A summary of chapter three

Write a summary of chapter three.

The third chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel is about Nick's first visit at Gatsby's parties. Nick describes Gatsby's parties as excessive, crowded and superficial.

One day Gatsby's chauffeur delivers an invitation to Nick. That's really unusual, because normally nobody is invited to Gatsby's parties. All guests of Gatsby come simply without any invitation. After Nick has arrived at the party, he feels a bit lonely, because he knows nobody. Finally he meets Jordan Baker, who introduces him to those people she knows yet. In a small round with Jordan, three men and two girls there are many rumours about Gatsby uttered. After a time Nick and Jordan leave this group and join a group of more polite people which come from East Egg. But they stay also not very long in this circle.

In search of the host Gatsby they find a really confusing man in Gatsby's library. When they have left this confusing man they go back into the garden and sit down at a table with a man. During the conversation with him it turns out that the man is Gatsby himself. A few minutes later, after Nick and Gatsby have talked about their times during the war in Europe. Then Gatsby is asked for a phone call. Afterwards Jordan and Nick are in conversation for a short time about Gatsby. However suddenly Gatsby's butler arrives, and tells that Gatsby wants to speak to Jordan alone. When Nick is alone he watches the society a short time and enters then the hall. Just at the moment when he wants to go, Jordan and Gatsby come back out of the library. Jordan is very amazed of the new information about Gatsby and wants Nick to visit her during the next days. After Nick has said goodbye to the host he goes outside where he become witness of a confusing scene: The man from the library and his drunken chauffeur had driven into the ditch. At the end of the chapter Nick tells us that the up to now told happenings aren't the only important things he has experienced this summer. After a short affair with a girl he starts a partnership with Jordan Baker. But he remembers a scandal about Jordan at her first golf tournament.

T.W

Suggestion for a close reading in class !

2a.)     Taking chapter three into account, explain how the author introduces Gatsby.

Fitzgerald introduces Gatsby to us gradually. You have to find out more and more about Gatsby. Gatsby is like something unknown, even a little mystery. Gatsby is first presented through the eyes of other persons, for example by Myrtle Wilson' sister Catherine. She tells us in chapter two that she heard Gatsby should be a nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. Another person who wants to know something about Gatsby is Lucille, a friend of Jordan Baker. In Lucille's view was Gatsby a German spy during the world war. In the course of the action there are many rumours told about Gatsby. But nobody really know who Gatsby is, where his money comes from, and why he gives such excessive parties every weekend. In chapter three Gatsby makes his debut. Nick has a short conversation with him at the first time.      M.P.

2b.)     What effect does this have ???

In the process of the novel the reader learns more and more about Gatsby. Each chapter conceals new information about Gatsby. The reader has always to check which information are true and which are wrong. He has to discover who Gatsby really is and what are the reasons for his way of behaving.   M.P

3a.)     Start to collect information about Gatsby.

Divide what the reader learns into two lists: what other people say about Gatsby and what Gatsby says about himself. Continue this list while reading the novel.

What other people say about him                 What Gatsby says about himself

Gatsby doesn't want to have             He was in the Seventh Infantry.

any trouble with anybody.                 Has bought a hydroplane.

Gatsby had killed a man once.          He is an Oxford man.

He was a German spy                        Doesn't believe that he is a good host.

during the war.                                 

Grown up in Germany.                     

He was in the American army.

They don't believe that he's an

Oxford man.

T.W.

3b.)     What does the reader learn about Gatsby through his manner of speaking, his appearance and his behaviour ?

Gatsby talks in a very correct manner, so that it sometimes sounds nearly a bit absurd. Even before Gatsby has introduced himself Nick has noticed that Gatsby picks his words with care. Everything he expresses is well thought out (considered).

Nick describes Jay Gatsby as a man who smile understandingly while he listens and is on the other side an elegant, young and rough-neck.

He is just one or two years older than thirty.

Gatsby is different from all these people on his parties. Gatsby retires very often to observe his guests or to think about them. Jay Gatsby never does anything without thinking about it, all the things he does are well thought of. Gatsby stands out against his guests because he doesn't drink alcohol. He pursues his aims with eagerness.

But Gatsby is also a very generous man. His parties do without anything and Gatsby compensate the dress of the girl in yellow. Jay Gatsby is also a very chummy guy. It doesn't matter that Nick doesn't know Gatsby.      T.W.

4.) A general introduction to Gatsby's parties is given on pp.37-38.

Describe what the parties are like by dividing the impressions into four categories: "food", "drink", "music", "people".

By reading the first paragraph of chapter 3 you would think Gatsby`s parties are like an amusement park. He has got a raft, a piece of beach, two motor boats, a hydroplane and a Rolls Royce. The Rolls Royce is used to carry people to the parties and back. All people at the party use Gatsby`s property and have fun with it. The relation between Gatsby as host and his guests is very impersonal. Even Nick does not know who Gatsby is. The people that come to Gatsby`s parties do not come on account of Gatsby but only because of the society. Most of the people that come to the parties are not invited. Nevertheless they come because of the social event or they accompany other guests. Also the relation between the guests themselves is aloof. There is only small-talk and all the guests act like "to see and to bee seen".

Everything is very luxurious. Every Friday oranges and lemons are delivered to Gatsby`s house. Even the drinks are very expensive. So a lot of spirits are to old to be known by the younger visitors. The parties often end in excesses because the guest drink a lot alcohol.

Also the music is abnormal for a party. It is not a band that is usual for party it is a big orchestra that plays the music.                            S.Z.

5.) Compare the quality of East Egg with that of Gatsby's parties.

Gatsby parties are completely different from the quality of East Egg.

On Gatsby's parties exists everything in excess. Food, alcohol and music is everywhere aware. Brightness and magnificence describes what Gatsby's parties like. Gatsby as host isn't able to notice all his guests. There are so many people that it's really confusing. The mentality of the East Eggers from the other side of the bay is more polite and noble. They wouldn't celebrate such sometimes even vulgar parties. It's more important for them to have a round of selected people at their party. That confusion on Gatsby's party stands out of the East Egg mentality.

Brightness confusion magnificence daring vulgarity excess excitement words to describe Gatsby's parties. T.W.

Why does nick call the scene "significant, elemental and profound" (p.44, ll.15-16) ???

The scene is significant, elemental and profound because Gatsby appears at the first time. Although Nick sits opposite Gatsby for a while yet, he doesn't know that the man he talks to is Gatsby. Nevertheless Nick feels this conversation different, he feels that this conversation has a special quality. And then a few lines later it turns out, that the man opposite Nick is Gatsby. M.P.

Describe Gatsby's relation to the party from the beginning until the last guests have left.

Gatsby isn't like the other persons on his party. Gatsby doesn't drink alcohol, , he talks always very carefully and he is the opposite character from all the other persons in the novel. Gatsby gives parties for people who are completely different from him. During his party he observes his guests very carefully and it seems that Gatsby is able to control the occurrence around himself. He is a sort of supervisor, who controls the happenings around him. Gatsby plays a sort of game with his guests.    T.W.

8a.) Explain why Jordan Baker starts to play a larger part in the events

Jordan Baker starts to play a larger part in the events because she is the only one who Nick knows at the party. Another reason is that Nick is attracted by Jordan as we are told at the end of chapter 3. She becomes also more interesting for Nick because after the she was alone with Gatsby Jordan told him the she had heard some amazing things.                       S.Z

8b.)     What new areas of her character emerge in this chapter

The new area of her character which emerges in Chapter 3 is that she is a chronic swindler. When Nick and Jordan were on a private party she left a hired car out in the rain with the top down. But with the help of a lie she managed the situation. Because of this occasion Nick remembers a story about Jordan`s first golf - tournament. In this tournament she moved a ball to improve her lie. So Jordan can`t bear to be disadvantaged.                          S.Z.

9.) The narrator turns his attention away from Gatsby and back to himself. What do we learn about him, and why is this of importance ?

By turning his attention away from Gatsby Nick wants to make clear that he has done many other things than go to parties. Nick tells us how he normally spends his time. He gives us an idea of his work, his long walks through New York and his preference for women. The careful reader notices that he is very active, he searches the adventure, just as Jordan Baker. As consequence Nick gets involved with Jordan Baker, particularly he sexually attracted to her. T.W.

What is the significance of the "bizarre and tumultuous scene"(p.50 l.10 - p.52 l.15) ?

This bizarre and tumultuous scene shows the reader, how drunk the people

are, who visited Gatsby's party. Almost every person on the party obviously

likes to drink alcohol excessive. A good example for this is Nick`s way back home, when he recognizes the car crashing against the wall. This accident caused by a drunken man shows the careless of Gatsby's guest. It seems to me, that they don`t think about the future. They live for the moment and that is the way how like it.            M.S.

Further questions to look at and to combine with the ones above:

a.)   What is typical of Gatsby's parties ???

b.)   What is remarkable about Gatsby as a host ???

c.)   What do we learn about Gatsby in this chapter ???

d.)   What do we learn about Nick in this chapter!!!

e.)   Is Jordan a suitable partner for Nick ???

f.)    Does Jordan's outer appearance reflect her true character???

g.)   What are the man characteristics of the "Twenties" ???

h.)   How did the "fast crowel " live ???

i.)    How is the majority of Americans described ???