The penultimate title for The Great Gatsby was which?

• A. The Great Gatsby
• B. The Lime Tree
• C. Jazz Age Night
• D. Under the Red, White, and Blue

Answer: (D)

Titles can shift as a writer refines a work, signaling how they want readers to approach it. The Great Gatsby went through several working titles during its revision, and one of the late-stage options was Under the Red, White, and Blue. This choice foregrounds American symbolism and the clash between national ideals and the Jazz Age reality, which mirrors the novel’s exploration of wealth, desire, and disillusionment. The Lime Tree and Jazz Age Night aren’t known to have been late-stage titles, and The Great Gatsby is the final published name. Seeing this as a late candidate helps explain how Fitzgerald was honing the book’s thematic frame just before locking in the final title.