Summary

“The Great Gatsby” is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925. It tells the story of the wealthy young man Jay Gatsby and his tumultuous relationship with the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Set in New York in the summer of 1922, the novel explores themes of love, obsession, and the decline of the American Dream.

  • The novel opens with the narrator, Nick Carraway, moving to a house on Long Island where he becomes neighbors with Gatsby.
  • Nick is drawn into Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle and becomes friends with him, although he remains somewhat suspicious of Gatsby’s mysterious past.
  • Nick is also introduced to Daisy Buchanan, his cousin, and her husband Tom, who are part of the wealthy elite of New York society.
  • It is revealed that Gatsby and Daisy had a relationship before the war, but Gatsby left to fight and Daisy married Tom. Gatsby has been trying to win Daisy back ever since.
  • As the summer progresses, tensions rise between Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, and a series of events leads to a tragic accident.
  • Gatsby is ultimately killed by Tom’s mistress, and Daisy and Tom flee to the West Coast.
  • The novel ends with Nick reflecting on the events of the summer and the lessons he has learned about the corrupting influence of wealth and the decline of the American Dream.