‘The Great Gatsby’ Chapter Four

Lesson Outline In this lesson, we will discuss: Gatsby’s extravagant displays of wealth. Gatsby’s criminal connections. Jordan’s anecdote. The symbolic importance of the green light.

Summary Task In pairs, agree on the three most important things we learn in chapter four.

Summary Chapter Four is split into four distinct sections: Nick lists the various attendees of Gatsby’s parties and their various misdeeds. Gatsby invites Nick to lunch. As they travel to New York, the protagonist reveals details of his past. In New York, they lunch with Meyer Wolfshiem who is a successful criminal. Jordan takes over the narration and reveals Gatsby’s consuming and durable passion for Daisy.

Symbolism- Gatsby’s Car ‘It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town.’ Note any words which connote wealth or size. Why would a person choose to buy such an extravagant car? What do we learn about Gatsby in consequence of his ownership of such a vehicle?

Gatsby’s Past Gatsby tells Nick about his past. Using your own words as far as possible, summarise this account. Find two quotes which tell you Nick does not fully believe Gatsby. How does Gatsby try to substantiate his claims? Why is Gatsby trying to impress Nick with this account?

Meyer Wolfsheim As a group, discuss the importance of this character and consider why he is introduced to the novel. Think about: What he reveals about Gatsby. Your own impressions of this character. How he is described. His purpose and role.

Particularly distasteful character who has a shallow way of conducting two conversations at once. Wolfsheim Constantly looks around him as if to evade detection from the forces of the law.

Meyer Wolfsheim Gatsby reveals he is the person who fixed the World Series in 1919, therefore connecting him to characters like Jordan baker who openly cheat in order to gain privilege. His preoccupation with Gatsby’s ‘Oggsford’ education is another indicator of the premium given to Anglican values among the wealthy classes. Wolfsheim is shown to represent the cut-throat impersonal world of big business, where the players eat each other alive. Nick is understandably disconcerted by him and his connection to Gatsby makes us question his ethics.

Meyer Wolfsheim Nick’s perceptions of Meyer Wolfsheim is markedly different from the view held by Gatsby. In the narrative, Wolfsheim’s reconstruction of the death of Rosy Rosenthal follows Gatsby’s account of his own history and precedes Jordan's recollection of her encounter with Daisy and the handsome young lieutenant. The placing of Nick’s narrative of Wolfsheim’s tale of violence among gangsters inevitably causes sinister overtones to reverberate into the framing glimpses of Gatsby's past. Gatsby is dually presented as a heroic soldier and innocent lover as well as hinting at his corruption.

Narrative Change Nick relinquishes narration duties to Jordan and retells her account of Gatsby and Daisy’s past verbatim. Why is it advantageous to have Jordan narrate this section of the chapter? What do we learn from Jordan’s anecdote? Does this change your impression of Gatsby? Explain fully why this is the case.

Daisy See the chapter notes for more important information about the author’s portrayal of Daisy. This includes: The significance of ice. Symbolism of the pearl neckless. Daisy’s fickle nature.

The American Dream The American Dream is the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved. On a basic level, the green light Gatsby reaches towards in chapter one is symbolic of his desire for Daisy. On a deeper level it can be seen to symbolise the American Dream as viewed by Gatsby. The ultimate goal of his wealth accumulation is the possession of Daisy.

A Corruption? The fact that Gatsby strives to win Daisy, who is shallow, snobbish and fickle, reflects the corruption of the American Dream – it has become focused on the shallow pursuit of wealth. Gatsby doesn’t care about breaking up Daisy’s marriage . He describes his intentions as being, ‘Nothing underhand’. The American Dream has become about individual satisfaction, not reaping the rewards of hard work.