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Summary The Great Gatsby Chapter Summaries
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A conclusive summary for each chapter in F.Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. A* grade, perfect for revision for A Level English Literature.
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The Great Gatsby: Chapter SummariesChapter One
The year is 1924. Nick has returned to the Midwest and is writing about events that
occurred 2 years earlier in West Egg, Long Island. He begins with some self- analysis, trying
to pin down some aspects of his own character. He discusses his background; he was sent to
France to fight in World War I. His father runs a hardware Business. Two years ago, in 1922
when he was living in a small cottage on the nouveau riche west egg, Jay Gatsby was Nick’s
neighbour, he lived in a huge, illustrious mansion. While on the neighbouring East egg,
Nick’s cousin Daisy Buchanan lives in an old money mansion with her husband Tom. Nick
tells the reader of a visit to Tom and Daisy’s, Nick met Jordan Baker (a famous golfer), and
Tom makes racist remarks over dinner. Jordan tells Nick that Tom is having an affair with
“some woman,” in New York. This ‘woman’ (Myrtle Wilson) calls repeatedly during dinner.
Later, in the darkness Nick catches a glimpse of Gatsby, who is a mere figure standing on the
opposite island in the distance; he is captivated by the green light at the end of the
Buchanan’s dock.
Chapter Two
Nick describes the Valley of Ashes, a bleak area between New York city and the suburbia of
East and West Egg. It’s watched over by a billboard of the spectacled doctor T.J Eckleburg, a
faded advertisement for an optician. Tom introduces Nick to his mistress, Myrtle (who lives
in the valley of ashes with her husband George Wilson). Tom, Nick and Myrtle catch a train
to New York, where Myrtle does some shopping and buys a puppy. The trio then go to the
apartment Myrtle and Tom use for their affair. They’re joined by Myrtle’s sister Catherine
and a couple called the McKees. They drink and talk until late. Tensions build, culminating in
Tom breaking Myrtle’s nose. Nick leaves.
Chapter Three
Nick describes Gatsby’s lifestyle, his servants, lavish parties, motorboats and cars. Nick is
invited to one of his renowned parties, there he talks with Jordan and two girls she met at
another of Gatsby’s parties. They discuss rumours about Gatsby: that he killed a man, was a
German spy etc. In Gatsby’s library, Jordan and Nick meet ‘owl eyes’, a drunk man
marvelling over the books in the library being real. Nick meets Gatsby for the first time, he
claims to have seen Nick during the war, having both fought they share memories of “wet,
grey little villages in France.” Gatsby talks privately with Jordan, she then tells Nick that
Gatsby just disclosed “the most amazing thing.” Upon leaving the party, Nick witnesses a
“bizarre and tumultuous scene”: a car crashed into a ditch as it was leaving the party. Nick
comments on what he has written so far, remembering a news report about Jordan having
cheated at golf. He concludes that she was “incurably dishonest” but admits to feeling a
“tender curiosity” for her.
Chapter Four
Gatsby visits Nick at his house, Nick notices Gatsby’s restlessness “continually breaking
through his punctilious manner.” Gatsby tells Nick about his midwestern upbringing, his war
service, promotion to rank of Major and his education at oxford university. Nick senses that
Gatsby is lying. Gatsby alludes to a “sad thing” that happened to him long ago. He and Nick
go to a club, where Gatsby introduces the narrator to Meyer Wolfsheim, explaining that he
fixed the 1919 world series. Tom is also there, Nick introduces him and Gatsby, who them
makes a sudden departure, seemingly embarrassed. Jordan tells Nick of an incident in 1917
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