Six chapters into the book, Fitzgerald finally uncovers the true Jay Gatsby. An ambitious reporter on Gatsby’s doorstep leaves without the real story, but the visit prompts Nick Carraway to share what he has learned about his neighbor with the reader.
Jay Gatsby is actually James Gatz… born to “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people.” Gatz wanted more from life than the meager existence he saw growing up. He leaves home to pour sweat into his survival and still finds his soul in “a constant, turbulent riot.” He begins to create an alternative reality in his mind… a “universe of ineffable gaudiness.”
Gatz’s short stint in the world of higher education is cut short by his vision for life beyond the janitor’s job that enables him to attend college. It is at this point that we begin to see Gatz’s alternative reality move toward fruition. As he makes the acquaintance of Dan Cody, Gatz discovers the world of wealth and the power it wields. Cody’s wild living inspires Gatz to attain prosperity, but without the propensity toward drunkenness.
Gatsby/Gatz’s humble upbringing endears him to the middle class reader. He has apparently achieved the American Dream. However, the dream is hollow as the chapter continues and reality eclipses Gatsby’s vision.
The unraveling begins as Tom Buchanan drops by the Gatsby mansion along with his friends, the Sloanes. The old-money trio is appalled when Gatsby ignores social graces and attempts to join them for dinner following their facetious invitation. Ironically, the reader is appalled when the trio bent on observing social graces leaves Gatsby behind in a wake of rudeness.
During Tom’s visit to his home, Gatsby unceremoniously declares that he knows Tom’s wife. This revelation leads the Buchanans to attend Gatsby’s next party as Tom seeks to find out more about this man who knows his wife. People had flocked to his parties all summer, and yet Gatsby’s most sought after guest does not arrive until now. Tom and Daisy seem momentarily impressed with the smattering of celebrities, but Tom soon turns to skirt-chasing, and Daisy is left to enjoy the party with the host.
Soon the illusion of the extraordinary fades, and it is clear that Daisy’s thinly veiled disgust for the indulgence and antics of “new money” will ultimately take her away from Jay Gatsby. As she leaves, a weighted glance back to Gatsby’s mansion indicates her inner turmoil.
Gatsby’s melancholy matches hers as he begins to sense the vast distance between their lives. He expects Daisy to abandon her opulent lifestyle and pledge undying devotion to him… a dream that is not as attainable as the wealth he was able to amass. He is desperate to hold on to the past and cannot grasp the impossibility of recreating the love he once shared with Daisy.
The chapter ends with what is arguably the most romantic passage in American literature. The reader is transported back in time and invited to walk with Jay and Daisy on a crisp autumn night while there is a “stir and bustle among the stars.” Gatsby envisions the sidewalk as a ladder reaching to his destiny. He is faced with the decision to fall in love with Daisy or allow his mind to romp “like the mind of God.” He chooses Daisy with a kiss that makes even the staunchest anti-romantic melt a little inside.
This chapter reminds me that visiting the past can be pleasant, but that past experiences are best left alone. Never again will we be able to capture the magic of the moments that have shaped our lives. Attempting to relive the past only tarnishes its gleam in our memories.
