NickCarraway,aYaleUniversitygraduateandWorldWarIveteran,isstayinginasanatoriumtotreathisalcoholism.HetalksaboutamannamedGatsby,describinghimasthemosthopefulmanhehadevermet.Whenhestrugglestoarticulatehisthoughts,hisdoctor,WalterPerkins,suggestswritingitdown,sincewritingisNick'struepassion.

　　Inthesummerof1922,NickmovesfromtheU.S.MidwesttoNewYork,wherehetakesajobasabondsalesmanaftergivinguponwriting.HerentsasmallhouseonLongIslandinthe(fictional)villageofWestEgg,nextdoortothelavishmansionofJayGatsby,amysteriousbusinessmagnatewhoholdsextravagantparties.NickdrivesacrossthebaytoEastEggfordinneratthehomeofhiscousin,DaisyBuchanan,andherhusband,Tom,acollegeacquaintanceofNick's.TheyintroduceNicktoJordanBaker,acynicalyounggolferwithwhomDaisywishestocoupleNick.

　　JordanrevealstoNickthatTomhasamistresswholivesinthe"valleyofashes,"anindustrialdumpinggroundbetweenWestEggandNewYorkCity.Notlongafterthisrevelation,NicktravelswithTomtothevalley,wheretheystopbyagarageownedbyGeorgeWilsonandhiswife,Myrtle,whoisTom'sloverthatJordanmentioned.NickgoeswithTomandMyrtletoanapartmentthattheykeepfortheiraffair,whereMyrtlethrowsavulgarandbizarrepartywithhersisterCatherine,thatendswithTombreakingMyrtle'snoseasshetauntshimaboutDaisy.

　　Asthesummerprogresses,NickreceivesaninvitationtooneofGatsby'sparties.Uponarriving,helearnsthatnoneoftheguestsattheparty,thoughtherearehundreds,haveevermetGatsbyhimself,andtheyhavedevelopedmultipletheoriesastowhoheis:AGermanspy,aprince,evenanassassin.NickencountersJordan,andtheymeetGatsby,whoissurprisinglyyoungandratheraloof,inperson.Towardstheendoftheparty,Gatsby'sbutlerinformsJordanthatGatsbywishestospeakwithherprivately.

　　GatsbyseemstotakealikingtoNick,invitinghimoutfornumerousoccasions.TheirfriendshipfurtherswhenGatsbytakesNickouttolunchwithhisfriendMeyerWolfshiem,agamblerwhofixedthe1919WorldSeries,whereNicklearnsthatGatsbywasborntoverywealthypeoplethathavealreadypassedaway.Duringthelunch,theyrunintoTom,Gatsbyappearinguncomfortablethroughouttheexchange.ThroughJordan,NicklaterlearnsthatGatsbyhadarelationshipwithDaisyin1917,andisstillmadlyinlovewithher,throwinghisextravagantandwildpartiesinthehopesthatshewillonedayappearathisdoorstep.Onmostnights,hecanbeseenreachingoutacrossthebaytothegreenlightattheendofDaisy'sdock.HenowwantsNicktoarrangeareunionbetweenhimandDaisy.NickinvitesDaisytohaveteaathishouse,withouttellingherthatGatsbywillbethereaswell.

　　Afteraratherawkwardreunion,GatsbyandDaisybeginanaffair.GatsbyisratherdismayedtolearnthatDaisywantstorunawayfromNewYorkwithhim,hisinitialplanbeingforthemtoliveinhismansion.NicktriestoexplaintoGatsbythatthepastcannotberepeated,buthedismissestheremark,claimingthatitmostcertainlycanbe.Tryingtokeeptheaffairasecret,hefiresamajorityofhisservantsanddiscontinuestheparties.Eventually,hephonesNickandaskthatheandJordanaccompanyhimtotheBuchanans',wheretheyplantotellTomthatDaisyisleavinghim.Nickishesitantatfirst,butGatsbyinsiststhattheyneedhim.

　　Duringtheluncheon,Tombe