Chapter 1
Nick Carraway, the narrator, introduces himself. He claims he makes no judgements about people, and that he is highly moral, but still ends up judging people in his own way. He briefly mentions a character named Jay Gatsby. He states that it is the summer of 1922, and he has just moved to West Egg, which is unlike East Egg, the more high class area of New York. West Egg is home to the "new rich". Nick tries to act like he is not high social class, yet he graduated from Yale and has many connections to the people of East Egg, including Tom and Daisy Buchanan, whose house he visits and where he meets Jordan Baker. When Nick returns home he sees Gatsby for the first time, looking out towards the water. (Foreshadowing?)
Chapter 2
One day, Nick and Tom are riding the train through the "valley of ashes", and Tom takes Nick to George Wilson's garage (possibly something to do with prostitution?). Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, George's wife. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to NYC, and they have a party with Myrtle's sister Catherine, and a couple named the McKees. At the party, there is gossip about Jay Gatsby, and they get drunk; Nick claims that was only the second time in his life he got drunk.
Nick is a very reserved character, and I have already noticed this by the second chapter. He is very awkward, but seems to just go along with whatever gets thrown at him, perhaps to fit in? He isn't extremely social, his only connections are Daisy and Tom Buchanan.
Chapter 3
Gatsby is known for throwing extravagant parties, and one day, his chauffeur brings Nick an invitation. Nick goes, and meets Jordan Baker there. Once more, there is much speculation about Gatsby's past; some say he killed a man after graduating from Oxford, and others say that he was a German spy during the war. Nick and Jordan want to see their host, so they go looking for him. Being unsuccessful, they go out to watch the entertainment at midnight. They sit at a table with a handsome young man (Nick always seems to note if someone is "handsome"), who turns out to be Gatsby. As the night goes on, Nick becomes more and more interested in Gatsby; he doesn't drink and keeps himself separated from the party. In the early hours of the morning, when people are beginning to leave, a butler comes to find Jordan, telling her Gatsby wishes to speak with her. Jordan comes out later, saying she just found out something very interesting.
Nick later goes on to describe his everyday life; he works in NYC and had a brief relationship with a girl from Jersey City. He then takes Daisy and Tom's advice and starts seeing Jordan; he says he is attracted to her despite her dishonesty.
Chapter 4
Nick starts the chapter by listing all the people that attend Gatsby's parties. He then goes off track and recalls a trip he took to New York with Gatsby; Gatsby told Nick about his past, but the stories seemed highly unlikely (he claims to have been educated at Oxford and that he is the son of wealthy, deceased parents from the Midwest; "San Francisco"). On the way, Gatsby gets pulled over for speeding, but the police let him go when he pulls out a white card and shows it to them. Then, in the city, they go to lunch and Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfshiem, who is apparently responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series (Wolfshiem is rather shady). Wolfshiem gives Nick the impression that Gatsby's wealth may be unsavory, and that they both may have ties to organized crime. After lunch, Nick sees Jordan Baker, who finally reveal what she discussed with Gatsby the night he called her away at the party. Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan; she fell in love with Lieutenant Jay Gatsby when he was in the war, but he left for war and she became engaged to Tom Buchanan. The night before the wedding, Daisy got very drunk after receiving a letter from Gatsby. Jordan also reveals that Gatsby bought the mansion in West Egg just to be close to Daisy. Nick recalls Gatsby staring at the green light across the water the first night he saw him and realizes the light was on Daisy's dock. Jordan tells Nick she is supposed to get him to arrange a reunion between Gatsby and Daisy, since Gatsby is too afraid to do it himself.
Chapter 5
After coming home one night from a date with Jordan, Nick runs into Gatsby, who seems desperate to please him, which Nick realizes is because he wants Nick to agree to the plan of reuniting him and Daisy. Nick agrees to the plan, and Gatsby is overjoyed, even offering to pay him for the trouble. Nick is slightly offended, but still goes along with having Daisy over. On the day of the meeting, it is raining and Gatsby is extremely nervous. By the time Daisy arrives, Nick finds that Gatsby has disappeared. Then, there is a knock at the door, and Gatsby arrives, soaked from walking around in the pouring rain. At first, the meeting between Daisy and Gatsby is very awkward. However, after Nick leaves them alone for half an hour, he returns to find Daisy crying and Gatsby extremely happy. Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick over and shows off his luxurious life to Daisy. After a while, Nick leaves Daisy and Gatsby to be alone together.
Chapter 6
Rumors about Gatsby still continue to circulate. Reporters have been trying to get an interview with Gatsby; this is where Nick goes on to explain the real story about Gatsby. He was born James Gatz on a North Dakota farm, went to college, but dropped out after two weeks and
Nick Carraway, the narrator, introduces himself. He claims he makes no judgements about people, and that he is highly moral, but still ends up judging people in his own way. He briefly mentions a character named Jay Gatsby. He states that it is the summer of 1922, and he has just moved to West Egg, which is unlike East Egg, the more high class area of New York. West Egg is home to the "new rich". Nick tries to act like he is not high social class, yet he graduated from Yale and has many connections to the people of East Egg, including Tom and Daisy Buchanan, whose house he visits and where he meets Jordan Baker. When Nick returns home he sees Gatsby for the first time, looking out towards the water. (Foreshadowing?)
Chapter 2
One day, Nick and Tom are riding the train through the "valley of ashes", and Tom takes Nick to George Wilson's garage (possibly something to do with prostitution?). Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, George's wife. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to NYC, and they have a party with Myrtle's sister Catherine, and a couple named the McKees. At the party, there is gossip about Jay Gatsby, and they get drunk; Nick claims that was only the second time in his life he got drunk.
Nick is a very reserved character, and I have already noticed this by the second chapter. He is very awkward, but seems to just go along with whatever gets thrown at him, perhaps to fit in? He isn't extremely social, his only connections are Daisy and Tom Buchanan.
Chapter 3
Gatsby is known for throwing extravagant parties, and one day, his chauffeur brings Nick an invitation. Nick goes, and meets Jordan Baker there. Once more, there is much speculation about Gatsby's past; some say he killed a man after graduating from Oxford, and others say that he was a German spy during the war. Nick and Jordan want to see their host, so they go looking for him. Being unsuccessful, they go out to watch the entertainment at midnight. They sit at a table with a handsome young man (Nick always seems to note if someone is "handsome"), who turns out to be Gatsby. As the night goes on, Nick becomes more and more interested in Gatsby; he doesn't drink and keeps himself separated from the party. In the early hours of the morning, when people are beginning to leave, a butler comes to find Jordan, telling her Gatsby wishes to speak with her. Jordan comes out later, saying she just found out something very interesting.
Nick later goes on to describe his everyday life; he works in NYC and had a brief relationship with a girl from Jersey City. He then takes Daisy and Tom's advice and starts seeing Jordan; he says he is attracted to her despite her dishonesty.
Chapter 4
Nick starts the chapter by listing all the people that attend Gatsby's parties. He then goes off track and recalls a trip he took to New York with Gatsby; Gatsby told Nick about his past, but the stories seemed highly unlikely (he claims to have been educated at Oxford and that he is the son of wealthy, deceased parents from the Midwest; "San Francisco"). On the way, Gatsby gets pulled over for speeding, but the police let him go when he pulls out a white card and shows it to them. Then, in the city, they go to lunch and Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfshiem, who is apparently responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series (Wolfshiem is rather shady). Wolfshiem gives Nick the impression that Gatsby's wealth may be unsavory, and that they both may have ties to organized crime. After lunch, Nick sees Jordan Baker, who finally reveal what she discussed with Gatsby the night he called her away at the party. Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan; she fell in love with Lieutenant Jay Gatsby when he was in the war, but he left for war and she became engaged to Tom Buchanan. The night before the wedding, Daisy got very drunk after receiving a letter from Gatsby. Jordan also reveals that Gatsby bought the mansion in West Egg just to be close to Daisy. Nick recalls Gatsby staring at the green light across the water the first night he saw him and realizes the light was on Daisy's dock. Jordan tells Nick she is supposed to get him to arrange a reunion between Gatsby and Daisy, since Gatsby is too afraid to do it himself.
Chapter 5
After coming home one night from a date with Jordan, Nick runs into Gatsby, who seems desperate to please him, which Nick realizes is because he wants Nick to agree to the plan of reuniting him and Daisy. Nick agrees to the plan, and Gatsby is overjoyed, even offering to pay him for the trouble. Nick is slightly offended, but still goes along with having Daisy over. On the day of the meeting, it is raining and Gatsby is extremely nervous. By the time Daisy arrives, Nick finds that Gatsby has disappeared. Then, there is a knock at the door, and Gatsby arrives, soaked from walking around in the pouring rain. At first, the meeting between Daisy and Gatsby is very awkward. However, after Nick leaves them alone for half an hour, he returns to find Daisy crying and Gatsby extremely happy. Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick over and shows off his luxurious life to Daisy. After a while, Nick leaves Daisy and Gatsby to be alone together.
Chapter 6
Rumors about Gatsby still continue to circulate. Reporters have been trying to get an interview with Gatsby; this is where Nick goes on to explain the real story about Gatsby. He was born James Gatz on a North Dakota farm, went to college, but dropped out after two weeks and