The Great Gatsby: Story, Characters, and Jazz Age Background
The Great Gatsby: Plot Summary
Nick Carraway’s Arrival and First Encounters
Through the eyes of Nick Carraway, the narrator, we are introduced to his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to the aggressive and wealthy Tom Buchanan. Soon, the enigmatic Jay Gatsby appears as Nick’s mysterious neighbor. Gatsby lives in a huge mansion and hosts ultra-lavish parties attended by people who often don’t even know him. Gatsby spends much time in the evenings looking at a green light across the bay from his garden.
Tom takes Nick to New York to meet his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle’s husband, George Wilson, is a passive man who owns a garage and is completely unaware of his wife’s affair. Nick is not impressed with Tom, a man for whom he has some respect but little appreciation.
Gatsby’s Past and Pursuit of Daisy
At one of Gatsby’s huge parties, Nick meets and befriends the mysterious host, beginning to understand him. Gatsby comes from a very poor family. In his youth, he fell deeply in love with Daisy and was very happy, but their relationship was cut short when he had to go to war. After the war, he was sent to Oxford for a few months. His life changes significantly when he meets Dan Cody, a rich old man who teaches him everything he needs to know.
Gatsby is still in love with Daisy and has been searching for her for years. Along with Nick, who is Daisy’s cousin, he devises a plan for them to meet again. Their rekindled love story progresses until Tom meets Gatsby and begins to investigate his affairs.
The Tragic Climax and Aftermath
The most pivotal scene takes place in New York, where Tom and Gatsby argue fiercely over Daisy’s affection. It is revealed that Gatsby is a bootlegger, which makes Daisy hesitant to leave her husband. As the group drives back to Long Island, Tom’s mistress, Myrtle, is tragically killed, hit by Gatsby’s yellow car. Daisy was driving, but Gatsby promises to take the blame. Meanwhile, Tom condemns Gatsby, telling George Wilson where to find the man he claims killed his wife, Myrtle. Consumed by grief and rage, George Wilson shoots Gatsby before committing suicide.
Daisy and Tom flee without warning or revealing their destination. Nick is the only one who handles Gatsby’s affairs and arranges his funeral, which, to his surprise, is attended only by Nick himself, Gatsby’s father, and “Owl Eyes.” The novel concludes with Nick watching the green light across the bay from Daisy’s house, a symbol of Gatsby’s unattainable dream.
Historical Context and Setting of The Great Gatsby
The Roaring Twenties in Fitzgerald’s Novel
Set on the prosperous Long Island of 1922, The Great Gatsby provides a critical social history of America during the Roaring Twenties within its narrative. That era, known for unprecedented economic prosperity, the evolution of jazz music, flapper culture, and bootlegging and other criminal activity, is plausibly depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. Fitzgerald uses these societal developments of the 1920s to enrich Gatsby’s story, from simple details like automobiles to broader themes like his discreet allusions to the organized crime culture that was the source of Gatsby’s fortune. Fitzgerald educates his readers about the opulent and often garish society of the Roaring Twenties by placing a timeless, relatable plotline within the historical context of the era.
Inspiration for the Iconic Setting
Fitzgerald’s visits to Long Island’s north shore and his experience attending parties at mansions inspired The Great Gatsby’s setting. Today, there are a number of theories as to which mansion was the inspiration for the book. One possibility is Land’s End, a notable Gold Coast mansion where Fitzgerald may have attended a party.