Plot Summary of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The story of “The Great Gatsby” takes place sometime around 1922 and is told in the perspective of a man named Nick Carraway, who was Gatsby’s neighbour. As the story begins, Nick, a bond salesman, just moved from the Midwest to West Egg, Long Island. Nick is a graduate of Yale, and grew up in a wealthy family. Nick has rented a small house next to a mansion which belongs to Jay Gatsby.

Shortly after his arrival, Nick travels to the more wealthier side of East Egg to visit his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband, Tom for dinner. He learns that Tom is racist and aggressive. He also meets Jordan Baker who is a professional golfer and they share a mutual attraction. The Buchanans and Jordan Baker live privileged lives, contrasting sharply in sensibility and luxury with Nick’s more modest and grounded lifestyle. When Nick returns home that evening, he notices his neighbor, Gatsby, mysteriously standing in the dark and stretching his arms toward the water, at a green light.

The next day, Nick is invited to accompany Tom to meet his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, a middle-class woman whose husband runs a modest garage in the valley of ashes, which is the run-down section of town.

Nick continues to pay attention to his mysterious neighbour, extravagant parties weekly. Upon Gatsby’s invitation, Nick attends one of the extravagant gatherings. This is noteworthy as Gatsby does not invite people, as they rather just show up. He meets Gatsby himself. Gatsby remains apart from his guests and observes as if he is looking for something. Gatsby and Nick become friends. Nick and Gatsby journey into the city one day and there Nick meets Meyer Wolfshiem, one of Gatsby’s associates and Gatsby’s link to organized crime.

Jordan tells Nick about Gatsby and Daisy’s history. Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan. They met years earlier when he was in the army but could not be together because he did not yet have the means to support her. Gatsby made his fortune, all with the goal of winning Daisy back. He bought his house so that he would be across the water from her and hosted the elaborate parties in the hopes that she would notice. Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy to his little house where Gatsby will show up unannounced. When the former lovers meet, their reunion is slightly nervous, but shortly, the two are once again comfortable with each other. Soon after, the three move go to Gatsby’s place, where he shows Daisy his impressive array of belongings, displaying how he has become successful overtime. Gatsby, the idealistic dreamer, firmly believes the past can be recaptured in its entirety.Gatsby and Daisy’s affair begins to grows overtime and they see each other regularly. One day, Gatsby and Nick journey to East Egg to have lunch with the Buchanans and Jordan Baker. No longer hiding her love for Gatsby, Daisy pays him special attention and Tom deftly picks up on what’s going on.

The group ends up going to the Plaza hotel, where they continue drinking. Low on gas on the way there, Tom stops Gatsby’s car at Wilson’s gas station. Wilson has just learned of Myrtle’s secret affair, but does not know who the man is.

Tom questions Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship at the hotel. Gatsby wants Daisy to admit she’s never loved Tom but that, instead, she has always loved him. Tom orders Daisy and Gatsby to head home in Gatsby’s car. Tom, Nick, and Jordan follow.

Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s mistress, has been hit and killed by a passing car that never bothered to stop, and it appears to have been Gatsby’s car. Gatsby outside of the Buchanans” house where he is keeping watch for Daisy. Nick learns that Daisy, not Gatsby, was driving the car, although Gatsby confesses he will take all the blame.

Wilson who, distraught over his wife’s death, sneaks out and goes looking for the driver who killed Myrtle. Wilson murders Gatsby and then turns the gun on himself.After Gatsby’s death, Nick is left to help make arrangements for his burial. What is most perplexing, though, is that no one seems overly concerned with Gatsby’s death. Daisy and Tom mysteriously leave on a trip and all the people who so eagerly attended his parties, drinking his liquor and eating his food, refuse to become involved. Despite all his popularity during his lifetime, in his death, Gatsby is completely forgotten. Nick, disgusted by the carelessness and cruel nature of Tom, Daisy, and those like them, leaves Tom, proud of his own integrity.

On the last night before leaving, Nick goes to Gatsby’s mansion, then to the shore where Gatsby once stood, arms outstretched toward the green light. The novel ends prophetically, with Nick noting how we are all a little like Gatsby, boats moving up a river, going forward but continually feeling the pull of the past.