The Great Gatsby | Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis | F. Scott Fitzgerald

in Chapter one of the Great Gatsby we find 29 year-old Nick Carraway reflecting on his recent experiences of his life he's graduated from Yale and has served in the Army he then decides to leave the Midwest and move to New York he takes up residency in West Egg a Long Island community he rents a home next to Jay Gatsby who's a wealthy and mysterious businessman now just across the bay lives Nick's cousin socialite Daisy Buchanan with her brutish husband Tom Buchanan now after arriving Nick is invited to dinner at the Buchanan's home he meets Daisy's

friend professional golfer Jordan Baker now during the dinner before discussed superficial matters now Tom he gets up he leaves to take a phone call now while he's gone Jordan reveals he must be talking to his mistress a woman in New York he makes no attempt to hide when he comes home Nick sees his neighbor Jay Gatsby emerge from his mansion Nick watches as Gatsby stares off into the distance with his arms outstretched reaching toward a green light across the bay in this chapter Nick is revealed to be an honest narrator reflections on his father's advice

suggests Nick is non-judgmental and moral this is the perfect lens to view a story of deception superficiality and immorality because of his background it's clear he will fit into both social circles old-money of East Egg and new-money of West Egg now old my new residents like Tom Buchanan they're arrogant new money residents like Jay Gatsby are vulnerable Nick is the perfect balance narrator to navigate both groups without bias now the author Fitzgerald uses detailed descriptions to highlight the love in which the characters live we're talking grand mansions Butler's and silver polishes horse stables women described

as balloons merely float through life Daisy and Jordan are foolish and flighting tom is insensitive and expects to have his way this leaves Nick slightly confused discussed it with their lifestyle now the green light Gatsby is reaching toward toward the end of the chapter is deeply symbolic in literature Green is often symbolic of money Nick later realizes that the light emanates from the end of the Buchanans dog as the novel progresses it's revealed that Gatsby amassed his wealth in hopes of winning Daisy's love [Music]