The Great Gatsby Chapter 5
Chapter 5 takes place on the day following Nick's revelations about Gatsby and Daisy's previous involvement.
The Lights Are On… When Nick returns home from his date in the city with Jordan Baker, Gatsby's house is ablaze with lights from tower to cellar, but there is no party and no sound. “As my taxi groaned away I saw Gatsby walking toward me across his lawn.” “Your place looks like the World's Fair,” I said.
Gatsby is anxious Gatsby invites Nick for a swim… but there is clearly something else on his mind Nick realises that he is waiting to hear about Daisy “I'm going to call up Daisy to- morrow and invite her over here to tea.”
Nick Invites Daisy Nick calls Daisy, and, without mentioning Gatsby, invites her over for tea under the condition that she doesn't bring Tom. I called up Daisy from the office next morning, and invited her to come to tea. “Don't bring Tom,” I warned her. “What?” “Don't bring Tom.” “Who is 'Tom'?” she asked innocently.
Preparing for Daisy On the morning of Daisy's visit, scheduled for 4:00 p.m., it is pouring rain, but a gardener, sent by Gatsby, still comes and cuts Nick's grass. At 2:00 p.m., a virtual greenhouse of flowers, complete with containers, arrives from Gatsby.
Gatsby Waits At 3:00 p.m., Gatsby, looking nervous and tired, arrives, dressed in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold tie. He tries unsuccessfully to calm his nerves by reading.
Daisy Arrives Under the dripping bare lilac-trees a large open car was coming up the drive. It stopped. Daisy's face, tipped sideways beneath a three-cornered lavender hat, looked out at me with a bright ecstatic smile.
Where is Gatsby? When Daisy and Nick enter the house, Gatsby has disappeared. She turned her head as there was a light dignified knocking at the front door. I went out and opened it. Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes.
Awkward Moments Nick leaves them alone for a little while. Gatsby is reclining against the mantel in a “strained counterfeit of perfect ease or boredom...and his distraught eyes stared down at Daisy, who was sitting frightened but gracefully on the edge of a stiff chair.”
Daisy says that she has not seen Gatsby for many years Gatsby immediately adds that it has been five years next November, betraying his devotion to Daisy. Fortunately, the awkward moment is broken with the Finnish housekeeper bringing in the tea.
“This is a terrible mistake” Gatsby is nervous, and so is Daisy Gatsby tries to leave, but Nick convinces him to stay Nick leaves them alone again When Nick rejoins the pair in the living room, Daisy is wiping her eyes, which are filled with tears Gatsby, on the other hand, is glowing.
“I want you and Daisy to come over to my house” Gatsby gives Nick and Daisy a tour of his home dressing-rooms poolrooms bathrooms
Gatsby and Light Page 52: “blazing with light” Find more quotes associating Gatsby with light “an ecstatic patron of recurrent light” “the house glowed full of light” Metaphor Makes him seem like a mythical figure, who can bring light and happiness. Nick is hero worshipping him
The Green Light The green light represents Gatsby’s aspirations Gatsby associates Daisy with the green light It is distant and full of hope. It is one way in which he has idealised the thought of her- distant and perfect Analyse “seemed as close as a star to the moon” The reality of Daisy cannot possibly live up to the illusion: Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.
Loneliness Despite his wealth Gatsby seems lonely: It was strange to reach the marble steps and find no stir of bright dresses…and hear no sound…
Gatsby’s Bedroom His bedroom was the simplest room of all - except where the dresser was garnished with a toilet set of pure dull gold.
Wardrobe He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us While we admired he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher
Daisy Reacts Words are not sufficient for either Gatsby or Daisy to express their feelings: Suddenly, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry. “They're such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds.
Gatsby in Love Gatsby seems to be stunned by Daisy’s presence: “stared around…in a dazed way” He regresses into an awkward teenager when he sees Daisy again. “he nearly toppled down a flight of stairs” “…he was consumed with wonder”
Outside After the house, we were to see the grounds and the swimming-pool and the hydroplane and the mid-summer flowers
We'll have Klipspringer play the piano Klipspringer is known as “the boarder” as “the boarder” because he is always because he is always at Gatsby’s parties at Gatsby’s parties and seems to live at and seems to live at the mansion the mansion
Nick Leaves They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand Gatsby didn't know me now at all. I looked once more at them and they looked back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life
The end of the chapter Even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams…because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. There is foreshadowing of the tragedy to come: His ghostly heart.