Which country allegedly awarded Gatsby a military medal for valor?

• A. Greece
• B. Albania
• C. Montenegro
• D. Serbia

Answer: (C)

This question tests recall of a specific detail about Gatsby’s past as it’s presented through gossip, and how rumors shape his larger-than-life image.

In the narrative, Gatsby is said to have earned a military medal for valor from Montenegro during the war. This particular attribution—awarding a medal from Montenegro—serves to heighten Gatsby’s aura of exotic prestige and heroic mystery, reinforcing his carefully crafted persona of success and adventure.

The other countries aren’t the ones associated with this rumor in the text, which is why they don’t fit. The Montenegro detail stands out because it anchors Gatsby’s war-story in a distant, almost romanticized locale, contributing to the novel’s exploration of appearances versus reality and the allure of reinvention.