The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Summary

The Great Gatsby is set during the roaring 20’s smack dab in the Empire State. Told from the perspective of the Midwestern transplant Nick Carraway, the story centers around the mysterious and suspiciously rich Jay Gatsby--his next-door neighbor. In the first chapters of the novel, Nick is seen reuniting with his distant cousin, both in gene and mind, Daisy Buchanan. She and her ridiculously rich husband Tom introduce him to their dear friend, Jordan Baker, an excellent golfer, but a notorious cheater. Nick quietly observes the levity of their lifestyles and is entirely out of place. He learns of Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson, and is subsequently invited to meet her. Tom takes Nick to a rendezvou in the Valley of Ashes: a dump watched over
Nick meets Gatsby and is enchanted by everything from his mansion to his alcohol to his legendary smile. He learns through his new girlfriend Jordan that Gatsby is deeply in love with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. Jordan informs him that Gatsby has requested Nick to invite his long lost love over for tea. He does just that, and after a moment alone in Nick’s house, the two rekindle their love and begin an affair. Meanwhile, Tom, who is still engaging in an affair of his own, becomes increasingly suspicious of the relationship that has formed between his wife and Gatsby. He invites everyone over for a meal and subsequently forces them to an impromptu trip to the city, where he confronts Gatsby of his affair. Gatsby tries to get the horrified yet fickle Daisy to confess that she never loved Tom, but to Gatsby’s dismay, that simply isn't the truth. Tom suggests they all return home as his goal of securing Daisy has been accomplished. To add insult to injury, he makes Daisy ride home with Gatsby. As this story is told from Nick’s perspective, the reader does not immediately learn of the tragedy that takes place with Gatsby and Daisy on the ride