Truth Lab Answer Key
Case File: The Truth Lab
Teacher Answer Key
Subject: Nick & Jay Gatsby
Chapter: Chapter 4 Analysis
Trust: To believe.
Honest: Telling the truth.
Unreliable: A narrator we cannot fully trust.
Part 1: The Trust Tracker
| Evidence from Chapter 4 | Nick's Trust (1–10) | Sample Student Trust |
|---|
| Gatsby says: | | |
| "I’ll tell you something about my life..." | | |
|
1 2 3-10
Nick's Clue Word(s)
Disconnected, skeptical, "monotonous."
| Student responses match Nick's initial suspicion. |
| Gatsby says:
"...lived like a young rajah..."
|
1 2-10
Nick's Clue Word(s)
"Choking with laughter," absurd.
| High doubt; the story sounds like a myth. |
| Gatsby shows a medal:
"I was promoted... even Montenegro!"
|
1-7 8 9-10
Nick's Clue Word(s)
"Authentic," surprised, relief.
| Proof starts to override common sense. |
| Gatsby shows a photo:
"Oxford days... 'Then it was all true'..."
|
1-9 10
Nick's Clue Word(s)
"Convinced," "Then it was all true."
| Nick reaches 100% belief here. |
Part 2: Putting Nick on Trial
1. Did Nick's trust go UP or DOWN?
At first, Nick's trust was LOW/SKEPTICAL. Later, it went UP.
Nick’s trust shifted because he was presented with physical artifacts (medal/photo) that corroborated Gatsby’s improbable stories. He values visual evidence over suspicion.
2. Is Nick a good judge? Does he see the truth easily?
YES NO, he is not a good judge.
He is too easily swayed by small tokens. While he correctly identifies Gatsby's stories as "worn-out" initially, he abandons his logic once he sees a piece of metal.
3. Which evidence is more powerful for Nick?
Gatsby's Talking OR GATSBY'S MEDAL/PHOTO
The photo and medal are "authentic" items that he can hold, which makes the story feel "real" to him, proving artifacts outweigh his common sense.
4. Do you agree that Nick is "honest"?
I ( DISAGREE ) with Nick because...
Nick claims to be honest, but his narration is highly subjective. He ignores his instincts because he is intrigued by Gatsby's mystery and wealth.
Why might he be unreliable?
His fascination with Gatsby biases his narration; he filters truth through his own growing admiration.
Part 3: Final Verdict
Gatsby's Story is...
Lies
1
2
3
4
5
Truth
Nick Carraway is...
Lies
1
2
3
4
5
Truth
Final Verdict Statement:
Investigation confirms that Gatsby effectively uses physical "proof" to override logical doubt, successfully performing a persona for Nick. Truth in this world is whatever you can prove with an artifact.
Nick Carraway's self-proclaimed "honesty" is undermined by his willingness to ignore Gatsby's blatant inconsistencies in favor of the romanticized truth of the Montenegro medal and Oxford photo.
Final Verdict: Gatsby's "truth" is a curated performance, and Nick is an unreliable lens who prefers the myth over the reality.
File: GT-C4-KEY // Auth: Lenny
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