Plotsummary

　　Themaineventsofthenoveltakeplaceinthesummerof1922.NickCarraway,aYalegraduateandWorldWarIveteranfromtheMidwest—whoservesasthenovel'snarrator—takesajobinNewYorkasabondsalesman.HerentsasmallhouseonLongIsland,inthe(fictional)villageofWestEgg,nextdoortothelavishmansionofJayGatsby,amysteriousmillionairewhoholdsextravagantparties.NickdrivesaroundthebaytoEastEggfordinneratthehomeofhiscousin,DaisyBuchanan,andherhusband,Tom,acollegeacquaintanceofNick's.TheyintroduceNicktoJordanBaker,anattractive,cynicalyounggolferwithwhomNickbeginsaromanticrelationship.SherevealstoNickthatTomhasamistress,MyrtleWilson,wholivesinthe"valleyofashes":anindustrialdumpinggroundbetweenWestEggandNewYorkCity.Notlongafterthisrevelation,NicktravelstoNewYorkCitywithTomandMyrtletoanapartmenttheykeepfortheiraffair.Attheapartment,avulgarandbizarrepartyendswithTombreakingMyrtle'snoseaftershetauntsTomaboutDaisy.

　　Asthesummerprogresses,NickeventuallyreceivesaninvitationtooneofGatsby'sparties.NickencountersJordanBakerattheparty,andtheymeetGatsbyhimself,analoofandsurprisinglyyoungmanwhorecognizesNickfromtheirsamedivisioninthewar.ThroughJordan,NicklaterlearnsthatGatsbyknewDaisyfromaromanticencounterin1917andisdeeplyinlovewithher.Hespendsmanynightsstaringatthegreenlightattheendofherdock,acrossthebayfromhismansion,hopingtoonedayrekindletheirlostromance.Gatsby'sextravagantlifestyleandwildpartiesareanattempttoimpressDaisyinthehopesthatshewillonedayappearagainatGatsby'sdoorstep.GatsbynowwantsNicktoarrangeareunionbetweenhimselfandDaisy.NickinvitesDaisytohaveteaathishouse,withouttellingherthatGatsbywillalsobethere.Afteraninitiallyawkwardreunion,GatsbyandDaisyreestablishtheirconnection.Theybeginanaffairand,afterashorttime,Tomgrowsincreasinglysuspiciousofhiswife'srelationshipwithGatsby.AtaluncheonattheBuchanans'house,GatsbystaresatDaisywithsuchundisguisedpassionthatTomrealizesGatsbyisinlovewithher.ThoughTomishimselfinvolvedinanextramaritalaffair,heisoutragedbyhiswife'sinfidelity.HeforcesthegrouptodriveintoNewYorkCity,whereheconfrontsGatsbyinasuiteatthePlazaHotel.TomassertsthatheandDaisyhaveahistorythatGatsbycouldneverunderstand.Inadditiontothat,heannouncestohiswifethatGatsbyisacriminalwhosefortunecomesfrombootleggingalcoholandotherillegalactivities.DaisyrealizesthatherallegianceistoTom,andTomcontemptuouslysendsherbacktoEastEggwithGatsby,attemptingtoprovethatGatsbycannothurthim.

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　　WhenNick,Jordan,andTomdrivethroughthevalleyofashes,however,theydiscoverthatGatsby'scarhasstruckandkilledMyrtle,Tom'slover.NicklaterlearnsfromGatsbythatDaisywasdrivingthecaratthetimeoftheaccident,butthatGatsbyintendstotaketheblame.Thenextday,TomtellsMyrtle'shusband,George,thatGatsbywasthedriverofthecar.George,whohasleapttotheconclusionthatthedriverofthecarthatkilledMyrtlemusthavebeenherlover,tracksGatsbytohismansionandfatallyshootsbothGatsbyandthenhimself.NickthenstagesanupsettinglysmallfuneralforGatsby,endshisrelationshipwithJordan,andmovesbacktotheMidwestdisillusionedwiththeE