The Great Gatsby MLA Citation: Format, Examples & In-Text Guide
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0 sourcesGreat Gatsby MLA Citation in MLA 9th edition is: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. The matching in-text citation pairs the author’s surname with a page number, for example (Fitzgerald 180), pointing readers to the exact quoted passage.
What is the correct MLA citation for The Great Gatsby?
The Works Cited entry lists the author surname-first, the novel title in italics, the publisher, and the year of your copy: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. Change the publisher and year to match the edition you actually read.
Modern paperbackFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004.
Original 1925 editionFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925.
Scribner reissueFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1995.
What does each part of the citation mean?
An MLA book reference has four core elements: author, title, publisher, and publication year. Because The Great Gatsby is a standalone book, the publisher acts as the container and no URL is needed for a print copy.
- Author — surname first, then given name: Fitzgerald, F. Scott.
- Title — full novel title in italics, ending with a period.
- Publisher — the publishing house of your copy, followed by a comma.
- Year — publication year of that edition, ending with a period.
- Location/URL — omitted for print; add a URL or DOI only for online or database versions.
How do you write an in-text citation for The Great Gatsby in MLA?
MLA in-text citations name the author and the page number with no comma between them. Place the citation in parentheses after the quotation or paraphrase: (Fitzgerald 180). If you name Fitzgerald in your sentence, give only the page number in parentheses.
ParentheticalThe green light becomes a symbol of unreachable hope (Fitzgerald 21).
Author namedFitzgerald frames Gatsby’s longing through the “single green light” across the bay (21).
Block quoteNick reflects on the past. (Fitzgerald 180)
| Situation | In-text form |
|---|---|
| Basic quote or paraphrase | (Fitzgerald 45) |
| Author already named in sentence | (45) |
| Range of pages | (Fitzgerald 45–47) |
| E-book with no fixed pages | (Fitzgerald ch. 3) |
How do you cite different editions and formats?
Keep the author and title identical, but update the publisher, year, and any added elements to match your specific copy. An edited scholarly edition, an introduction, or a translation adds contributors after the title.
| Format | MLA Works Cited entry |
|---|---|
| Print paperback | Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. |
| First edition (1925) | Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925. |
| With an introduction | Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Introduction by Jesmyn Ward, Scribner, 2021. |
| Audiobook | Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal, Audible Studios, 2013. |
How do you cite The Great Gatsby from an e-book or database?
For an online version, add the container website or database in italics, then the URL or DOI as the final element. This tells readers exactly where you accessed the digital text. Use a chapter number in the in-text citation when the file has no stable page numbers.
Project GutenbergFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. 1925. Project Gutenberg, 2021, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64317.
Library databaseFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. ProQuest Ebook Central, ebookcentral.proquest.com.
Kindle e-bookFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Kindle ed., Scribner, 2013.
How accurate is this, and what are the limits?
These formats follow the MLA Handbook, 9th edition, and are correct for standard classroom and college use. The main variable is your specific copy: the publisher and year must match the title or copyright page of the book in your hands, not another edition.
- Confirm the publisher and year from your own copy’s copyright page — do not copy 1925 if you read a 2004 Scribner reprint.
- MLA prefers page numbers; use chapter numbers only when a source genuinely lacks stable pagination, such as a reflowable e-book.
- If you cite an editor’s introduction rather than the novel itself, the introduction’s author becomes the entry author.
- Instructors may request the original 1925 date in brackets after the title for historical context; check your assignment guidelines.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MLA citation for The Great Gatsby?
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. Swap the publisher and year to match your copy, and italicize the title.
How do you cite The Great Gatsby in-text in MLA?
Use the author surname and page number with no comma: (Fitzgerald 180). If you already name Fitzgerald in the sentence, cite only the page number.
Who is the author of The Great Gatsby for MLA?
The author is F. Scott Fitzgerald, written surname-first as “Fitzgerald, F. Scott.” in the Works Cited entry.
What year should I use in the citation?
Use the publication year of the exact edition you read, printed on the copyright page. The 1925 first edition and the 2004 Scribner paperback have different years.
Is The Great Gatsby title italicized in MLA?
Yes. As a full-length novel, The Great Gatsby is always italicized in both the Works Cited entry and in the body of your paper.
How do I cite an online version of The Great Gatsby?
Add the website or database name in italics after the publisher, then end with the URL, for example Project Gutenberg, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64317.