Chapter 4 is like an interlude before the meeting of Gatsby and Daisy takes place.
In this chapter we learn a little more about Gatsby and not unexpectedly, Nick and Jordan become a couple.
At the beginning of the chapter we have another party, and a record of it is written down by Nick on July 5th, guess why Fitzgerald chose that date.
At this party we meet people from all over the world with names that tell us from which country these people come but also with names that tell us a little bit about the quality or character of these people (the Hammerheads, e.g.)
In fact the whole variety of ingredients of the American melting pot or salad bowl or pizza is having fun on Gatsby’s lawn.
What do we learn about Gatsby?
We learn, during a ride in one of his gorgeous automobiles to New York, that he has a very vague idea of the American geography. According to Gatsby San Francisco is situated in the middle west which casts a bad light on the reliability of Gatsby’ story.
On the other hand some other biographical facts seem to be correct like the decoration from Montenegro.
In New York we come across Gatsby’s business partner Maier Wolfsheim who is obviously a gangster
wearing human molars as cuff buttons. So we get an idea – after all the rumors – how Gatsby makes his money.
A short accidental encounter of Gatsby and Tom Buchanan ends this scene in NY.
In a flashback we learn of events that took place back in the middle west before the war and we learn that Daisy and Gatsby met before he had to go to Europe; after the war she is about to marry Tom Buchanan when she gets a letter from Gatsby. She gets awfully drunk and refuses to marry Tom but she is sobered up by her family and friends and finally the marriage with Tom takes place. We learn that Daisy loves Tom, can’t hardly be without him, but he treats her badly and has affairs with other women from the beginning.
Gatsby has bought his house right opposite Daisy’s house across the bay to be near her and he wants to have a meeting in Nick’s house because the meeting shall be secret.
At the end of the chapter Nick and Jordan become a couple: “Her wan scornful mouth smiled and so I drew her up again, closer, this time to my face.
There is a very closely knit pattern of motifs and symbols. Do you think that Gatsby’s smile and Jordan’s smile can or should be compared? Or which other meaningful elements have you found in the text? Which significance is there in the structure of the plot?
