In chapter 6, Nick gives a retrospect account of Gatsby’s
real story. He explains that Gatsby’s real name is James Gatz, he was born in North
Dakota, went to college at St. Olaf’s, dropped out, and then began working for a man
that would soon become his mentor, Dan Cody, a wealthy man who made his millions in
copper. When Cody died, he left money to Gatsby, but Cody’s mistress sued for the money,
and Gatsby wound up with nothing. At that point, he vowed to become a wealthy man
himself. In the present action, Tom stops by Gatsby’s house one day for a drink with
some friends, the friends hypocritically invite Gatsby to lunch, but then sneak away
when Gatsby accepts. Tom and Daisy attend a party at Gatsby’s house that weekend, and
Tom grows suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy. Gatsby grows upset when Daisy leaves, thinking
she has not had a good time. He tells Nick he wants Daisy to leave Tom. So, in one
sentence you can say: Nick describes how Gatsby went from a North Dakota
farmer to a mysterious East coast
millionaire.
Chapter 8 occurs right after
Myrtle Wilson has been run over by Daisy and Gatsby’s car. The main thing that happens
in this chapter is that George Wilson is led by Tom to believe that Gatsby was driving
the car that killed his wife, Myrtle, so he goes to West Egg and kills Gatsby while
Gatsby is floating in his pool. In one sentence: While speeding back from
New York City to Long Island, Tom’s mistress Myrtle Wilson is run down by a car in which
Gatsby and Daisy are riding.
Chapter 9 is
the last chapter. Nick ties things up. He describes Gatsby’s funeral and how Tom and
Daisy mysteriously disappeared after Gatsby was killed. Nick breaks up with Jordon,
decides to move back to the Midwest, and runs into Tom on the street one day just before
leaving New York. He concludes that Tom and Daisy are careless people and that their
lifestyle is selfish and vacuous and a result of the back-East culture that places so
much emphasis on wealth. He bemoans Gatsby’s tragic life and death, and the hollowness
of the so-called American dream. In one sentence: Dismayed over Gatsby’s
life and death and the hollow pursuit of the American dream, Nick grows disenchanted
with the East and decides to move back to the
Midwest.
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