Great Gatsby Chapter Summaries

Great Gatsby Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary Nick Caraway. He not only narrates the story but casts himself as the book’s author. In the summer of 1922 arrives in New York – Lives in West Egg, next to Gatsby. Nick has dinner with Daisy(Nick’s cousin), Tom (an old friend from Yale), and Jordan Baker (A golfer and friend of Daisy’s)

Chapter 1 Cont’d. A phone call from Tom’s lover in New York interrupts the evening. Tom and Daisy would like Nick to take a romantic interest in Jordan. When Nick arrives home, he sees Gatsby for the first time, a handsome young man standing on the lawn with his arms reaching out toward the dark water. Nick looks out at the water, but all he can see is a distant green light that might mark the end of a dock

Chpt 2 Summary Halfway between West Egg and New York City is the Valley of Ashes. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, watch over everything that happens in the valley of ashes. Tom forces Nick to follow him out of the train at one of these stops.

Tom leads Nick to George Wilson’s garage, which sits on the edge of the valley of ashes. – Tom’s lover Myrtle is Wilson’s wife. – Wilson is a lifeless yet handsome man, colored gray by the ashes in the air. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to New York City, to the Morningside Heights apartment he keeps for his affair. – Impromptu party with Myrtle’s sister, Catherine, and a couple named McKee. – The group proceeds to drink excessively. Nick claims that he got drunk for only the second time in his life at this party.

The behavior and conversation of the others repulse Nick. Tom gives her a new puppy as a gift, she begins to talk about Daisy. – Tom warns her never to mention his wife. – Myrtle begins chanting Daisy’s name. – Tom breaks her nose.

Chpt 3 Summary Gatsby has become so famous around New York for throwing elaborate parties every weekend – Guests exchange rumors about their host. a German spy, graduate of Oxford, and he killed a man in cold blood Nick and Jordan try to find Gatsby, but the don’t have any luck. At midnight, Nick and Jordan go outside to watch the entertainment.

Nick officially meets Gatsby, and it turns out that they served together in the War in the same division. – Gatsby does not drink and keeps himself separate from the party, standing alone on the marble steps, watching his guests in silence. Jordan meets Gatsby and learns something extraordinary.

Nick then proceeds to describe his everyday life, to prove that he does more with his time than simply attend parties. Nick follows the advice of Daisy and Tom and begins seeing Jordan Baker. – Jordan a dishonest person; – she cheated in her first golf tournament. – Nick feels attracted to her despite her dishonesty.