Great Gatsby

Chapter 1 

Nick Carraway is introduced as the narrator of the story, showing an attitude that is hard to read, somewhat vain. He shares a quote with us very early on in the book that says, “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,‘ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’” (1), this quote gives Carraway a sense of deepness and universal understanding. We also learn in chapter one that he lives in West Egg, because he has moved northeast in hopes of starting a new career.

The story takes off by Carraway describing a trip he went on to visit Tom and his wife, Daisy.  Tom's overall personality is quickly revealed, as his smug personality requires him to comment on his, “nice place” (7).  An unhappy marriage is also quickly revealed along with a second woman, Miss Baker, being introduced, whom caraway seems to be moderately attracted to. In fact, in fact Daisy would later say that she would, “arrange a marriage between the two” (18).

The role of the Great Gatsby’s character is never formally introduced within the first chapter.  However, we can infer that he appears to be a rather wealthy man.  However, the end of the chapter provides a mysterious sighting as Nick sees Gatsby watching a single green light.     

Chapter 2

Within the second chapter we learn why tom and daisy have an unhappy marriage as Nick and Tom take a train into New York to meet Toms mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Tom’s mistress later rejoins her man and he proceeds to buy her a dog.  They then travel back to a secret apartment.  Nikki still has a sense of awareness, but he seems incomplete at this point in the story.

At the apartment, it seems as though Nick is attempting to fill a void in his life with a woman. Tom’s mistress invites her sister to join them at the apartment so that Nick will not be alone. However, the sister, Catherine, only talks about how Tom and Myrtle should become a real couple, because Tom was Myrtle’s “first true sweetie” (35).

Gatsby’s character continues to be shrouded in mystery. Fitzgerald appears to be trying to provide various accounts of who Gatsby truly is. These accounts are then followed by Catherine stating that he is the “nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm” (32).  Even though the identity of Gatsby is unclear, it is reasonable to conclude that Gatsby should turn out to be a good character within the story.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 begins by Nick being invited to Gatsby Butler's party. At the party, Nick found Miss Jordan Baker, and continues to stay with her throughout the evening (revealing that sense of longing for a female companion once again). Gatsby is again brought into the conversation and two of Jordan’s friend claim that he was a “German spy during the war” (44). Nick seems to be searching for something that he cannot find and feels out of place at the party, despite his willingness to drink among the “suits”.

While Nick is waiting at the bar, a man claims to be a former Army man that Nick had previously known, introducing himself as Gatsby. However, things do not add up as the mystery behind Gatsby's identity tries to become clear. Nick later asks Jordan who the man was and questions his true identity. Nick’s thoughts add to the mystique as a question arises as to whether or not the man is truly Gatsby. Nick’s vainness also reappears after he makes a comment towards Jordan’s dishonesty and declares himself as “one of the few honest people I have ever known” (59).

Over the first three chapters, Nick seems to be becoming more and more confused.  It appears that he is trying to find something (physical, or inner such as a partner in life). Gatsby has become even more perplexing as a man surprisingly reveals himself to be Gatsby. A link seems to be growing between Gatsby and Jordan after the two spent an hour discussing some unknown topic.

Chapter 4

Nick ponders the reasons for Gatsby’s rather eclectic mix of houseguests. Over the course of the summer, Gatsby invites men and women from both East and West Egg to visit him during certain periods of time. One day, Gatsby invited Nick to go on a car ride with him. During the trip, Gatsby’s began to open up and described the details of his life to Nick.  This allows parts of Gatsby’s mystery to clear up.

Nick, in his usual disbelieving nature, questioned all of Gatsby’s stories. However, after Gatsby showed several pictures of him, Nick began to believe the stories. Any reader would have to replace the sense of mystery once felt toward Gatsby and replace it with sympathy after reading about the tragic events he overcame.

Once Gatsby was done speaking, he told Nick that more information on his life would be shared over tea with Jordan. “I hadn’t asked Jordan to tea in order to discuss Mr. Jay Gatsby” demonstrates that Nick had little interest in spending time with Jordan reviewing the finer points of Gatsby’s life (67).  Nick was hesitant at first, but over time agreed to the meeting.

Nick’s conversation with Jordan revealed the link between Gatsby and Jordan that Gatsby was madly in love with Daisy. The entire reason that Gatsby, a wealthy man, lived in West Egg was, “so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (78). At this point in the story all these characters start to get webbed together and all their different stories begin to get intertwined.  Gatsby becomes a character with a broken heart, while Nick is still worried about no one but himself.

Chapter 5

The depth of Gatsby’s heartache is revealed when Nick invites him to his house just as Jordan instructed and he replied, “I don’t want to put you to any trouble”, revealing how he struggles with how to arrange a meeting with his lost lover (82). Gatsby requests that Nick do him a business favor, which, considering the Gatsby’s usual acquaintances, might be a shady task (such as bootlegging), but Nick refuses almost admittedly.

On the day Daisy was to visit Nick for tea, Gatsby was extremely nervous. His tension increases once Daisy arrives, and is worsened when a clock nearly falls on his head. Instead of having concern for his guest, Nick conceitedly explained the reason for the clock’s fall by saying, “It’s an old clock” (87). As the communication between Daisy and Gatsby grinds to a halt, the only solution Nick can think of to hurry the discussion is to have the two help him make tea and progresses to dominate the conversation with Daisy.

Nick exited the room at the first available opportunity. Gatsby quickly follows him to plead with Nick for help, but Nick only becomes frustrated with him. Nick then leaves the house. When he returns, he finds Gatsby and Daisy overjoyed. Gatsby invites the cousins to his house and gives a tour of his property. Nick grows disgusted with the happiness of the new couple. He moaned that, “Gatsby didn’t know me now at all”, and hastily left the home (96).  This shows a more angry and jealous side to Nick that hadn’t been previously shown before.  Gatsby shows a more joyful side that might cause others to become jealous, but he doesn’t mean to cause the jealousy. 

Chapter 6

The book really takes a turn when Nick reveals that Jay Gatsby is an alter ego that James Gatz created: “James Gatz— that was really, or at least legally, his name” (98). It appears that Gatsby changed his name at seventeen to reflect how he was hoping to change his life. With this, intrigue returns into Gatsby’s persona. Now we begin to ask what his business is and what was the real reason for him changing his name?

Gatsby’s name change seems to have been derived from a conversation with Dan Cody. Gatsby had lied about his family and previous exploits and the “family inheritance” actually came from Dan Cody. Nick explained these details in order to “explode those wild rumors about his antecedents” (101).  It seems hat Nick is rather enjoying the devastation that Gatsby is receiving.

While meeting with Tom, Gatsby begins to become more hostile. Tom is completely clueless and does not understand, “where in the devil [Gatsby] met Daisy”, although he does accompany his wife on her next visit to West Egg (103). Daisy still manages to evade the presence of her aloof husband and escapes for half an hour with Gatsby. Nick, desiring as always to please his peers, carefully watches out for Tom.  Now it appears that Tom (the cheater) is now being cheated on to a certain level.

After the party, Gatsby feels that Daisy did not enjoy it one bit. Nick offers no help, and instead responds to Gatsby’s unease with, “’I wouldn’t ask too much of her’, I ventured. ‘You can’t repeat the past’” (110). True to form, Nick is too self-absorbed to console Gatsby. 

Chapter 7

Nick’s “Finn” tells him that Gatsby had fired all of his servants. Nick questioned Gatsby’s motives, and Gatsby informed him that he wanted “somebody who wouldn’t gossip” (114). Shortly thereafter, the group gathers at Daisy’s house. Gatsby struggles to keep his affair with Daisy private and grows increasingly anxious in Tom’s presence.

The group separates into Tom and Gatsby’s car to travel into New York City. Tom, Nick, and Jordan stop for gas at Mr. Wilson’s mechanic shop. Mr. Wilson reveals that he   has gotten rather sick because he realizes his wife is having an affair. Nick insightfully deduced that Mr. Wilson had grown ill because he had “discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world” (124). This, along with various other inferences is an example of Nick’s perceptive abilities.

As the day continues, Nick provides additional observant remarks. Gatsby and Tom grow progressively more antagonistic towards each other, until Tom openly attacks Gatsby. Nick attempts to keep the peace, but the other two men are ready to spar. They both exchange words until Gatsby presses Daisy into saying she never loved Tom. The two go back-and-forth; their demands exhausting Daisy. Tom reveals that Gatsby is a bootlegger, and Gatsby becomes defensive of his actions.

Tom tells the two lovers to leave him. Nick responds to this all my commenting, “today is my birthday” (135). His self-absorption is further exemplified by his continuous discussion of Jordan. Tom discovers that Myrtle has been killed. Gatsby flippantly tells Tom that he and Daisy accidentally ran her over. Gatsby cares only for Daisy's reaction, while Nick rightfully grows angered over Gatsby's behavior.

Chapter 8

 Gatsby returned home to find Nick running over to meet him, trying to get him to run way so his involvement with the accident could not be traced. Gatsby replied, “Go away now, old sport?” indicated that he wanted no part of leaving Daisy (148).

 After stumbling about his mansion, Gatsby reveals how he met Daisy. He described how she lived a lavish life, and that the true reason for his name change was to impress Daisy and make her feel secure. At this point, Gatsby’s character becomes that of a scorned lover, and the reasons for his previous actions begin to become clear.

 Gatsby begs Nick to tell him he was right about Daisy not loving Tom, but does not allow Nick a moment to speak. He instead continues to share his despondent tale, growing more desperate with each detail. Once Gatsby was finished, Nick, for the first time, selflessly desires to stay with him, “I didn’t want to go to the city. I wasn't worth a decent stroke of work, but it was more than that—I didn’t want to leave Gatsby” (153). Nick finally became a sympathetic character.

 Nick politely compliments Gatsby and takes the train to his work. While at work Jordan calls him, but Nick is to tired to think. His vainness has been fully shed. His character becomes more open and vulnerable as the story continues. The story shifts to Wilson hunting down his wife’s murderer. Gatsby begins to act very peculiar until the two meet each other and ultimately kill one another.  Which is the Climax of the whole story.  Everyone and everything is starting to come together.

Chapter 9

 One of the most important events has happened know and the form of which it came in was quiet a shock.  Gatsby has entered a state of depression and it appears as though his depression will drive him over the edge, but instead he was murdered.  Wilson being a somewhat irrelevant character blind-sided me by his part in the climax.

 Nick was quite remorseful over Gatsby’s death. He took it upon himself to make the arrangements for the funeral. Having to be his only real friend, because time and time again, individuals saying they will not be attending the funeral turned him down. He implored Klipspringer over the phone to come to the funeral, insisting, “How about saying you’ll come?” and later personally visited Wolfsheim, but to no avail (169).

 After only he and Gatsby’s father attended the funeral, Nick grew exasperated with the ways of the people living in the East and decided to move back West. He comments upon how even, “When the East excites me the most, even when I was keenly aware of its superiority to the bored sprawling, swollen towns beyond the Ohio...even then it had always had a quality of distortion” (176). He decided that he no longer belonged in the East, packed his life away, left his career, and returned home.