Gatsby Chapter Summaries Flashcards
Do you know what happens in The Great Gatsby?
What happens in Chapter 1?
Nick arrives in West Egg in 1922 to get into the bond business. He goes to have dinner with Daisy and Tom, and meets Jordan Baker at their house. Tom has racist opinions and Jordan tells Nick that a phone call Tom gets is from his lover.
What happens in Chapter 2?
Tom and Nick are on the train to NY when Tom gets off at the Valley of Ashes to go to Wilson’s garage. Nick, Tom, and Myrtle go to Tom’s apartment in the city where they have a party (Tom gets drunk) until Myrtle starts shouting about Daisy and Tom breaks her nose.
What happens in Chapter 3?
Nick gets invited to one of Gatsby’s parties, where he meets Jordan, and hears rumors about Gatsby, though no-one seems to know him. N+J meet Owl Eyes. Later, he realises a man he is sitting with is Gatsby. Gatsby speaks privately with Jordan, then Nick sees Owl Eyes has crashed his car. Finally, he describes his normal life and says he’s started to see Jordan
What happens in Chapter 4?
Nick names people at Gatsby’s parties. He then drives to the city with Gatsby, who tells him about his past. When a policeman pulls Gatsby over for speeding, Gatsby shows him a white card and the policeman apologizes for bothering him. They have lunch with Meyer Wolfshiem, who fixed the 1919 World Series, and implies that Gatsby’s involved in organized crime. After lunch Nick sees Jordan, who tells him about her convo with G + how G+D used to be in love tho she ended up marrying Tom, and cried before the wedding. Gatsby wants to invite Daisy to tea at Nick’s.
What happens in Chapter 5?
when Nick comes home from his date with Jordan, Gatsby approaches him, and N reassures him that he will invite Daisy over. G offers to set N up with Wolfshiem to make some money + N is offended. At first the reunion is awkward, but Nick leaves them alone for 1/2 an hr, after which they get along great. They go over to Gatsby’s house, + D is overwhelmed by his possessions + starts crying. Gatsby gets Klipspringer to play the piano
What happens in Chapter 6?
A reporter tries to interview Gatsby about the rumors. Nick tells the story of Gatsby’s past- how he was born on a farm in N Dakota + saved the wealthy Dan Cody from a storm, becomes his assistant. Nick doesn’t see G or D for weeks then sees Tom + a couple of others at G’s house. G ends up accepting an insincere dinner invite. T+D go to a Gatsby party. T looks down on it and N+D don’t enjoy it. G tells N he is sad D didn’t like the party and he wants to go back to the past.
What happens in Chapter 7?
G stops his parties + fires his staff. N, J,+G go to lunch at D+T’s. T realises D+G have feelings for each other.. T says they should go to the city. On the way, N, T+J find out that Wilson has discovered Myrtle’s having an affair. The group go to the Plaza Hotel + there is a confrontation between T,D,+G. It becomes obvs that D has chosen T. On the way home, N, T,+J find that Myrtle has been run over + N realises it must have been G+D. Later, G tells N that D was driving but he will take the blame. He is keeping a lookout outside D+T’s house. N goes in to check on them to find that they have reconciled, but G wants to continue watching.
What happens in Chapter 8?
After a sleepless night, Nick goes to Gatsby’s at dawn. G tells N about courting D in Louisville in 1917. The gardener wants to drain the pool but G says he’ll go for a swim. N is late for work + rejects a date with J. After M died, W stayed up all night with Michaelis, a neighbour. W says he confronted M about her affair+ works out that it was G. He shoots G in the pool + then kills himself. N finds G’s body in the + W’s in the woods.
What happens in Chapter 9?
There are reporters at G’s. N tries to hold a large funeral for him, but no friends respond. T+D move away. Wolfshiem + Klipspringer refuse to come. Servants, Owl Eyes and G’s father are the only ppl at the funeral. N decides to move back Midwest. He meets T in the city, who says he was the 1 who told W the car was G’s. N compares the West to the East. He goes to G’s empty house + sits on the beach. He thinks about America seemed to explorers, + thinks D was like that G. He realises all these dreams are hollow.
