F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby
Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit dem Werk The Great Gatsby von F. Scott Fitzgerald. Er bietet dir eine Zusammenfassung und einen Charakterüberblick.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
The Great Gatsby was released in 1925. It is said to be the most sucessful work by Fitzgerald.
The story displays the lifestyle of the „Roaring Twenties“ in a very detailed way.
Chapter 1
Nick Carraway moves to West Egg next to a mysterious, rich man called Gatsby, whom he does not know. From his new house he can see his old friend Tom’s house, where Tom lives with his wife, Nicks second cousin Daisy. One day Nick goes to East Egg to eat Dinner with Tom, Daisy and their friend Jordan who Nick is attracted to immediatly. During the dinner Jordan talks about Gatsby several times. Daisy seems to be very interested in Gatsby. Suddenly Tom recieves a call from Myrtle. It seems as if the marriage of Tom and Daisy is broken. When Nick returns home he sees Gatsby’s silhouette in Gatby’s huge garden. A green light shines from the other side of the bay.
Chapter 2
Nick talks about the Valley of Ashes which is an industrial region between West Egg and East Egg. The Valley of Ashes is always supervised by the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, an advertisement image on a huge billboard. Tom and Nick decide to go to the valley of ashes by train, so that Nick can meet Myrtle. When the two arrive they meet George Wilson. Tom, Nick, Myrtle and George go to the flat in New York, Tom rents for Myrtle. In the flat Nick meets Myrtle’s cousin Catherine. She tells Nick about a rumor saying that Jay Gatsby is related to the German emporer Wilhem II. Some neighbors come over to have a party in the flat. Nick gets seriously drunk which according to him was the first time. Myrtle keeps calling Daisy’s name over and over until Tom loses it and slaps her in the face.
Chapter 3
Throughout the summer Gatsby throws extravagent parties at his mansion. Many people attend these parties. Most of them are uninvited. Nobody really knows Jay Gatsby but there are a lot of rumors about him around. One day Nick recieves an invitation to one of Gatsby’s parties. He decides to go but somehow can not find the host anywhere. Nick meets Jordan Baker and walks into Gatsby’s library with her, where he meets an owl-eyed man. Afterwards he finds Gatsby who does not take part in the party but just watches the crowd. Later that summer Nick starts going out with Jordan Baker for who he breaks up with a girl in Chicago.
Chapter 4
At the end of July Gatsby picks up Nick to have lunch in New York. During the ride there Gatsby tells Nick about his personal background, claiming that he comes from a rich family. After arriving in New York Gatsby introduces his business partner Wolfsheim to Nick. After lunch Nick meets up with Jordan. She tells him that Gatsby has been in love with Daisy since 1917, but as a young officer he had to leave for World War I. Daisy however married Tom after the war. Nick realizes that Gatsby was watching the green light across the bay from his garden. Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting between Jay and Daisy.
Chapter 5
Nick agrees to arrange the meeting and invites Daisy to his house for tea. Gatsby offers him to help with his garden. On the day of the meeting rain pours. Before Daisy arrives at Nick’s house Gatsby leaves simply to return shortly after. When Gatsby and Daisy meet he thinks wanting to meet Daisy was a mistake. Nick decides to leave the house and Gatsby becomes more comfortable with the situation. Gatsby shows Daisy his mansion. She is impressed by it. Gatsby tells her that he has been watching the green light at her side of the bay.
Chapter 6
Several rumors about Gatsby being involved in bootlegging appear. Nick learns about Gatsby’s past. He finds out that Gatsby’s real name is James Gatz and that his parents are farmers from North Dakota. At 17 James Gatz began working for the millionaire Dan Cody. Afterwards he changed his name into Jay Gatsby. After finding out about his past Nick does not see Gatsby for a few weeks. One Saturday Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby’s parties. Daisy does not enjoy her time at the party. Tom talks about the bootlegging rumors concerning Gatsby. After Tom and Daisy leave Gatsby’s mansion Jay tells Nick that he is disappointed of Daisy not telling Tom that she never loved him. Nick warns Gatsby telling him that the past can not be recreated.
Chapter 7
Because Gatsby is reunited with Daisy he stops throwing extravagent parties. On the hottes day that summer, Tom, Nick, Daisy, Jordan and Gatsby meet for lunch at Tom’s house. Later that day all of them drive to the Plaza hotel in New York. Daisy and Gatsby drive in Tom’s blue car, while Tom, Nick and Jordan take Gatsby’s yellow car. Tom stops at George Wilson’s garage where Myrtle sees him. George tells Tom that he found out his wife had an affaire, which is why he wants to move westwards with her soon. At the hotel Tom and Gatsby start an argument. Tom tells Gatsby that he made investigations on Gatsby’s business. Gatsby however tells Tom that Daisy will leave him, because she loves Jay. Daisy claims that she loved Tom when she married him. Tom starts talking about Gatsby’s bootlegging and Daisy wants to leave the hotel to end the situation. Before going home they switch cars. When Tom, Nick and Jordan pass the garage on their way home they see a scene of an accident. It is said that a yellow car killed Myrtle. Tom suspects Gatsby of killing Myrtle. Later Nick learns from Gatsby that Daisy was driving when Myrtle got run over. Gatsby tells Nick that he will take the blame for Myrtle’s death. He wants to stay in front of Tom’s house the whole night in case Daisy gets into a fight with Tom and needs protection.
Chapter 8
The next day Nick goes to Gatsby’s house telling him he should leave the town for a couple of days but Gatsby rejects. He explains to Nick how he fell in love with Daisy and how he wanted to marry her after the war.
He wanted to rebuild a life with her.
At work Nick talks to Jordan on the phone and realizes that he is not interested in her anymore.
He hears that George Wilson is convinced that her wife was run over by her secret lover. Wilson
wants to kill the man who killed her wife.
Later that day Nick goes over to Gatsby’s mansion and finds his dead body in the swimming pool.
A couple of feet away lays Wilson’s corpse in the grass.
Chapter 9
After Gatsby’s death Chicago newspapers report about it. Nick tries to arrange a funeral for Gatsby. He is not able to contact Tom and Daisy as they left without leaving an adress. When trying to invite Wolfsheim to the funeral he rejects to come. Only Gatsby’s father, Nick and some of Gatsby’s servants attend the funeral organized by Nick. Nick decides to end his relationship with Jordan. Later that same year Nick randomly meets Tom who confesses that he told Wilson that Gatsby ran over Myrtle. Nick wants to go back to the Midwest. Before doing so he visits Gatsby’s house one last time. He thinks about his dead friend and remembers him as a man who tried to chase a dream that was already behind him.
Nick Carraway
first person narrator
living in West Egg on long island since 1922
bound salesman
well-read, sensitive
lonely
not used to partying and drinking
Jay Gatsby / James Gatz
hero of novel
rich young man
earned a lot of money from organized crime
son of poor farmes
served in WW1
desperatly in love with Daisy
always thought about her during WW1
wanted to propose to her after they first met before the war but was to poor
tries to marry her now
organizes parties etc. just to meet Daisy
his only friend is Nick
Daisy Buchanan
Tom’s Wife
has a young daughter
was cheated on by Tom
has an affair with Gatsby
Tom Buchanan
agressive
self confident
arrogant
dominant
affair with Myrtle
Jordan Baker
Daisy’s good friend
amateur golfer
Nick and her are attracted to each other
Myrtle Wilson
ordinary woman
accidently killed by Daisy driving in Jay Gatby’s car
energetic
attractive
has affair with Tom
George Wilson
Myrtle’s husband
somewhat unintelligent
garage owner
kills Gatby, thinking he was responsible for Myrtle’s death
Meyer Wolfsheim
business partner of Jay Gatsby
