Great Gatsby Chapter Summaries Chapter 1 Summary Nick

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 Mc. Kee. – 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.