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The Great Gatsby

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Introduction: The Great Gatsby is a book written in the 1920s(the jazz era) by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel starts with the narrator Nick Carraway who is the neighbour of the infamous millionaire Jay Gatsby who throws grand parties in the hope of reuniting with his lover Daisy Buchanan(Nick’s cousin). The novel is set in Long Island which has been separated in two parts; the east egg and west egg. Plot: In 1922's spring Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate makes his journey to New York for employment, where he rents a bungalow in the west egg of the Long Island, next to a luxurious estate owned by Jay Gatsby, a multi-millionaire who hosts extravagant parties, but does not take part in them. On this island the West Egg is known as the residence of the ‘new money’ whereas the East Egg is known for the residence of ‘Old money’. Nick goes for a supper at Daisy's(distant cousin) who lives in the east egg with her husband Tom Buchanan, a graduate from Yale who was recognized by Nick. The Buchanan couple relocated to a mansion directly across the bay from the Gatsby estate from Chicago. Where Nick meets Jordan Baker, an arrogant flapper and a golf champion, a childhood friend of Daisy’s. Jordan tells Nick that Tom has a mistress who resides in the ‘Valley of Ashes’. That very evening Nick sees Gatsby standing alone on his lawn staring at the green light across the bay. After a few days, NIck accompanies Tom to New York City by train, where Myrtle(Tom’s Mistress) joins them. They go on to the apartment Tom rents for their affair. Guests are invited and a small party begins, which ends when Tom hits Myrtle in the face breaking her nose because she mentioned Daisy. One day, Nick receives a formal invitation for one of Gatsby's extravagant parties. Once Nick reaches he is embarrassed as he recognises no one and starts drinking heavily until he encounters Jordan. During their conversation, a man approaches them introducing himself as Jay Gatsby and he tries to win Nick over. When Nick leaves the party he notices Gatsby watching him. One day, Nick and Gatsby have lunch at a drinking club, where Gatsby tries to impress Nick by telling him about his days in Oxford and his heroism in the war period. Afterwards, Nick meets Jordan at a Hotel where Jordan tells him how Gatsby and Daisy met when he was an officer in the US army in 1917. They fell in love but when Gatsby needed to post overseas, Daisy married Tom. Gatsby hopes that his wealth and lavish parties would win over Daisy. Gatsby uses Nick to reunite with Daisy, and the two take off on an affair. In September, Tom finds out about the affair when Daisy carelessly addresses Gatsby with shameless intimacy in front of him. Later, at the Plaza Hotel suite, Gatsby and Tom argue about the affair, where Gatsby stands firm that Daisy said that she never loved Tom. But Daisy confronts that she loves both men, which leaves both of them upset. In the argument, Tom reveals that Jay has an illegal alcohol business, where Daisy decided to stay with Tom. Tom then orders Gatsby to drive Daisy home knowing Daisy wouldn’t leave him. While returning to East Egg, Gatsby’s car hits Myrtle which kills her right there. Later on Gatsby reveals to Nick that Daisy was driving the car but will take the matter into his own hand to protect Daisy. Nick tries to convince Gatsby to avoid the prosecution but he refuses. After Tom tells Geroge(Myrtle’s husband) that the car that hit his wife was Gatsby’s, George assumes that Gastby was Myrtle’s lover. George deadly shoots Gatsby in his estate’s swimming pool, and then kills himself. Several days after Jay’s death, his father Henry Gatz arrives for the funeral. After Jay’s death, Nick starts to hate the city and decides that Daisy, Tom, Gatsby and he were all Midwesterners who weren't meant for Eastern life. Nick bumps into Tom and refuses to shake his hand. Tom then admits that he was the one who told George about the vehicle being owned by Gatsby which hit Myrtle. Before leaving the island, Nick visits Gatsby’s mansion and stares across the bay at the green light emerging from Daisy’s dock. Critical Analysis: The Great Gatsby tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a rich and mysterious man who throws big parties hoping to see his old love, Daisy. The book shows how people in the 1920s cared a lot about money and social status, but even money can't buy true happiness or love. Gatsby comes from a poor background, but he becomes wealthy trying to win back Daisy, who is married to Tom, a man from a rich family. The story also shows that society was divided between old rich families and new rich people like Gatsby. In the end, Gatsby's dream doesn't come true, and he dies lonely, which shows how chasing dreams based on money and appearances can be sad and empty. The book is about how the American Dream sometimes fails and how people can be hurt by wanting things that may not be real. Conclusion and Recommendation: In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is a story about love, and the harsh reality behind wealth and status. Gatsby’s dream to be with Daisy and his belief that money can bring happiness ultimately fail, showing that chasing unrealistic dreams can lead to sadness and loneliness. Gatsby’s tragic death shows the cost of living in a world full of lies and illusions. As a recommendation, The Great Gatsby is a meaningful read for anyone interested in understanding human nature, and society. It encourages readers, especially students, to think critically about what true success and happiness mean beyond money and appearances. The novel is important for learning how dreams can inspire but also how they can sometimes blind people to reality.

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Published on 12/15/2025

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Aadhyashree Poudyal is a student at Deerwalk Sifal School who loves writing articles, exploring diverse topics, and engaging in creative discussions.

Aadhyashree Poudyal

Grade 9

Roll No: 29060

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