We meet Nick Caraway as he rents a house 'in one of the strangest
communities in North America... due East of New York... 20 miles... in
the ... Long Island Sound' called 'West Egg.'
He has
two friends, 'Daisy...[his] second cousin once removed' and her husband,
Tom Buchanan who knew Nick in college. At their house he meets Jordan
Baker, a professional golfer, who suggests that since he lives on the
West Egg he must know Gatsby. She also reveals that Tom has another
woman, a lover, in New York. Nick has no desire to meet this woman, but
being friends with Tom and new to the area he inevitably accompanies
Tom to NY where he does meet the other woman.
'She was
in the middle 30's, and fairly stout, but she carried her surplus flesh
sensuously. Her face... contained no facet or gleam of beauty, but
there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her.' Nick is
introduced and discovers her name is Myrtle. They spend the afternoon
in NY with Myrtle, her sister Catherine and their neighbours. The party
spends it's time drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes, though Nick
is not eager to stay long, nor visit again.
He spends
most of his days watching the goings-on of his neighbour, who he found
out from Jordan was Mr. Gatsby himself, thrower of extravagant parties.
'On
week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus bearing partiers to and
from the city... people were not invited - they [simply] ended up at
Gatsby's door... Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby
at all...'
Nick, having been invited, attends one of
these parties and after being overwhelmed by a myriad of people's faces,
ladies dresses, sights and sound and smells from a thousand different
sources, he is relieved to see Jordan, a familiar face in a strange
crowd. There's a lot of speculation about the host though no one seemed
to know him at all, including Jordan and Nick. Some think Gatsby was a
spy in the army, that he'd killed a man. During a lull in a later
conversation, one of the men recognize Nick from serving time in the
army. They talk for some time about the army, life, the party. Nick
mentions that he got a hand delivered invitation from the host himself.
'For a moment [the other man] looked... as if he failed to understand.
"I'm Gatsby," he said suddenly. "... I thought you knew, old sport."
He
smiled understandingly - much more than understandingly. It was one of
those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it...'
Since
they reside next door to each other Nick and Gatsby become pretty good
friends. He asks Nick, in an extremely round-about way to personally
invite his cousin, Daisy, over for tea, just the three of them. He
reveals that he knew Daisy years before and that he is still in love
with her after all that time. He liked to throw the parties hoping
she'd come, but she never has. Nick agrees and ends up chaperone to the
lovers first date since they were young.
After the rendezvous Gatsby manages to invite her and Tom to his next party.
'Tom's arrogant eyes roamed the crowd. "We don't go around very much," he said. "... I don't know a soul here."'
Daisy
allows him to sit and eat dinner at another table, allowing her and
Gatsby time to sneak away. Tom is unimpressed with the party, with
Gatsby.
'"I'd like to know who he is and what he does," insists Tom. "And I think I'll make a point of finding out."'
After they leave Gatsby is disappointed with the evening.
'"She didn't like it," he insisted.
He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she... go to Tom and say: "I never loved you."
"I wouldn't ask to much of her," [Nick] warns. "You can't repeat the past."'
But
Gatsby is determined to find a way to turn back the clock inviting
Daisy over for afternoon tea on many occasions. One day an invitation
arrives asking both Gatsby and Nick to Daisy's for lunch the next day
where Daisy makes a show of kissing Gatsby when Tom is out of the room.
Jordan, who is also a guest for lunch, whispers to Nick that Tom is
talking to his girlfriend on the phone. Tom is none the wiser to the
speculations of his lunch party and hospitably offers Gatsby a tour of
the home. Daisy, sick of the stifling summer heat, suggests they all go
into NY. Tom becomes annoyed at the obvious chemistry between Gatsby
and Daisy and challenges her offer by insisting everyone go. Tom
insists on driving Gatsby's car.
'"... you take my coupe and let me drive your[s]..." The suggestion was distasteful to Gatsby.'
Daisy
offers to ride with Gatsby while Nick and Jordan go with Tom, though he
promises to refuel the vehicle for Gatsby. They stop, not far, at
Myrtle's husband's gas station. There he tells Tom they want to head
out west.
'"Your wife does!" exclaimed Tom, startled.
[Wilson] reveals he's found out something funny about his wife a few days ago.
"That's why I want to get away," remarked Wilson.'
Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic. His wife and his mistress... were slipping precipitately from his control.'
The
party ends up at the Plaza Hotel. There, in the oppressive heat Tom
confronts Gatsby. He accuses him of trying to steal his wife.
'"Your wife doesn't love you," said Gatsby quietly. "She's never loved you. She loves me."'
Daisy
is caught in the middle of a battle of love between the past and the
present. She breaks down accusing Gatsby of asking for too much and Tom
for being so vulgar. Gatsby insists that she's leaving Tom for him.
That's when it all falls apart. Daisy, not used to such raw, exposed
feelings, retreats back into herself, back into her comfortable world.
Seeing himself the victor over his wife's heart Tom demands she and
Gatsby return in his car, alone offering to take Jordan and Nick in his
coupe.
On the way back to the West Egg they pass
Wilson's garage where they previously refueled the car with gas. There
they find 3 or 4 cars and a crowd of people. After stopping to
investigate what's shook their tiny community they discover the body of
Myrtle Wilson wrapped in a blanket, motionless, dead, struck by a
speeding, yellow vehicle which sounds suspiciously like Gatsby's car.
The police are there asking questions, taking notes, statements. Tom
does not tell them the car belonged to Gatsby, though he makes sure
Wilson knows exactly who car it was who struck and killed his wife.
This, coupled with the fact that he knew his wife was cheating on him,
Wilson draws the conclusion that Gatsby is the culprit and vows to take
revenge on the man who took his wife.
Being Gatsby's closest friend Nick finds himself alone with the truth.
The
Great Gatsby brings the raw emotion of lust, betrayal, societal
pressures and the truth about people, about friends. The novel succeeds
in tearing away the gossamer veil that money can but to reveal the
bitter, savage truth about the human condition.
Click here to purchase The Great Gatsby.
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