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The Great Gatsby: Chapter Summaries

Chapter 5
1. The Date
  1. Nick and Gatsby arrange a date to invite Daisy for tea. Nick tells her not to bring Tom.
  2. The Reunion between Gatsby and Daisy is awkward and uncomfortable to Nick, so he leaves the room.
2. Gatsby's Mansion
  1. When Nick returns, the decide to visit Gatsby's mansion.
  2. Gatsby shows off his possessions, especially his imported shirts, at which Daisy cries when she sees them.
Chapter 8
1. Truth and Lies
  1. Gatsby tells Nick the truth about his past and his relationship with Daisy.
  2. Nick receives a phone call from Jordan when he is at work, and he lies and makes excuses not to see her.
2. Death
  1. Nick describes the events that occurred after Myrtle's death, and hints that Wilson headed to Gatsby's hpuse.
  2. Nick returns home from work and finds that Gatsby has been killed. Wilson's body is found nearby.
3. Loyalty
  1. Gatsby waits all night outside the Buchanan's house in case Daisy needs him, but nothing happens.
Chapter 2
1. Myrtle
  1. Nick meets Tom's mistress Myrtle and her husband George
  2. Myrtle agrees to go to New York with Nick and Tom
2. New York
  1. Myrtle and George own a garage on the edge of the Valley of the Ashes between West Egg and New York
3. Myrtle's Party
  1. Myrtle hosts an impromptu party at Tom's New York apartment.
  2. Myrtle's sister Catherine and the McKees are invited to the party who live in the apartment below Tom's apartment.
Chapter 4
1. Jordan's Narrative
  1. Second part of this chapter shifts to Jordan's first-person narrative.
  2. Nick tells the story in her voice.
  3. Jordan's story makes Gatsby into a more sympathetic character.
2. Gatsby's and Daisy's Realationship
  1. Jordan explains that a letter from Gatsby almost persuaded Daisy to reject Tom the night before their wedding.
  2. Contrasts Daisy's behaviour with Gatsby's
  3. While Daisy is briefly distressed by Gatsby's letter, she marries Tom.
  4. Gatsby's constancy highlights his loyal and romantic nature.
  5. Gatsby is still obsessed with Daisy and continues to have a romantic desire for her.
3. Nick's Bias
  1. Nick sees Gatsby as a real person now.
  2. Nicks changing perspective of Gatsby reminds the reader that the novel is written from Nick's point of view, revealing bias.
Chapter 1
1. Nick Carraway
  1. Introduces himself as the narrator of the book
2. West Egg
  1. Nick Carraway just moved here, a "commuting town" near New York to start a career in bonds (finances)
  2. Living in West Egg shows that you're new to wealth
3. East Egg
  1. Goes to East Egg to have dinner with the Buchannans - his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom
  2. Nick meets a professional golfer called Jordan Baker
  3. Living in East Egg shows that you're from a wealth family
4. Tom and Daisy Buchannan
  1. Tom is revealed to be a racist
  2. Tom is also having an affair with an unnamed woman
5. Gatsby
  1. Nick returns home and sees Gatsby next door, reaching out across the water towards a green light
Chapter 6
1. Truthful Gatsby
  1. His real name is James Gatz
  2. He comes from North Dakota and left home at a young age to seek fortune.
  3. He changed his name at seventeen after meeting a self-made millionaire called Dan Cody.
  4. Gatsby wants Daisy to say that she never loved Tom so they can wipe out her marriage and start again.
2. Another Gatsby Party
  1. Tom and Daisy both attend Gatsby's party
  2. Daisy is offended by West Egg and the debauchery of the party
  3. Meanwhile, Tom gets all the names and addresses of pretty women at the party.
Chapter 7
1. Affairs
  1. They all go to New York. Tom stops for petrol and Wilson reveals that he knows Myrtle is having an affair.
2. Gatsby and Daisy
  1. Gatsby stops holding parties and replaces all of his servants to prevent any gossip about Daisy's visits.
3. Tom and Daisy
  1. Nick Gatsby and Jordan go for lunch at Tom and Daisy's
  2. Tom realises that Daisy and Gatsby are in love
  3. Tom confronts Gatsby and accuses him of being a bootlegger in the past.
  4. Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy never loved him, but she claims she did and decides to stay with Tom
4. The Accident
  1. Daisy and Gatsby drive home ahead of the others. On the way back they hit and kill Myrtle.
  2. Tom finds out that Gatsby's car was involved in the accident.
  3. Gatsby tells Nick that Daisy was driving but he'll take the blame.
Chapter 3
1. Gatsby's Party
  1. Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's famous parties and visits his mansion for the first time.
  2. Gatsby is nothing like what Nick expected him to be like, once he met him.
2. Jordan Baker
  1. Nick spends the evening with Jordan Baker trying to find the host of the party, Jay Gatsby, but they just hear a lot of rumours and whispers about him.
  2. Jordan refuses to tell Nick what herself and Gatsby had a private chat about
  3. After the party, Nick gives a brief description of his life in New York and his developing relationship with Jordan.
Chapter 9
1. Gatsby's Death
  1. Nick describes the events after Gatsby's death.
  2. Nick organises a funeral but only Gatsby's father, Owl Eyes, a few servants and the postman attend.
2. Dreams
  1. On Nicks last night before he moves back to the Midwest he reflects that Gatsby believed he was running towards his dream, and didn't realise it was already behind him.
3. Confessions
  1. Nick meets Jordan and they talk about why their relationship ended.
  2. Tom reveals that he told Wilson that Gatsby was driving the car that killed Myrtle.

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The Great Gatsby: Chapter Summaries

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