Question

read the following theme:

arrogance leads to ones downfall.

how is this theme best shown in the great gatsby?

a. myrtle hopes to live a life separately from tom and george, but she loses her life in the end.

b. gatsby thinks he can recreate his past relationship with daisy, but both daisy and the rest of the world have changed.

c. nick thinks that he can be friends with the famous gatsby, but he only winds up as his servant by the end of the story.

d. tom hopes to control both myrtle and daisy, but they end up controlling him in a subtle way.

Explanation:

To determine the answer, we analyze how each option relates to the theme "Arrogance leads to one's downfall":

• Option A: Myrtle's desire for a different life doesn't stem from arrogance, so it doesn't fit the theme.
• Option B: Gatsby's hope to recreate the past is more about idealism than arrogance, so it's not the best fit.
• Option C: Nick's friendship with Gatsby doesn't involve arrogance leading to downfall.
• Option D: Tom's arrogance in thinking he can control Myrtle and Daisy (due to his sense of superiority) leads to a situation where they end up having control over him, showing how his arrogance results in a form of downfall (losing the control he arrogantly sought).

Answer:

D. Tom hopes to control both Myrtle and Daisy, but they end up controlling him in a subtle way.