Gatsby Chapter 4-6 Blog

 Gatsby Chapter 4-6 Blog

In the first three chapters of The Great Gatsby we the reader know practically nothing about the man in the title. This is due to the fact that Nick has hardly talked to Gatsby or heard any truth about where he comes from and what he does. As we continue to read and delve into the fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters of the book we start to learn more about Gatsby as a person and where he gets his money and what he’s doing. The epigraph at the beginning of the book fits Gatsby perfectly and I firmly believe that this epigraph was put into the book to describe him and his character.

When we first begin reading the book we learn about the massive and extravagant parties that are held at the Gatsby resident almost every night. Nick doesn’t know anything about these parties or what the event they are thrown for is. When Nick is first introduced to Gatsby at the first party that he is invited to we learn a little about the way he presents himself especially with the quote “He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” This quote from chapter three really starts to show how he expresses himself on the outside. Which relates back to the epigraph which states “Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;”. This line in the epigraph relates because it shows that Gatsby is giving off a very good appearance that may or may not be false.

In chapter four Nick gets to know Gatsby a lot more and learns where he is from and how he got his money. Most of this occurs when Gatsby and Nick are riding in the car together. Gatsby makes very large claims in Nick’s presence which leave him skeptical these claims include being educated at Oxford, to have collected jewels in the capitals of Europe, to have hunted big game, and to have been awarded medals in World War I. Gatsby eventually proves these claims true to Nick but this sort of brandishing of his accomplishments makes him seem a little self centered. This also ties into the epigraph because it talks about how he is trying to show off his achievements in any way possible.

In chapter 5 Daisy meets Gatsby for tea after being invited over by Nick. They first meet up at Nick’s house and it is very awkward for both Nick and Gatsby because it seems neither of them are in their place at the tea party. After the weird get together at Nick’s house Gatsby invites both Nick and Daisy over to his mansion in an attempt that I believe was to impress Daisy with his wealth. I believe this was the reason he did this because it worked very well and left Daisy impressed but also because it fits into the epigraph perfectly because the epigraph is essentially stating that if showing off your wealth and accomplishments will attract the girl then do it which is exactly what Gatsby is doing in this chapter.

In chapter six we learn a lot about Gatsby and learn that he has lied about almost all of his life story. Gatsby was actually a more middle class person who found his way onto a yacht with a rich person on it named Dan Cody who took him under his wing as his personal assistant. When Cody died he left $25,000 to Gatsby who’s real name is James Gatz. All of the lies that Gatsby tells helps show even more how Gatsby fits the epigraph of showing off his accomplishments and wealth instead of who he actually is in order to get the girl.