The Great Gatsby - Zusammenfassung PDF

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The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925. The novel is set in Jazz age New York and tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a selfmade millionaire and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman whom he loved in his youth. Narrator: Nick Carraway- tells the story through a series of flashbacks and not always in chronological order People: Nick Carraway- Yale university graduate, moves to West Egg in hope for a good story and to become a good author, Daisy’s cousin Jay Gatsby- mysterious person, born poor, now very rich, Nick’s neighbor in West Egg, secretely in love with Daisy Buchanan Daisy Buchanan- lives in East Egg with her husband Tom, had a relationship with Gatsby 5 Years ago, doesn’t know that he lives next door, she’s unhappy with her marriage, Nick’s cousin Tom Buchanan- Daisy’s Husband, comes from a very wealthy family, choleric, has a secret girlfriend Jordan Baker- Daisy’s best friend, later dating Nick, famous gold player, also rich Myrtle Wilson- is Tom’s Mistress, very poor, lives in a small house on the road between East Egg and the inner city of New York, dies because Daisy accidentally runs her over with a car Mr. Wilson- Myrtles Husband, repairman, wants to move west with Myrtle, kills Gatsby because Tom told him that he killed Myrtle Plot Summary: Nick moves to the fictional village of West Egg on Long Island. His cousin Daisy lives in east Egg, just across the water. His direct neighbor is Jay Gatsby whom is often throwing luxurious Party’s at his house without showing himself. Nobody knows who he is. Nick is visiting Tom and daisy across the water, he doesn’t like Tom very much (too loud, too fake) especially after Jordan Baker tells him that Tom has a Mistress in New York. Daisy tells Nick that she is unhappy with Tom.

The first time Nick saw Gatsby he was standing alone in the dark watching a green light appearing at the end of Tom and Daisy’s Dock. Later Tom introduces his Mistress, Myrtle, to Nick while they’re on a trip to Manhattan. Nick is feeling very uncomfortable. They all get very drunk in a secret apartment joined by Myrtle and her sister. Myrtles Husband doesn’t know anything. In summer Nick is invited to a Party in Gatsby’s house. There he meets Jordan and spent the evening with her. Later he also meets a man who identifies himself as Gatsby. As the night continues Gatsby asks to talk to Jordan alone. Jordan returns smiling and excited, but is not able to tell Nick what the conversation was about. As time goes by, Nick is starting to see Jordan. He gets also very comfortable with Gatsby who tells him that he is the son of a wealthy family, who are all dead, an Oxford man, and war hero. Nick is skeptical about those information. Later Jordan tells Nick what Gatsby told her at the party. He and daisy were a in love five years ago but then he had to go with the army and she married Tom. So, he moved to west Egg to be close to her. Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a secret meeting with daisy at his house. Nick agrees. Daisy is very surprised and confused to see Gatsby after 5 years. At first the situation is uncomfortable but later they seem very happy and leave together. Tom becomes aware of Daisy’s association with Gatsby. Disliking it, but still inviting him for lunch to his house. Gatsby in the meantime wants Daisy to tell Tom that she is in love with Gatsby. No need for that, Tom realizes that himself and insists everyone is driving to town. Daisy and Gatsby are leaving in Tom’s blue coupe and Tom is driving Gatsby’s yellow car with Jordan and Nick. On the way he stops for gas and the Wilson shop where Mr. Wilson tells him that he wants to move west with Myrtle. Shocked and angry Tom catches up with Gatsby and Daisy and confronts them about the ongoing relationship. He also tells that he learned Gatsby made all of his money from illegally selling drugs and alcohol. Gatsby tries to deny it but Daisy has lost her resolve and his cause seems hopeless.

Gatsby and Daisy still leave together with Daisy driving Tom’s car. On the road the hit and kill Myrtle, who jumped on the road, thinking it was Tom driving. The accident was seen by witnesses but daisy continues driving. Coming behind them, Tom is devastated to find Myrtle dead on the road. Mr. Wilson tells him it was a blue car hitting her, but Tom insists it was not his. Back in east Egg, Gatsby tells Nick what has happened. He is hiding in daisy’s garden in case Tom is going to abuse her. The next morning Gatsby has returned to his house, still waiting for Daisy to call. Nick tries to convince him to leave town because of the accident, but Gatsby wants to stay and finally tells him about his past. He met daisy while serving for the army but comes from a very poor family, so he could not marry her. After the war he became rich with Bootlegging, as Tom suspected. After that Nick leaves for work. In the meantime Mr. Wilson arrives in east Egg, where Tom tells him that Gatsby killed his wife. In rage Wilson went to Gatsby’s house, where he finds him in the pool and shoots him from distance. After that he shoots himself. After this incident the Buchanan’s leave town and never return. Nick arranges Gatsby’s funeral where only two people show up. Nick and Gatsby’s father. Nick is disappointed in daisy and moves back to the Midwest, disgusted with the life in the East.

Context and reception: Set in Jazz age or the roaring (golden) twenties, the novel captures its historical moments: the economic boom after WW1, the new jazz music, free flowing illegal alcohol. While Fitzgerald considered “The great Gatsby” to be his greatest achievement so far, the 20 000 copies sold slow. Only in the 50’s after Fitzgerald’s death the novel became popular again and soon a standard text of high school curricula. It is now considered a masterpiece of American fiction. There also have been several film adaptions. Analysis: The great Gatsby has been read as a pessimistic examination of the American dream. As Jay Gatsby coming from a very poor background is gaining a lot of money but is still unable to “break” into the secret society of those who were

born rich. His attempt to win daisy Buchanan (born rich) ends in disaster and his death. Tension between old and mew money is represented by the contrast between East and West egg. The Green light from the beginning is a symbol of hope and Gatsby’s sense of ambition. However once Daisy is within Gatsby’s reach, the green light loses the “colossal significance”....