg)

- Daisy has to weigh up her and past and present situation and notes the changes that have occurred. She cries because she realises what she could have had. She cries too because of a lost love.

### Significance of the green light

![Significance of the green light](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/a7c05426-b201-462e-9154-fef34fab5d98/green-light-.jpg)

- The symbol of the green light is repeated here, but it may no longer be needed because in effect, wealth has allowed Gatsby to touch and embrace it. 
- It is still uncertain if money can bring happiness and true love to either of the characters here.

## Test yourself on Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context

- Who does Gatsby offer a shady business opportunity to?
- What is significant about Gatsby's appearance in Chapter Five?
- What symbolises the outward power of Gatsby and his type?
- Which of these is NOT something Daisy cries over in Chapter Five?
- In which chapter did we first see the symbol of the green light?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/374d9d81-edad-4590-9774-fca24dd46e2f/section/c64dbe96-cf68-42ed-b220-4caa4c186a83/session)

- Previous topic: [3.5.1 Chapter Five](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-1-chapter-five.md)
- Next topic: [3.6.1 Chapter Six](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-1-chapter-six.md)

## English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A contents

### 1 Specification Overview
- 1.1 Specification Overview
  - [1.1.1 Specification A](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/1-1-1-specification-a.md)

### 2 Context
- 2.1 Context
  - [2.1.1 F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-1-f-scott-fitzgerald.md)
  - [2.1.2 1920s America](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-2-1920s-america.md)
  - [2.1.3 Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-3-tragedy.md)
- 2.2 Criticism & Approaches
  - [2.2.1 Early & Modern Criticism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-1-early-and-modern-criticism.md)
  - [2.2.2 Psychoanalytic Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-2-psychoanalytic-approach.md)
  - [2.2.3 End of Topic Test - Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-3-end-of-topic-test-context.md)

### 3 Plot Summary
- 3.1 Chapter One
  - [3.1.1 Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-1-chapter-one.md)
  - [3.1.2 Analysis of Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-2-analysis-of-chapter-one.md)
  - [3.1.3 Chapter One: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-3-chapter-one-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.1.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-one.md)
- 3.2 Chapter Two
  - [3.2.1 Chapter Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-1-chapter-two.md)
  - [3.2.2 Chapter Two: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-2-chapter-two-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.2.3 End of Topic Test - Chapter Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-3-end-of-topic-test-chapter-two.md)
- 3.3 Chapter Three
  - [3.3.1 Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-1-chapter-three.md)
  - [3.3.2 Analysis of Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-2-analysis-of-chapter-three.md)
  - [3.3.3 Chapter Three: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-3-chapter-three-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.3.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-three.md)
- 3.4 Chapter Four
  - [3.4.1 Chapter Four](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-1-chapter-four.md)
  - [3.4.2 Chapter Four: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-2-chapter-four-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.4.3 End of Topic Test - Chapter Four](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-3-end-of-topic-test-chapter-four.md)
- 3.5 Chapter Five
  - [3.5.1 Chapter Five](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-1-chapter-five.md)
  - [3.5.2 Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-2-chapter-five-love-and-historical-context.md)
- 3.6 Chapter Six
  - [3.6.1 Chapter Six](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-1-chapter-six.md)
  - [3.6.2 Chapter Six: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-2-chapter-six-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.6.3 End of Topic Test - Chapters Five & Six](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-3-end-of-topic-test-chapters-five-and-six.md)
- 3.7 Chapter Seven
  - [3.7.1 Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-1-chapter-seven.md)
  - [3.7.2 Analysis of Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-2-analysis-of-chapter-seven.md)
  - [3.7.3 Chapter Seven: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-3-chapter-seven-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.7.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-seven.md)
- 3.8 Chapter Eight
  - [3.8.1 Chapter Eight](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-8-1-chapter-eight.md)
  - [3.8.2 Chapter Eight: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-8-2-chapter-eight-love-and-historical-context.md)
- 3.9 Chapter Nine
  - [3.9.1 Chapter Nine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-1-chapter-nine.md)
  - [3.9.2 Chapter Nine: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-2-chapter-nine-love-and-historical-context.md)
  - [3.9.3 End of Topic Test - Chapters Eight & Nine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-3-end-of-topic-test-chapters-eight-and-nine.md)

### 4 Character Profiles
- 4.1 Nick Carraway
  - [4.1.1 Nick Carraway](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-1-nick-carraway.md)
  - [4.1.2 Nick Carraway 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-2-nick-carraway-2.md)
  - [4.1.3 End of Topic Test - Nick](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-3-end-of-topic-test-nick.md)
- 4.2 Jay Gatsby
  - [4.2.1 Jay Gatsby](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-1-jay-gatsby.md)
  - [4.2.2 Jay Gatsby 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-2-jay-gatsby-2.md)
  - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Gatsby](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-gatsby.md)
- 4.3 Daisy Buchanan
  - [4.3.1 Daisy Buchanan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-3-1-daisy-buchanan.md)
  - [4.3.2 Daisy Buchanan 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-3-2-daisy-buchanan-2.md)
- 4.4 Tom Buchanan
  - [4.4.1 Tom Buchanan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-1-tom-buchanan.md)
  - [4.4.2 Tom Buchanan 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-2-tom-buchanan-2.md)
  - [4.4.3 End of Topic Test - Daisy & Tom](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-3-end-of-topic-test-daisy-and-tom.md)
- 4.5 Minor Characters
  - [4.5.1 Minor Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-5-1-minor-characters.md)
  - [4.5.2 End of Topic Test - Minor Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-5-2-end-of-topic-test-minor-characters.md)

### 5 Key Ideas
- 5.1 Key Ideas
  - [5.1.1 Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-1-love.md)
  - [5.1.2 Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-2-class.md)
  - [5.1.3 Idealism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-3-idealism.md)
  - [5.1.4 Patriarchy & Presentation of Women](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-4-patriarchy-and-presentation-of-women.md)
  - [5.1.5 End of Topic Test - Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-5-end-of-topic-test-key-ideas.md)

### 6 Writing Techniques
- 6.1 Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
  - [6.1.1 Structure & Narrative Voice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-1-1-structure-and-narrative-voice.md)
  - [6.1.2 Genre](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-1-2-genre.md)
- 6.2 Form & Language
  - [6.2.1 Form & Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-1-form-and-language.md)
  - [6.2.2 Symbolism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-2-symbolism.md)
  - [6.2.3 End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-3-end-of-topic-test-writing-techniques.md)

### 7 Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
- 7.1 Love Through the Ages
  - [7.1.1 The Examination](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/7-1-1-the-examination.md)
  - [7.1.2 Love Through the Ages Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/7-1-2-love-through-the-ages-reading.md)
