Chapter Summary: The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a shining example that most powerful messages are not told, but rather shown. It is the story of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. It takes place on Long Island in the summer of 1922. Told from the point of view of Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s friend and neighbor, the plot follows Gatsby’s attempts to reunite with Daisy after five years of accumulating wealth to impress her and win her away from her husband, Tom Buchanan. Gatsby almost achieves his goal; however, tragic events lead to the demise of his dream and, ultimately, his death. Throughout the book the character focus seems to remain on Tom Buchanan, his wife Daisy, and the mysterious Jay Gatsby. Their money and lavish lifestyle seems to draw all the attention towards them; however there is another character displaying a very powerful message: Myrtle Wilson. The glimpses that we do see of Myrtle show her talking about her affair openly which is something very uncommon for women the 1920s. Fitzgerald uses Myrtle as commentary to show the consequences of a woman who is open about her sexuality.

When Gatsby reveals to about his relationship with Daisy, Nick’s relationship with Gatsby takes a full u-turn as it rapidly advances their association from simple acquaintances to close friends. Nick’s outlook of Gatsby undergoes a similar transformation. When Nick learns of the previous relationship between Gatsby and Daisy, Gatsby’s actions make sense to Nick. The mansion, the extravagant parties, and the green light were all in the efforts for making Daisy notice him. Gatsby lives his life for the past life that he lived. He spends his life seeking the attention of his love, Daisy, and as Nick explains, “He wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was…” (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby sought out the American dream in order to win over the love of Daisy which creates a different perception of himself to Nick. Nick, now knowing Gatsby’s intentions worries about Gatsby’s possible rejection, and then warns him that, “[he] wouldn’t ask too much of her, you can’t repeat the past.” (Fitzgerald 110) But Gatsby, blinded by love, strives to win Nick’s married cousin’s heart. Nick perceives Gatsby as a man dwelling on the past

Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald displays a wistful tone by illustrating Gatsby's yearning to start over, contradicting the compelling nature normally associated with the “Roaring 20’s.” For instance, Gatsby’s regretfulness is shown in his “want[ing] to recover something, some idea of himself,” contrasting the glamorous and thrilling view of the “Roaring 20’s” (110). This reveals how Gatsby longs for a chance to be with Daisy once again. In addition, a wistful tone is established by Gatsby’s longing to start over. Nick notices that Gatsby’s “life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place” he could find the missing piece he was searching for (110). This description of his life signifies that

In The Great Gatsby, the characters become deluded about themselves and others through relationships or wealth. Fitzgerald uses this disillusionment to trace their changes through their interactions with one another and their journey to where they are at the end of the novel: Nick, whose mind has been widened, Daisy, who returns to her carelessness and wealth, and Gatsby, a dead man, but ‘alright in the end’. However, Nick already believed himself to be open-minded and wise, Gatsby never had the romantic success that would make him alright, and Daisy believed herself to be a victim of Tom’s and societies cruelties. Their journeys in the book boil down to one statement, that their self-conceptions are all flawed.

The Great Gatsby, first published in 1925, echoes its era, and predicts its tragic end. In the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald “revealed the negative side of the period’s gaiety and freedom, portraying wealthy and attractive people leading imperiled lives in gilded surroundings” (Danzer 656).It illustrate “the dying American Dream and the corruption of historical values”(Bewley 23). The wealthy characters in the book are careless, materialistic and empty, showing the corrupt side of the American Dream, but Gatsby is different. In the novel, Nick describes him as having “an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such I have never found in any other person and which is not likely I shall ever find again” (Fitzgerald 2).He kept believing and fighting for his dreams to the very end, even after it became clear that Daisy would not leave Tom to stay with him.

When it came to Gatsby, he was interested in Nick’s simplicity but he was also intrigued at Nick’s relation to Daisy, his long-lost lover. In the novel it states, “had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.” (Fitzgerald, 97). This quote shows how Gatsby had reconnected with Daisy through Nick and how Nick admired Gatsby’s passion when he finally meet up with Daisy once again. Lastly, the tragic death of Gatsby opens up a new realm of things for Nick. In the novel, it states, “After Gatsby’s death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes’ power of correction.” (Fitzgerald, 176). He now reflected on how Gatsby’s passion and drive to live allowed Nick to view life in the real world differently. Nick, who was directly inspired by Gatsby, now was left confused as he wanted to learn all that one needs for success, though the death made it impossible. The last page of the novel, it ends with, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eludes us then, but that’s no matter - to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arm farther.” (Fitzgerald, 180). This quote shows how much of a deep impact Gatsby’s death had on Nick. Now

American novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel The Great Gatsby specifically in chapter 9, depicts the aftermath of Gatsby, who left a legacy in the home of West Egg. Fitzgerald’s purpose is to reminisce the memories of Gatsby that he left to Nick during the time they were together. He uses imagery and sentimental diction in order to express Nick’s dejected attitude by coping over Gatsby’s death and the influence Gatsby had over Nick’s life and immerse the audience to a sense of longing for Nick.

"I was in the middle of it all, and I had to choose between saving my friends, catch the villain (who I still don 't know his name), or get the medallion". Anyway who was I, I was talking to a flamingo for goodness sake.

War changes many things. It changes people, families, towns, and societies. War changes the world and it changes people 's attitudes. One common trend seen after major wars is a time of economic prosperity, when the economy is booming and all is well. This was seen after both World Wars, in the 1920’s and the 1950’s. In each decade, everyone was returning from the war, spirits high, and looking to celebrate. The economy prospered, and all was well. One major change that came about from these wars and was seen in these eras was the attitudes that people felt for one another. In the literature of the two time periods, these attitudes are very accurately depicted. The first piece of literature is F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, a 1920’s set novel that shows the way that people treated others. The second, The Death of a Salesman, the 1950’s set play, produced by Arthur Miller. Each of these pieces give insight to the way that people were treated and some of the negative consequences that can result from this. The third and final source, From Motor City to Motor Metropolis, by Thomas Sugrue, talks about how automobile producers treated their customers and how devious their tactics were. The common theme in all these sources is that human life is disposable in post-war decades. The common trend is that in times of economic prosperity, like the 1920’s and 1950’s, people become disposable in the eyes of other because materialism becomes the dominating viewpoint

Nick Carraway, a young man from a comfortable background, moves from Minnesota to New York in order to pursue business. He rents a house in the West Egg district of Long Island, an area filled with the newly rich but considered unfashionable. Upon arriving, Nick visits his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom whom he attended Yale with. The Buchanans live in the East Egg district, just across the harbor from West Egg and inhabited with those who come from wealthy families. While at his cousin’s house, he meets a cynical woman named Jordan Baker and learns about his legendary neighbor, Mr. Gatsby. In addition, Nick learns that Tom is currently engaged in an extramarital affair with a woman named Myrtle Wilson.

“This is one of the stupidest plans you’ve ever had. Have you even thought this through?” You shook your head in disbelief and glared at a very annoyed Bellamy.

“I have a better right to command, men of Athens, than another…” (Thucydides p.111). This simple excerpt from Thucydides is much more than a subtle gesture of self-acclamation, it is the thesis for the life of Alcibiades. For he truly, to his core, believed he was special, apart from the average Athenian. Time and time again, we see Alcibiades go to extremes to achieve the essence of this very statement. It shines evident that he would stop at nothing to be at the pinnacle of Athenian society, even if Athens refused him he would remain steadfast in attaining his maxim. Along the same lines, the notion of character giving rise to destiny presents itself exquisitely through Alcibiades. The polarity in his character illustrates that the

This contrasts dramatically with the polarised views of love and death in Fitzgerald’s work as Gatsby’s ceaseless and enduring infatuation with Daisy ultimately brings upon his death. As Nick finds himself “on Gatsby’s side alone” after his death, the spiritual hollowness of the characters which once flocked to Gatsby’s “eccentric parties” is prevalent. While both sharing the significance of death the texts strongly convey society’s belief or lack there of in something more powerful than the world in which we

After a year or so of living in my Middle West paradise, the cold, merciless hand of the East Coast came and rapped on my front door. It arrived in the form of a letter from Daisy, who, in a magic act that could rival Harry Houdini, disappeared with her hulking husband and her oh-so precious daughter, only to brutally reappear in the envelope resting in my hands. The envelope was heavy, as if the weight of the three years since that infamous summer had all been transferred to this single letter. Simply holding it I knew I would not be able to handle myself if I were to simply toss it into my fireplace and attempt to forget its existence. So I brought it in from my snow-covered mailbox and into the safety of my home.

The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells us a variety of themes-justice, power and greed, The American dream and so on. The Great Gatsby is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary. The Great Gatsby concerns the wasteful lives of four wealthy characters as observed by their acquaintance, narrator Nick Carraway. Like Fitzgerald himself, Nick is from Minnesota, attended an Ivy League university, served in the U.S. Army during World War I, moved to New York after the war. The narrator, Nick, is a very clever and well spoken storyteller. Nick confides with the reader in the first pages of the novel. He says that he needs to tell the story of a man called Gatsby. It is as if Nick has to overcome disappointment and frustration with a man who has left him with painful memories. This thesis is valid for three main reasons. First, it is evident that dreams and memories are central to the overall plot and meaning. Secondly, the American Dream is a “green light” of desire that Gatsby never stops yearning for and something he will not forget over time, even as he is dying. This is so, even though no one cares about Gatsby or his dreams after he died, except maybe Nick. Finally, the fact that Fitzgerald uses flashback; that Nick is telling us about a main character after he has already died and before the story begins, is ultimate proof.The Great Gatsby is structured by Nick’s memory. Fitzgerald’s clever use of flashback throughout and within the