The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Last Updated on December 13, 2016

The Great Gatsby is an American novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel describes the story of Gatsby, in pursuit for his love-lady, Daisy. The characters in the novel are confined to materialistic world. They hold little or no morality driven by the desires of heart. Ultimately all the twists and turns lead to ruins.

About the Author

Scott Fitzgerald is an American novelist and short story writer. He is regarded as one among the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. Fitzgerald has written so many short stories with themes of youth, promise, and despair. Some of his novels include This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Great Gatsby, and Tender Is the Night.

Summary :

The Great Gatsby chronicles the life of Jay Gatsby, narrated by Nick Carraway, a veteran. Gatsby dreams to pursue his love for Daisy Buchanan, whom he met five years ago. He invests his time in accumulating wealth to woo his lost love. He becomes one of the young and mysterious millionaires. All his illegal ways of possessing wealth is solely because of his obsession for the debutante Daisy.   But however, he is left to ruins because of the consequences he faces. The story also has so many sub plots intervening with the primary plot.

The story starts with Nick introduced to Jordan Baker, an attractive golfer by his cousin, Daisy and her husband, Tom. Baker reveals to him about Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson, and his affairs at New York City apartment. When Nick accompanies with Tom and Myrtle to a party at the apartment, where unfortunate circumstances furies Tom, and he ends up breaking Myrtle’s nose.

Later in summer, Nick is invited for a party in Gatsby’s house. Baker introduces Nick to Gatsby, who recognizes him as ‘the Great War’ veteran. Nick learns about Gatsby’s love for Daisy and his obsession in reestablishing his relationship with her. His extravagant lifestyle parties and mansion were all a way to rekindle his lost romance for Daisy by getting her curious of their neighbor. Even though he had invited Buchanans several times for the party, he never got to meet Daisy, as Tom attends it alone.

Nick was invited for the party with an intention of arranging a reunion for Gatsby and Daisy. Later Nick arranges a tea party at home, inviting Daisy and Gatsby. The reunions establish their relationship and they start their affair. Tom, who becomes suspicious of the relationship, becomes outraged, despite his infidelity. At New York, Tom confronts both Gatsby and Daisy for their affair and mentions the illegal wealth accumulation of Gatsby.

On their way back to the valley of ashes, they find Gatsby’s car struck Tom’s mistress, Myrtle and kills her. Nick learns that the car was actually driven by Daisy, but Gatsby has taken the blame. On the other hand, Myrtle’s husband, George becomes suspicious of the yellow car that struck his wife to dead, as her affair, and hunts for it. He finally discovers the car in Gatsby’s mansion and arrives with a gun in hand. He shoots Gatsby and kills himself as well. The story ends with Nick staging a small funeral for Gatsby, leaving behind Baker and moving away from the disillusioned Eastern lifestyle.

The Great Gatsby is considered to be the magnum opus in Fitzgerald’s career. The story explores some of the themes like idealism, social upheaval, obsession, and materialism.