The Great Gatsby is one of the most popular books in theUnited States. The book was number two on theModern Library Association's list of "100 Best Novels of the 20th Century."[2]Time Magazine put the book in itsTIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.[3] A 1989study found that 54% of thehigh schools that weresurveyed taughtThe Great Gatsby in their English classes.[4]
The story is told by Nick Carraway, a man who moves to Long Island, New York, from theMidwest. Nick is not rich, but he lives in a rich area that has two towns called East Egg and West Egg. The "old rich" live in East Egg while the "new rich" live in West Egg. Nick lives in a small house in West Egg. Nick's next-doorneighbor isJay Gatsby. Jay is in love with Nick's cousin Daisy. However, Daisy is married to a man named Tom. The novel is about Jay and his hope that he can steal Daisy from Tom.
The events of the novel[5] happen in the summer of 1922. Nick Carraway, a man who grew up in the AmericanMidwest, is thenarrator. Nick is aWorld War Iveteran and aYale University graduate who wants a more exciting life. He moves toNew York, to be abondssalesman. There, herents a house in the small community of West Egg. The person living next to him isJay Gatsby, a strange man who also has a lot of money. Jay Gatsby also hosts many expensive parties frequently. Strangely, he never joins in his own parties. Because people don't know him, manyrumors are made about Gatsby's true identity and background. Nick drives out to visit his cousin Daisy in East Egg. There, he meets her husband, Tom Buchanan. He is also introduced to her friend, Jordan Baker. Nick learns from her that Tom has been having anaffair with Myrtle Wilson. Nick decides to hold hisjudgment.
Later in the summer, Nick is invited to one of Gatsby's parties. He meets Gatsby there. Gatsby is a young andcharming man. Nick learns that Gatsby was in love with Daisy many years ago. Gatsby is still in love with her. He spends many nights looking across the water from hismansion at the green light from Daisy'sdock. He is hoping that he can impress Daisy with his rich lifestyle and wild parties. Gatsby grew up very poor and with little chance to move up in the world. This made Gatsby try to get much money to become a different person. If he is rich, he thinks he will be right for Daisy. Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting between Daisy and himself. Nick invites them both over for tea, and they begin to fall in love again. They then start an affair with each other.
After a short time, Tom notices that Daisy and Gatsby are in love. The group meets at a hotel, where Daisy is forced to choose between Gatsby and Tom. She chooses Tom, and the group begins to drive home. Along the way, Daisy is driving Gatsby's car. She accidentally hits and kills Myrtle. Gatsby tells Nick that he will take the blame in order to save Daisy. Later, Gatsby is shot dead by Myrtle's husband, George. George believes that Gatsby was the one who killed his wife. George then kills himself.
Nick holds a funeral for Gatsby. Gatsby was famous and generous, but very few people come to his funeral. Nick is angry and sad about everything that has happened. He decides to leave New York and move back to the Midwest.
