The Great Gatsby Suspense Is Killer

Suspense is Killer
F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, uses suspense to introduce Jay Gatsby who is clouded in a veil of mystery as no one knows who he really is. Jay Gatsby is thought of a huge partying millionaire and who mysteriously obtained a fortune, his past is foggy and rumors fly around about potential pieces that fit into the puzzle of Gatsby’s past. Nick Carroway, our narrator, wanders the party with Jordan Baker and the twins talking about the mystery that surrounds their host. Nick had heard many rumors surrounding Gatsby, “Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once...“I don’t think its so much that,” argued Lucille sceptically “it’s more that he was a German spy during the war” (Fitzgerald 44). But the conversation flipped around as new information came up that he was in the American army during the war. Nick and Jordan soon went searching for their host who went incognito at his own party, another mystery about our host was found in his immense library. All the books in this library were never read as all the pages were never cut, were they all just for show? Fitzgerald wanted to keep the reader enticed as rumors upon rumors piled on top on the man named Gatsby. This method keeps the reader on his or hers toes as they don’t know what to think of the imminent protagonist. Its human nature to question everything around them unfortunately for Nick and his friends, Gatsby case is unknown by all and will stay that way till the meet the man clouded in mystery.
As Gatsby can still no longer be found Jordan and Nicks search soon ends as they end up talking with a man and another woman across the table which they were sitting at. Little did Nick know he had more in common with this man than he knew. They begin to talk about how they were both in the war together and invites Nick over to his hydroplane for a little fun. Little did Nick know the man he was talking to was their host, “This is unusual party for me. I haven't even seen the host. I live over there-” I waved my hand at the invisible hedge in the distance, “and this man Gatsby sent over his chauffeur with an invitation.” For a moment he looked at me as if he failed to understand. “Im Gatsby,” he said suddenly. “What!” I exclaimed. “Oh, I beg you pardon”(Fitzgerald 47-48). Nick doesn’t even realized he’s talking with Gatsby as no one is introducing themselves to the host. This brings more mystery around Gatsby as he doesn’t play the host of the party and never introduces himself. He comes across as a shy millionaire who hosts parties and probably doesn’t enjoy them, what motive could he have to throw parties and not join in all the festivities. Scott Fitzgerald uses the mystery and suspense around his character, Jay Gatsby, to produce an enticing mystery of the motives of a shy partying millionaire.