The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Analysis

The Great Gatsby Chapter Summary & Analysis
Mr. Laundry & Mrs. Johnstone
Vladislav Levitin
22nd of January 2014
Characters
Jay Gatsby
Nick Caraway
Tom Buchanan
Daisy Buchanan
Jordan Baker
Meyer Wolfsheim
Themes and Literary Devices
Main Theme: The American Dream
Themes
The Roaring Twenties
Inner Class Difference: New Money, Old Money
American Dream
The Is No Price To True Love
Past and Future
Literary Devices
Flashbacks
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
Stereotype
Characterization
Summary
The chapter begins with Nick - the narrator describing the affluent guests who attended Gatsby’s parties during the summer and the fact that not a single of them, knew anything about the host. Nick observes several drunken women at Gatsby’s lawn, gossiping about the
mysterious identity and unusual rumors of Gatsby.
Gatsby invites Nick over for lunch and they go on a ride to the city in Gatsby’s white Rolls Royce. On their way to the city, Gatsby tells Nick about his past. Gatsby describes himself as a son of wealthy parents from the Midwest town of San Francisco, who graduated from Oxford, been a reputable jewel collector in Europe and war hero. Gatsby shows Nick his war medal to prove his claims. He informs Nick to expect a story about his tragedy which he will tell him about later this afternoon. As they drive, Gatsby does not pay attention to the speed limit and an officer pulls them over. Gatsby shows the officer a small white card from the commissioner. The officer apologizes and lets them go.
During lunch, they meet Gatsby’s business partner Meyer Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim describes Gatsby to Nick as a man of “fine breeding” (p.46 1993 edition) who would “never so much as look at a friend’s wife” (p.47 1993 edition). Gatsby informs Nick of Wolfsheim identity and that he’s the man responsible for the fixing of the 1919 World Series. Nick becomes concerned that Gatsby is involved in crime business.
As they leave the restaurant, Nick sees Tom Buchanan and introduces him to Gatsby. Gatsby becomes embarrassed and leaves without even saying goodbye. Later on, Nick meets Jordan at the Plaza Hotel. She tells Nick the “amazing thing” that Gatsby had told her previously. There is a flashback into Gatsby’s past: as a young man, Gatsby had a passionate romance with Daisy Fay, who is now Daisy Buchanan. During the war, Gatsby met Daisy at his stay in Louisville and they fell in love. Daisy’s family prevented her from marrying Gatsby and one year later she married a wealthy man from Chicago, Tom Buchanan, who gave her a string of pearls worth $350 000 and 3 month honeymoon to the Southern Seas.
When they arrive at the Central Park, Jordan finishes the story. She tells that Gatsby’s love to Daisy is unbreakable and he bought his giant mansion in West Egg just to be across the bay from her. Gatsby believes that he could buy back the love of Daisy with money. Nick realizes that the times Gatsby gazed at the green light across the docks, was due to his passionate love to Daisy. Jordan tells Nick, that Gatsby requested him to invite Daisy to his house for tea. Gatsby will suddenly arrive, so she could see him, even though he fears that she doesn’t want to.
Analysis
Thesis Statement: Through the use of flashbacks Fitzgerald unfolds the mysterious identity of Jay Gatsby. At first the author portrays Gatsby as an untrustworthy, suspicious man, who is involved in criminal activity of bootlegging. However after Jordan’s story of Gatsby’s past, there is a major shift in his identity and his true character is revealed. Nick realizes that Gatsby has accumulated this wealth and all his possessions to win the love of Daisy.
Chapter 4 opens up with a portrayal of The Roaring Twenties and its dynamic lifestyle.
Nick’s description of Gatsby 's guest’s shows the different roles and classes of the society, during 1922. Nick outlines how they are all just using Gatsby for his hospitality and wealth. The author achieves this theme through Nick’s list the guests who attended the parties: “Chester Beckers and the Leeches, and a man named Bunsen” (p.39 1993 edition) and the fact that none of the guests knew anything about the host. They arrived at Gatsby’s mansion with the intention to enjoy their time, consume alcohol and display their wealth, thereby portraying the main concept of the fast paced life of the Roaring Twenties.
At the beginning of the chapter, the author foreshadows Gatsby’s connection to the criminal world by the chatter of the young ladies at the party. The rumors about Gatsby that are overheard from them: “He is a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man who had found that he was a nephew to Von Hindenburg” (p.39 1993 edition), cause the reader to be suspicious of Gatsby’s character and provide an indication that he is not a “clean” person. The rumors reveal a minor element of Gatsby’s identity and the immoral way he gained his wealth, giving a sign to the reader of what to expect further in the
chapter.
Another portrayal of the Roaring Twenties appears when Gatsby pays no attention to the speed limit and an officer pulls him over. Gatsby shows the white card he had received from the commissioner, due to a favor he had previously done for him. The officer apologizes, “Know you next time Mr. Gatsby. Excuse me!” (p.44 1993 edition) and lets him go. Gatsby’s action of simply waving a small white card to escape the consequences of breaking a law shows that he is a superstar. Gatsby acts above the law and the police, displaying himself as the “New Money” of the Roaring Twenties and that there are no boundaries to his actions.
When Meyer Wolfsheim is introduced in the chapter; Nick’s awareness of the criminal side to Gatsby’s character increases.
Throughout the conversation Nick suspects that the rumors he had previously heard from the young ladies “he’s a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man…) (p. 39 1993 edition) are true and that Gatsby is involved in organized crime. In the chapter, Wolfsheim serves as symbol to represent the “Criminal Element”. The way that Fitzgerald describes the visual characteristics of Wolfsheim “A small, flat nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness” (p.44-45 1993 edition), generates a stereotype of the Jewish nation. During the 1920s, Jews were characterized for their greed, wealth and physical attributes of a miniature body build & a large nose. Fitzgerald applies the stereotype to describe Wolfsheim as a symbol for Crime and
Corruption.
Meyer Wolfsheim describes the success in wealth as an outcome of “fine breeding” (p.46 1993 edition). This is the “Old Money” way of thinking, where the fundamentals to achieving The American Dream of wealth lie in the genes of the person. After the meeting with Wolfsheim, Nick realizes that the source to Gatsby’s high income is his involvement in bootlegging activities. Gatsby is the “New Money” class of The Roaring Twenties, who has recently acquired his fortune of wealth, instead of inheriting it.
Throughout the mid-section of the chapter Fitzgerald begins to unfold the mysteries of Jay Gatsby past, revealing his true identity and creating a major shift of Gatsby’s character. At the beginning of the chapter the author characterizes Gatsby as enigmatic, suspicious and not fully trustworthy person. The information Gatsby gives about his past seems highly over exaggerated and inconceivable; “I am the son of wealthy people in the Middle West –all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years.” (p.42 1993 edition). Gatsby portrays himself as a son of wealthy parents, war hero, jewel collector and a graduate of oxford.
Later on, Jordan’s story about Gatsby past radically changes Nick’s perception of Gatsby’s character. Through the use of flash backs, Jordan depicts Gatsby as a romantic person who is fighting to achieve his love. Jordan reveals his lower class background, what influenced Daisy’s parents to oppose the marriage; but Gatsby is a man who is prepared to go beyond the boundaries to reach his goal. Through Jordan’s flashbacks of Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents a romantic cliché, where Gatsby is the Romeo of The Roaring Twenties: a perfect lover, brave and handsome, and war hero.
The end of Chapter 4 reveals the true objective to Gatsby’s accomplishment of his wealth. Gatsby’s desire to reach the mysterious green light and Daisy across the bay is unstoppable. The green light acts as a symbol to several themes, among them is Daisy herself, Gatsby 's fearless romantic optimism and Gatsby’s view of the American Dream. When Jordan finishes her story and tells “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay”, Nick realizes that Gatsby does everything in his hands to reach his love; buys a huge mansion, a Rolls Royce and throws immense parties to attract Daisy’s attention. Gatsby reinvented himself to a cultured millionaire just for Daisy’s approval. In Gatsby’s eyes, Daisy serves as a symbol of the American Dream and from his perspective she is the meaning to all his unexplained actions & efforts. The end of chapter 4 resolves the mystery of Gatsby’s past, simultaneously opening the upcoming one towards his future. The reveal of Gatsby’s past leads the reader to a new question; Will Gatsby’s efforts and The American Dream of corrupt wealth earn Daisy, or is there no price to her, as she primarily chose the security of wealth from Tom over the love of Gatsby?

Bibliography
Books
1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Comp. Guy Reynolds. Ware: Wordsworth Classics, 1993. Print.
Internet
1. ENotes Inc. "The Great Gatsby Study Guide." www.enotes.com. ENotes Publishing ©2014, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.
2. SparkNotes LCC. "The Great Gatsby." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/section4.rhtml>.