Chapter 6

The rumors about Gatsby continue to circulate in New York. Nick has learned the truth about Gatsby’s early life and now interrupts his story. He was born as James Gatz but changed it to Jay Gatsby when he was 17 years old. He dropped out of St. Olaf’s college after just 2 weeks. He then got a job as a janitor to pay for his tuition. He spent the next summer fishing for salmon and digging for clams. This is where he met Dan Cody, a wealthy copper mogul. Gatsby warned him about an on coming storm and he was so grateful he made Gatsby his personal assistant. Gatsby saw how drink affected Dan as he traveled with him and so he decided to become a drinker himself. When Cody died, he left Gatsby $25,000 but Cody’s mistress prevented from claiming the money so Gatsby dedicated himself to becoming a wealthy and successful man. Back to the present! Nick doesn’t see anyone for several weeks. He goes to Gatsby’s house and is shocked to find Tom. He has come to have a drink with Gatsby and Mr. and Mrs. Sloane. Gatsby seems very nervous and awkwardly tells Tom that he knows Daisy. Tom is suspicious but he is not yet aware of Gatsby and Daisy’s love. The following night, Gatsby has a party, which Tom and Daisy attend. Tom only goes to keep an eye on Daisy. Nick doesn’t enjoy himself. Tom tells Daisy that Gatsby’s wealth is from bootlegging but she says it’s from a long chain of drugstores. When the party is over Gatsby is upset that Daisy has had such a bad time. He wants Daisy to leave Tom so they can be together. Nick reminds Gatsby that he cannot re-create the past. Gatsby thinks that he can. He believes his money will win her over. Nick remembered Gatsby and Daisy kissed. He thinks about how Gatsby fell in love and how Daisy became the dominant force in his life.

Not likeable

S- Tom is portrayed in an negative/arrogant manner

Q- “Tom’s arrogant eyes roamed the room”

A- This emphasises his arrogant side as Tom thinks he is of better class than the other

people at the party. He judges other people as thinks he is better than them. This

emphasises the theme divide in social class as he thinks money makes people better.

S- Gatsby is a push over

Q- “that girl hadn’t been invited. They simply forced their way in and he’s too polite to

object”

A- This proves he is a pushover because when people come to his party uninvited he does not tell them to leave. This emphasises the theme Desire as Gatsby is hoping Daisy

will attend to one of his parties to show off his success.

S- Nick is reassuring

Q- “’She didn’t like it’, he said immediately. ‘Of course she did’”

A- Nick tries to convince Gatsby that he has done the right thing. This conveys Nicks emotions for

Gatsby as he tries to reassure him.

Not likeable

S- Daisy is portrayed as a snob.

Q- “the girl was ‘common but pretty’,”

A- Daisy looks down on people who are less wealthy than herself. This emphasises the

divide in social class, which is a theme throughout the novel. This is important to the

novel as a whole as this is just one of the problems that the theme explores.

S- The first of two flashbacks in chapter 6 lets the writer find out about Gatsby’s past.

Q- “It was James Gatz who had been loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants, but it was already Jay Gatsby who borrowed a rowboat.”

A- The writer uses a flashback to gives the reader an insight to Gatsby’s past. It tells them how he met Dan Cody and how he made his fortune. The flashback tells the reader that Gatsby changed his name and it shows how changing his name changed his character. He wore a ‘torn green jersey’ when he was James Gatz but he became much better dressed when he changed to Jay Gatsby.

S- The writer uses Flashback again, this is an effective way to convey Gatsby’s past involving Daisy.

Q- “One Autumn night, fives years before…his heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl…”

A- Flashbacks is an effective structural technique used by Fitzgerald as it gives the reader an insight of why Gatsby is how he is now. This is important to the novel as a whole as it give you a better understanding of Gatsby's character. This quote is effective as it shows how Gatsby and Daisy first met and how Gatsby fell in love. This also emphasises Daisy’s flirtatious side as she attracted a young and vulnerable Gatsby, and made him fall in love.

S- The theme of Desire is used in chapter 6 to show Gatsby's love for Daisy.

Q- “He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you’ ”

A- This shows the theme of desire as Gatsby wanted Daisy to leave Tom and come back to him. Gatsby has desired this for a long time and now that she is coming closer to him, he is trying even harder to impress her. This is important to the novel as a whole because it explains Gatsby’s character and his actions. This also emphasises the measures that Gatsby will take to win Daisy and not stop until he does, even if he splits up their family.

“That girl hadn’t been invited. They simply forced their way in and he’s too polite to object,”

“He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his career,”

“The girl was ‘common but pretty’”

“One Autumn night Fives years before… his heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl…”

“He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you’”

1. What did Gatsby change his name from and when?

2. What college did he attend?

3. Why does Tom go to Gatsby’s party?

4. What does Gatsby think will win over Daisy’s heart?

5. How is Gatsby seen as a pushover?

6. What kind of time does Gatsby think Daisy had at the party?

7. What’s the significant of the flashback in the chapter?

8. What does the theme of desire show in the chapter?

•“Tom’s _______ eyes roamed the room”

•“that girl hadn’t been invited. They simply forced their way in and he’s too _____ to object”

•“’She ____ like it’, he said immediately. ‘Of course she did’”

•“the girl was ‘_______ but _____’,”

•“It was ______ Gatz who had been loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants, but it was already Jay ______ who borrowed a rowboat.”

•“One Autumn night, fives years before…his heart beat faster and faster as ______ white face came up to his own. He knew that when he _______ this girl…”

•“He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I ______ _____ you’ ”