As Matt said no one really has meet Gatsby or knows who he is.  Many of the guests at the party talk about him and exchange rumors about his past.  One lady states that Gatsby was a German spy during the war, and one man says that Gatsby is a graduate of Oxford and that he once killed a man.  Nick also had never meet Gatsby so he also doesn't know what is true and what isn't.

Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby as a very mysterious character. Most people intending the party has never met or even knew anything about Gatsby's background and past. Nick doesn't know what to believe and listens intently to a group of women at the party who all gossip about his "murderous" past. A woman at the party even says "He's a bootlegger" nonchalantly. This party is similar to the one Nick attended earlier in chapter two in which the people at the party gossiped non-stop about the situation between Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Myrtle's sister, Catherine, says," You see?... It's really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic and they don't believe in divorce." Nick is "shocked at the elaborateness of the lie" because he knows that Daisy is not a Catholic. It is clear by the time that Nick attends Gatsby's party that he is living in a society of fake, ignorant, and mysterious people.

The phoniness and ignorance conveyed throughout the society, represents the characters' fear of facing reality.  Gatsby lets the greedy society to believe these elaborate rumors, but in the inside just wants to renew his love for Daisy.  Although Nick placed Gatsby's greediness and phoniness on the same level as all the other characters, his admiration for him continues to grow.  The mystery of Gatsby leaves the reader wanting to find out if Gatsby is truly genuine and honest or fake like everyone else.

 I also noticed that the people at the party convey a society that is somewhat phony, gossipy, and ignorant. Fitzergalrd seems to be making a statement about many of the rich society members in the twenties and how they were often out of touch with reality and drank profusely drank. This is shown in the rumors spread about Gatsby being a murder, a bootlegger, and a German spy. The people at the party seem so consumed with making up rumors about others and drinking to escape from who they are and make life seem more dramatic than it truely is.

I agree Hannah. The people at the party go out of their way to escape their own realities by living off the life of another. By making up stories about their host, it makes them feel like they have some part of the excitement. This shows how small and unfulfilling their own lives are. The people know that they are being phonies but they don't care; "They were, at least, agonizingly aware of the easy money in the vicinity and convinced that it was theirs for a few words in the right key" (46).

The scene at Gatsby's party reminded me of the party Tom and Myrtle had in chapter two where Myrtle transforms into a different person, one resembling all the people at the party. These people create a different, more exciting life for themselves and these parties offer a place of excitement. These parties are a way for them to escape their own realities by living off another lavish lifestyle. And even though no one really knows much about Gatsby, they waste no time exchanging rumors about him. Like Anna said, this shows how unfulfilling their own lives are.

I definitely agree.  The wealthy characters desperately try to mask their own isolation and try to fit in with their counterparts.  Fitzgerald emphasizes this by providing themes and controlling ideas througout the chapters to juxtapose reality with wealthy contempt for reality.

In the end, Fitzgerald wants us to realize that these people lack substance in their lives, like you said, but for now he wants to contrast that with a different perspective. Some left the party "without having met gatsby at all" BUT, they came to the party "with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission" He does hint at their superficiality, but paints a picture of the evening as joyous, exciting, and care-free. But also, the "escape" you mentioned is important. These people don't care about substance right now, they want to escape, to be light in heart and simple in mind. They want to "[seize] a cocktail out of the air, [dump] it down for courage" and dance out "alone on the canvas platform". This mind-set characterizes a large part of society during the roaring 20's. After the war, they just wanted to have fun, to live by the rules "associated with amusement parks".

In the end, Fitzgerald wants us to realize that these people lack substance in their lives, like you said, but for now he wants to contrast that with a different perspective. Some left the party "without having met gatsby at all" BUT, they came to the party "with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission" He does hint at their superficiality, but paints a picture of the evening as joyous, exciting, and care-free. But also, the "escape" you mentioned is important. These people don't care about substance right now, they want to escape, to be light in heart and simple in mind. They want to "[seize] a cocktail out of the air, [dump] it down for courage" and dance out "alone on the canvas platform". This mind-set characterizes a large part of society during the roaring 20's. After the war, they just wanted to have fun, to live by the rules "associated with amusement parks".

I applaud Stephanie's use of the word "phony" - it's fitting because Nick is exactly like Holden Caulfield. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I don't think Fitzgerald wants to persuade the reader to keep reading to find out if Gatsby is real or not, but rather just because Gatsby seems so interesting. The reader has no vested interest in liking Gatsby (who's more memorable, the Jedis or Darth Vader?), but wants to meet him just because he's such an interesting character. Any person with those kinds of rumors must be quite a character, no matter whether they're true.

Kate, you are not the first to compare Nick to Holden Caulfield. I did the same. I mean there are only so many Holden Caulfield type characters. I think we would know a description when we read one! I also agree that the author is focusing more on the mystery of Gatsby rather then persuading his current reader. The fact that he is young, rich, and seems to be a pretty good liar adds to the depth of the plot. As we come to find out he does have a few secrets concerning Daisy, but I think that those are just the beginning to fully unraveling this complex character.

I completly agree with everyone who said that in this novel, Nick is similar to Holden Caulfield.  Nick is the type of person who is well educated and is very opinionated.  He has to make his own judgement about everything.  He is similar the characters like Holden in the way that he can move to a new place and fit in like he had been there the entire time.  I think there is also more to Nick then the author reveals so far.  Fitzgerald seems to be focusing more on Gatsby at the moment and why he is mysterious, but I believe there could be another side to Nick as well.

Actually, the plot of Catcher in the Rye centered around Holden's attempt at self discovery.  He never really fit in with anyone, he was trying to find his place in the world.

I don't agree with the comparison with Holden Caulfield. It is true, that both charcters narrated the story form their point of view, but Catcher in the Rye centered around Holden's developement as a character withhis constant judgement of society, but in Gatsby, Nick is like an empty vessel, meant to tell the story of Gatsby non-judgementally.

I agree that Gatsby is truely a man of mystery, in that we are beginning to see some depth of character and a secret past that is slowly unraveling.  Although there are numerous rumors surrounding his past and present livilihood, I do not believe that Gatsby is any more of a lier than the average person.  He seems to be shady in revealing his past to Nick, but that only plays into his more reserved nature.  We see this when he is seen at his party alone on his stairs moving his eyes from one group to the next, observing from a distance.  He is also described as being the only one at the party that is not drinking, which serves a dual purpose; giving him a more conservative image, and linking him to Daisy, as she was described as not drinking during the get together at Tom Buchanan's in chapter 2.

I agree with what Stephanie said about Gatsby's character.  However, in chapter 4 we are able to figure out a small part of his past through the story that Jordan tells Nick.  The fact that Gatsby was so in love with Daisy almost 5 years ago and can't stop thinking about her still shows his devotion and deep emotions towards her (contrasting the shallow views of most of the others thus far in the novel).  "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay" (83).  This story adds a lot to Gatsby's character and allows the reader to understand a little bit more about why he is the way he is and what exactly he is doing in West Egg.

As these rumors evolve, Gatsby seems to use them to his advantage.  In chapter four Gatsby begins to tell Nick a little about himself and he says most of the same things as the rumors, "' I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years.  It is a family tradition'" (Fitzgerald 69).  What's really interesting is that Gatsby "hurried the phrase 'educated at Oxford'' as if he knows it's not true and he's just using the rumors as a facade to hide his true self.  This also ties in with the idea of secrecy, mystery, and emptiness of society that we see in the novel.

The diverse ideas about Gatsby gives the audience a sense of false security. His mysterious cloak is important in keeping others away from him. I think that he is a misanthropic, only letting Nick and Daisy get close enough to see his real personality.

This is the first time we really see Gatsby in public, yet he still secludes himself from socializing. It is his party, but he doesn't know the guests, and they don't know him. He entertains with flashy and expensive means instead of engaging in conversation. The mystery of Gatsby unfolds slowly to keep our interest.

I agree with Kristen about how Fitzgerald keeps Gatsby a mystery to keep our intrest. But I also think that his separation from the rest of the party and how very few people know him could be because he is very different from other characters in the novel.

I find it quite odd that Gatsby chose to live in West Egg Villiage. The West Egg Villiage is specifically for those who have just accumulated wealth, perhaps from buying stocks. Gatsby, however, acknowledged that he came from a wealthy family. The idea that he chose to place himself  in a somewhat undermining position is a fascinating mystery. 

I'm not completely sure but this could be because he was scared of being to close to Daisy.  He wanted to be near her and someday reunite, but he was scared.  I think he wanted to be able to see her house which he can do (the green light of the dock has a large significance).  Also he may feel as though he just accumulated the wealth if his venture turn out to be true and he just got it.

One of Gatsby's major characteristics is his shyness or fear of being accepted. He (supposedly) accumulated all of his wealth over the years, but he changes his stories, so Nick questions his character. I think that Gatsby might have a problem with lying, while at the same time, a fear of being accepted and being able to fit in with other people. For instance, he said that he inherited his money, but he has also said that he earned it in many different jobs.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gatsby does this on purpose in order to create mystery. He doesn't seem like a very open person - maybe he wants people to wonder.

I like how Fitzgerald unravels Gatsby's character slowly, like Kristen said, it keeps the reader interested. None of the guests have met Gatsby, but yet they talk about him as if they have. They exchange stories of what they have heard of him, when really none of them even know what he looks like. I think it is funny that these people come to his party invited or not, and when they are there, they drink and some of themselves make fools of themselves. Maybe they are using Gatsby's parties as places to go and pretend to be people they are not in regular society. It's like attendiong his parties make you a greater person than you are.

The main difference between Gatsby and all the other characters is his opulence. He owns Rolls-Royce, a swimming pool, a beach, and .even a live orchestra playing during the party. I think Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby's wealth in detail because how he makes/made money will be critical later on in the story. He keeps Gatsby mysterious as to create rising action and further deepen the plot.

yes, after reading this post I began searching for a quote to add data to this argument and I found it.  On page 54, the  Nick agknowledges that Jordan has a curious point when she says that, "She thinks that he [Gatsby] killed a man." because nobody makes that much money from nothing like he apparently did.  I also found it interesting that, after saying this, Jordan just continues on with "Anyway he gives large parties, And I like large parties..." This was interesting because after making such an outlandish comment that Gatsby killed someone, she just continues on complementing him.  This shows a false sense of trust between Gatsby and the other characters of the story.

I think Gatsby lets everyone think different things of him, just to keep himself a mystery, because maybe he is just as phony and empty as anyone else. His relationship with Nick is a good example, i mean when he wants to have tea with Daisy, instead of just being direct and just asking Nick, he goes through the whole mystery of Jordan asking Nick and so forth.

I do not think that Gatsby is "phony" like the rest of his guests.  He may be hiding something, and love the riches, but if he were like them, i htin kthat he would be out and about at his own party acting like the rest of them.  I feel like his riches just cover up for soemthing, maybe he did kill someone,  or he just has to carry on his families ideas.  But when he talks to nick about being in the war, he seems more human, and not so balloonish.  Then when nick finds out he's the host, he "smiled understandingly," this is another instance which shows me that he is not just a "phony."

I agree with you Anna.   Gatsby isn't as phony as the other guests at the party.   Gatsby has moments where he is like the rest of the guests, but at the same time, he appears human around Nick.   Overall, he is a man of mystery.

I agree with leslie. unlike all the other characters in the novel Gatsby doesn't join in with all the other characters. Gatsby doesn't join in on the gossip, Gatsby doesn't act fake to try to get other people to like him. Gatsby is Gatsby. He does whatever he wants and thats what makes him different.

In a society of women only being "a beautiful fool" and men wasteing money on whatever they can, we see Gatsby separating himself. As you said, he does what he wants, but I also think that he separated himself because of his lonliness. He always has people that he doesn't know around to cover up his lonliness, and this only adds to his mysterious nature.

I think that's an interesting point about how Gatsby doesn't know most of his guests, and they don't know him. That might be - wait for it - a metaphor for society at large. I think Fitzgerald wants us to realize how shallow people in general are. (I know, not exactly an original comment.) It's not just that these people don't know each other, it's that they don't care to. It's human nature not to question a good thing; in this case, that good thing is Gatsby's fantastic party world. People have this predisposition to assume that if they start asking questions about the wonderful parties they've been brought to, it might all get yanked away. Better to be blissfully ignorant and drunk, surrounded by rich people, than to be home alone.

I completely agree with Kristen. It almost seems as if Gatsby  lacks the social skills to host his own party. As if Gatsby can only relate to his guests on the topic of wealth. Before Nick realizes who Gatsby  is, they discuss getting together in order use one of Gatsby's new expensive gadgets( aka superficiality steps in...). He has his butler invite guests and everyone in the town assumes that if they have been invited once by Gatsby  that  their attendance is an automatic invite back each time.

The entertainment!  Girls in yellow entertain people with drinks (55) .  The red haired lady, drunk and melancholy, singing her tearful operatic melody:  it all seems like such a show!  This whole picture in my mind seems incredibly phony.  Picturing ladies, of the phony sort, milling about in fancy party dresses with wine glasses in one hand and a gentleman on the other sets such an uppity and phony air.  This is the society.  Go out for a night, pretend to be who you would like to be, and have a good time.  (just like what Jordan did when her dress was ripped on a chair, 47).  Gatsby just seems to take part from the back corner.  He engages in little conversation, as he does with Jordan (end 57).  Gatsby's air of mystery and odd sense of secludedness in a crowd continues to progress with each of Fitzgerald's descriptions of the party. 

I agree Kristen, this also goes back to the themes that we were discussing in class about the mystery and mischeive of the high society of East Egg with the more realistic down-to-earth society of West Egg who aspire to be like the west eggers but dont realize that life in East Egg is extremely superficial and that it is not as great as it appears across the Sound,

I agree with Kristin in the way Gatsby is introduced in the book. It shows the social aspect in the book . He has all these people at his party but nobody knows who he is or what he looks like. He doesnt show up to his own party nor introduces himself  to anybody.

Ya.  It's weird that no one at the party knows who Gatsby is.  For instance, when Nick first met Gatsby, Nick didn't know who he was talking to until after he mentioned something about the host.  That was when Gatsby finally told Nick who he was.

I found that as Gatsby's character progressed through these chapters, his glamour seemed to fade. In the beginning he seemed to be the mysterious next door neighbor that no one ever knows about.  He had an aura about his character that made him seem, just as Nick said, gorgeous. He seems like a guy with a lot of money who just really liked really big parties and liked to have company around him. Yet, as the book progresses and the more we get to know him, the more strange and less glamourous he becomes.

I agree.  In chapters one and two, we knew absolutely nothing about Gatsby other than his smoky sihlouette.  As the book has progressed to the point it is now, we have learned more and more about Gatsby and his appeal.  Also, though, the more we learn about Gatsby, the more questions we have about him.  I thought it was particularly interesting when he said that he came from the Midwestern town of San Fransisco.  This makes us think, "how much can we really believe of what he says?"

We know that Gatsby has skeletons in his closet, but what are they?

The more we learn it seems the more things stay the same, because we don't know if what he says is truth.  As he gives us more information it seems like a cloud is surrounding him and we don't know what is true or false.  I also find it interesting when his jewish freind said Mr.Gatsby is an "Oggsford" man.  I can't decide if it is just his accent or if their is a significance in one Mr. Gatsby's close companions screwing up the name.

The mystery of Gatsby is taunts the audience because we are all curious to see what it is exactly that Gatsby does, why he throws these fetes, and why he lives in West Egg if he inherited his money from his family.  The people in West Egg are wealthy people who have always had money, but Gatsby has choosen East Egg and for what reason?  His parties are much different than the ones we saw in chapters one and two in many different ways.  At Tom and Dasiy's home, there is an awkwardness about their relationship, and you can really see their unhappiness.  Jordan adds humor to the situation as a nosy bystander.  The atmosphere has alot of tension and we can really see the effects of what having money does to a person over time.  On the other hand at Myrtle's apartment, there is life and chaos.  All the guests enjoy themselves because they can appreciate what they have and let loose.  They may not have as much money and The Buchanons, but they know much better how to live life to its fullest and be themselves.

I'm glad that you point out that most of his guests only know Gatsby by his name, and not who he really is or what he does. Gatsby recognizes this but doesn't seem to do anything about it, or make himself known which creates his mysterious character. In chapter 4 Nick says, "So he was aware of the bizarre accusations that flavored conversation in his halls." I also agree with what Matt said about Gatsby's mysterious personality meaning he has something to hide. The only person he seems to sort of let in his personal life is Nick, so maybe by the end of the novel Gatsby will develop a strong relationship with him and reveal a past which we question now.

I beleive that just the way that Gatsby handles himself gives him his mystery. At the party everyone marvels over his belongings and eventually rediculous rumors pop up about him. Meanwhile, Gatsby does nothing to refute any of them. Also, when Gatsby once again contributes to his own mystery when he calls Jordan in to talk to him and then sends her out with something "extraordinary."

Gatsby is mysterious because he does not want anyone to get close to him because he is hiding something. He is introduced as a very respectable and quiet man by Nick but this image begins to break down during the car ride when Gatsby begins to reveal himself and plead Nick to talk to Jordan Baker for imformation. Gatsby's account of his life can also be questioned because when Nick asks him what part of the middle west he is from he replied San Francisco which leads to further questions of his credibility.  

I agree with Matt in that Fitzgerald portreys Gatsby as very mysterious.  I think that Gatsby definitely has something that he is hiding, but I am curious to why he holds weekly parties and just observes all of the activities occuring.  Why would he go through so much every week and spend so much money if he does not plan on participating in any of the festivities?  I think that this behavior may have something to do with what he is hiding.  I don't think that Gatsby is shy, but perhaps he enjoys observing the corruption with modern society.

Maybe he is not hiding anything exciting, and he just likes the attention of the rumors because they make him interesting. :)
Gatsby seems like a very lonely man to me. He surrounds himself with extravagant people, but none of them can give him the company he seeks.

Great point, that 'none of them really truly know him.'  Fitzgerald's creation of the party is part of the era. During this time period, women, and men, wanted to get out and get to a party.  The people were classy and sophisticated, but most of them put on a facade.  Jordan said 'he killed a man' (48) purely because he was so mysterious. 

Fitzgerald delays the introduction of Gatsby. The third chapter is dedicated to the formation of Gatsby's character to the audience. Gatsby's low profile seems out of place with his lavish and ornate lifestyle which makes him the mystery of the novel. There are many rumors circulating around Gatsby's character which leads the audience to be even more suspicious about who he really is. The strangest part about him is that he throws elaborate parties but does not socialize with his guests. We now have proof that the 'glitz and glam' and a good reputation are the main focuses of  1920's America.

yeah its pretty weird how all these people just come to his house, but they dont even get invited. what is even weirder is that gatsby really doesnt care and he actually wants people to come uninvited. gatsby is massively charming, but doesnt seem to truly unveil any secrets.

It's interesting how Fitzgerald decided to officially introduce the reader and Nick to Gatsby.  It is such a sudden yet moderate introduction- the polar opposite of the party Gatsby throws in this chapter.  Gatsby is shrouded in mystery at this point of the novel, and from the moment he walks off after revealing himself to Nick, the conversation becomes an abundance of speculations and questions as to whom Gatsby is and where his money comes from--" 'Where is he from, I mean? And what does he do?' "  The way Fitzgerald structured this piece of chapter 3 allows the reader to get a feel for Gatsby up close while enticing the reader just enough so that they will want to know more; who is Gatsby? why does he throw such extravagant parties? why is he so private and mysterious?

Life during that ear is much different than today.  As Matt mentioned that sex was a household subject I also thought it was interesting that in these chapters we see Tom carrying out racist arguments at dinner.  Tom also is carrying on a fairly public love affair, and no one seems to have much of a problem with it.  Daisy also is seen as very shallow and she says that she hopes her baby daughter will turn out to be a fool, because life is easier for women that are beautiful fools.  I thought these were all interesting things that show the difference between life then and now.

I also noticed how wild the characters in this book were. At the first party Nick attends with Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson a flurry of events occur that makes Nick want to leave the party. Drinking occurs regularly: "The bottle of whiskey-- a second one-- was now in constant demand by all present..." Myrtle is so drunk that she starts yelling drunkenly "Daisy!" until a furious Tom punches her in the nose. The paragraph after this event is quite hilarious and chaotic. I'm not really sure what happens to Nick at the end of this chapter but he seems to be drunk also. Gatsby's party also has a share of drunken chaos. When Nick is about to leave the party he is delayed by a drunken driver who ran into a ditch blocking off many cars leading to a violent confused scene. The driver is so drunk that his speech makes no sense at all. He insists on driving to a gas station but doesn't notice that his wheel is completely detached from the car. Both parties Nick attends are very chaotic and portrays the people who lived during this era as party animals who care less about morals and public manners than people do today.

I'm going to expand on public manners and behavior, which Kathryn just mentioned. At the beginning of Chapter 4, Nick begins to talk about various people from East Egg and West Egg and the things that they have done. A few from the East Egg which have had a fight with a bum, went into the penitentiary, and ran over someones hand (and being so drunk as to get their hand run over in the first place). None of the people he mentions from West Egg have acted in such an extreme manner. One would think that the people from East Egg, since they are more aristocratic than the people of West Egg, would be least likely to behave the way that they do.

The contrast between East Egg and West Egg, as Kristy said, is quite shocking. For how people were expected to act in this era of the roaring 20's, the behavior seems like the opposite.  The mass consumption of alcohol contradicts the sophisticated lifestyle Fitzgerald tries to set up.

It is also interesting which egg Mr.Gatsby lives on.  If he has had the money for a long time he should be on the East Egg with the more "sophisticated" rich people, but instead he lives more modernly on the West.

I thought it was very interesting that there was a significant difference between the two eggs. There is the rich East egg, and the less "sophisticated" West egg. I think that Fitzgerald is making a connection to segregation, by showing how people in America, even neighbors, are divided by their status defined by society. At the time period of the book (1920s), segregation was a major issue in America, and the Harlem Renaissance was growing as a counter-strike to the ideas of a "white" society.

Fitzgerald vivdly describes the social heirarchy and the general movement in America in the 1920's. This era consists of a large group of business men and speculators interested in money. The society depicts consists of the brand new riches merged with the 'old money' aristocratic families with known names. 1920's America depends so heavily on the possession of money which shows through Fitzgerald's description of the 'new money' longing to break into acceptance of the 'old money'. Although Gatsby lives in the West Egg, East Eggers frequently visit his parties. Gatsby resembles the perfect blend between both 'Eggs' (or worlds).

I was just explaining this, " It is also interesting which egg Mr.Gatsby lives on..." to my family at dinner tonight!!!  I loved the fact that he lived on West Egg in comparison to the people with old money on the East Egg.  Gatsby's new money set him apart from everyone else, which Nick saw at the beginning of the novel when "only Gatsby... was exempt from my reactin- Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn." (chapter 1)  It was so interesting when Nick finally got to see the hidden part of Gatsby's life, the man who got a medal for "Valour Extradordinary."  (71) 

Gatsby's desicion to live on the west egg is influenced by his lifestyle and his past. The contrast between the new money of the west egg and the "old" money of the east egg is evident throughout the whole novel. The lifestyle between the two sides differs heavily. In later chapters this will become a major theme.

I agree with Andy.  It seems that all of the characters in the book do is go out and drink.. Society usually doesn't view the higher class as a group that would be drunk all of the time.  As Andy had mentioned, that this was set during the 1920s and we see the plot reflect on this time period. 

I understadn that this was the era, but is this not going on today?  I sure can imagine those who know their marriage is a fialure to drink the pain away and act like nothing is wrong, especially when you have all the money in the world.  Who would want to destroy a perfect life-style and their reputation.  I think that this all evolves into a theme that will last trough histroy.  We tried to gather some themes in class, but  i would say it revolves around money can't buy happiness.   

During Gatsby's party, all the socialites from both East and West Egg gather at Gatsby's place. West Egg is the home to all the "new rich," including Gatsby, who don't have as much experience as their counterparts in East Egg. It seemed as if the ultimate goal in life for the West Eggers was to break into the even more glamorous life of the East Eggers. By bringing these two similar yet different places together, Fitzgerald is able to comment on the social hierarchy of the 1920s.

I disagree that Daisy is a shallow character.  I'd like to believe that her character and that statment are much deeper than just what is seen on the surface.  Her statement that she hopes her daughter will be a beautiful fool seems to be shallow, but it really shows her indepth understanding of the society she lives in.  She says that statement with sadness, proving her understanding of the tragic treatment of women.  Not only does Daisy understand her society, but she also understands that Tom is not faithful to her, which causes her pain, further fueling her statement that it is better to be a beautiful fool.

It is important to remember among all the drinking and unending flow of alcohol at Gatsby's party, that America was in prohibition. During this time period, organized crime was on the rise, thus the rumor of Gatsby as a bootlegger could be very real.

I deffinately agree with Kristen's point that Gatsby could very well be a bootlegger. Prohibition was in effect during the era, however the law was easily broken and several men were able to alot of money from illegally selling alcohol to others that wanted it. Perhaps the reason why Gatsby has so much money, gets mysterious phone calls from different cities and is excused from getting in trouble with the police by showing him a white card and responding to Nick saying , "I was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year" is because he is involved in bootlegging.  

The main essence of the 1920's consists of the stock market, bootlegging, and organized crime. Fitzgerald would effectively capture the atmosphere of he roaring 20's by placing the protagonists as a bootlegger himself. The author effectively captures the untrusting and disloyal movement of this time period. In the novel, this is portrayed in chapter four when Nick meets Wolfshiem and uncovers that Gatsby's money might not have come from 'wealthy family' after all.

Not only was there prohibition, but religion was very important to many people. We see all this drinking, and what strikes me is that I figured there was much more drinking now than before. But as Fitzgerald is trying to show, the 1920's roar wasn't as good as we thought.

I think that Fitzgerald is also using the extensive explaination that he gives of the time period and it's atmosphere to make fun of the era itself. He seems to say that the rich are all shallow and care about superficial things, as seen many of the characters.

I agree that Fitzgerald is mocking the society of this time period through his characterization. This era was a time of superficial wealth for the American people. People trusted too much in the prosperity of the time, and as we all know, their economic practices didn't t pay off. Fitzgerald's intense detail paints a fairly accurate picture of the culture during this time in American history, and through his use of Nick as the narrator, the reader can understand that he disagrees with the American lifestyle.

Yes, hindsight is alwats 20/20.  Obviously, none of us lived in the time of the Roaring Twenties, but we all know about them.  We know about the bootleggers, which Jay Gatsby may very well have been, and we know about the flappers, personified by Jordan Baker.

I love Fitzgerald's strange use of perspective in the novel.  He uses Gatsby as the protagonist, but the novel is narrated in the first-person by another character, Nick.  We usually see that the protagonist is the narrator or that there is a third-person narrator.  This is very unique, which I think adds to the uniqueness of Nick in a way.  He is one of the only characters we have met thus far that is not completely thrown into the decadent lifestyle of New York's high society.

I absolutely love the observation Lindsay made about Gatsby being the protagonist, but Nick being the character to narrate the novel. I am sure that in the time period Fitzgerald's style  was quite the stretch with a new and unique twist-hence the reason it is such a popular novel. As a reader, we see that Nick is different . Some of the characters interact and enjoy Nick's original character type where as others find him awkward or of course there is Gatsby who just uses Nick to get to Daisy-who I am may add is still married even if her husband  did cheat on her. Overall Fitzgerald's originality and his ability to take risks in this novel is what catchs the reader's attention.

I agree wit leslie in that Fitzgerald is making fun of this time period. He makes fun of the whole social scene and how everybody thinks there better than everybody else. The rich seem to drink away there problems instead of facing them. He also makes it seem that all people care about is getting higher in their social rank by any means necessary.

I also found it really interesting how Fitzgerald captured women in the twenties, whealthy society. He seems to make the point that they were often  percieved as just gossips and extremely fond of drinking. They spend most of their time at the parties spreading rumors about Gatsby and gossiping about others. I thought it was very interesting when Fitzgerald wrote, "Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply". (63) It is as if men expected women to act dishonest and crude, which paints a very negative image of rich women in the time period.

I agree with you Hannah. That idea is also expressed when a man's wife "appeared at his side like an angry diamond." The idea that the woman appeared like a diamond is vital to how women were portrayed. A diamond is usually expensive and beautiful, but they are only use for show. The women, especially Daisy, were treated exactly in that manner.

I agree that Fitzgerald makes women in this time period look very weak. Daisy stays in an unhappy marriage with Tom even though she and the rest of the town know he is having an affair because there is nothing for her to do if she leaves him. In Jordan's flashback, we she that she was obviously unhappy about marrying him, but she goes through with it anyways.  On the day before her wedding, "She began to cry- she cried and cried" (81). Even though the twenties were a time when some women started breaking out of the traditional social conventions, the majority still played the role of Daisy and men played the role of Tom.

Materialistic is the word I would use to describe the people during this time. As far as we can tell, it seems like all these rich people want to do is party. It is interesting how Fitzgerald vividly describes the houses, cars, properties, and clothing that people wear. He also vividly describes the actions of the people attending Gatsby's parties. They all seem so shallow and gossipy. There isn't very much depth, at all, to the characters so far, with the exception of Nick.

I agree with Carrie that a dominant trait of the people during this time period is their materialistic personalities.  This aspect of the society is portrayed by the people that Nick lists as guests of Gatsby's parties during the summer.  Each of them is briefly described and something is said about most of their lives and lifestyles, most of which are upscale and full of wealth.  Although most of these people don't even know Gatsby that well, they still want to go to his parties because they are symbols of wealth and status in the community.  They go to be seen, and if they get a few drinks while attending then thats even better.

It is true that almost every scene has included maudlin characters because this was an age where the motto was "anything goes!" and people lived like it was their last day.  There seems to be a sense ignorance in most people.  They try to be sophisticated, but what they really do is go to a party where the host is "just a man named Gatsby" and use him for all he's got, a beautiful house, liquor, and entertainment.  There is also a big contrast between East and West Egg, West Egg being the place where comfortable wealth is prevalent and East Egg being the "new rich" location.  Gatsby is seen as more of the new rich where Daisy and Tom have been rich for years, and are secure with their wealth.  Where the characters live is a big contrast to the valley of ashes, the poor district of New York City.  The ash symbolizes poverty, as seen in Mr. Wilson's garage because he is pathetic and lowly.  The ashes define their town, they are the victims of prosperous people and are simply dumped on top of everything, and are almost insignificant.

I found it strange that his was the case Matt. Affairs are taken almost lightly in the Daisy/Tom household, sex like said was even a household subject, and alcohol is almost omnipresent. In Chapter 3 Nick describes how he would "walk up Fifth Avenue and pick out romantic women from the crowd and imagine that in a few minutes I was going to enter their lives, and no one would know or disapprove" (61). This shows that in New York during that era you could hire prostitutes, take advantage of women, and no one would even care because everyone (most guys at least) was doing it.

I think Fitzgerald does an excellent job portraying the life of people in the mid 20's. Most of the characters he describes are always drunk and do drugs and freely have sex. The reason these people had such low morals and an intense party life is because things were going so well and were worry-free and they had a lot of leisure time. Fitzgerald himself was one of these people and lived in New York for a time period, so the character's dialogue and their actions are portrayed pretty accurately.

The novel is set in the so-called "Roaring Twenties" where the economy was in full swing and Prohibition had almost no effect on the drinking habits of the upper class as is evident from the characters in the novel. These characters seem to model the lifestyle of Fitzgerald who allegedly lived the highlife as they do. They also seem to partake in the Sexual Revolution of the 1920s and talk freely and openly about sex. These characters seem to epitomize the partying lifestyle of the twenties' upper class but ignore the lower class which lives in abject poverty as represented by Myrtle and George Wilson. This juxtaposition between the Wilsons' lifestyle and Gatsby's is a striking theme of the novel.

You're right that the Prohibition had no effect on drinking and in fact brought about the multimillion dollar industry that is bootlegging. It makes since that people would accuse Gatbsy of being a bootlegger because many people, like Al Capone, made vast sums of money by doing so.

The atmosphere of the era becomes very evident with the contrast of new and old wealth at Gatsby's party. The two blend together to show an accurate description of the roaring twenties. They lived life hard and didn't look back.

I agree with Matt, the amount of parties, alcohol, drugs, sex, and other scandalous activities seen within the first several chapters is astonishing.  It appeared that the characters were just going from one party to the other and were almost always under the influence of something.  I think that this kind of behavior reflects the atmosphere of the era.  At the time everything was good for the wealthy, and they were able to indulge in such activities without second thought.

When looking into the era that this story takes place in, you see that it is in fact during prohibition.  I think that the most overlooked aspect to the events that are taking place is that everyone is getting drunk.. during prohibition.  And of course the man who nobody knows anything about is the one with the most abundant flow of alcohol at his house.. I think that there is a definite connection here between Gatsby, his money, and all of this liquer.

Illegal booze, sex, superfiaciality, post World War One; sounds like the Roaring Twenties to me.

I think that this chapter almost mirrored the hedonistic nature of the era. Everyone is crazed about the alcohol and sex is also prevalent. While this era reflects a multitude of reforms from prohibition to birth control, Gatsby's party showed otherwise.

Despite some minor differences, the description of Gatsby's parties and the people who flock to them is not all that different from the lifestyles people lead today.  In the beginning of the era though this behavior was probably quite shocking for many.  Women began cutting their hair shorter and revealing more skin, and alcohol was prohibited.  It is more than likely that Gatsby and Wolshiem are apart of the organized crime that developed during this time period such as smuggling alcohol etc.  Fitzgerald through his description of greedy, sleezy, and pathetic characters is certainly criticizing life during this era.  And as we well know, it would all soon come crashing down.

I think the eyes also represent the complete lack of morals that the people in valley of ashes( and the world) have. The eyes seem to overlook everything around it and , like Matt said above, they are fading because of what they see and what the world is turning into. You see Myrtle having an affair with Tom  and vice -versa. The people in the valley of ashes are also almost tired of life in general. George Wilson is a good example of this.

The Valley of Ashes plays an important role.  The giant eyes of Dr. Eckleberg portray a watchfulness over the city that no one really seems to pay attention too.  The people of the Valley of Ashes dont seem to care who knows about their "secret" lives

I agree.  Dr. Eckleberg's eyes are always watching over the scandalous Long Island society in a very Big Brother-esque way.  Dr. Eckleberg is an eye doctor, which is a perfect reason why he should be showing only his eyes in his advertisement.

I believe that Eckleburg might represent an omnipresent figure, such as God.  Maybe God is looking down upon American society in the same way that Eckleburg's eyes look down at the valley.

I believe that Dr. Eckleberg's eyes are an important part to the novel.  I, on the other hand, don't understand why on the cover, it looks like a womans eyes.  My class (2nd period) had mentioned it, but never went into great detail about it.  Does that mean anything?

I agree with Lindsay about how maybe God or in this case Ecleburg is looking down upon society.  He believes that the American societys' lifestyle and morals are decaying. 

I agree with Lindsay that the eyes of doctor TJ Eckleberg are the eyes of God. They are talked about to be always watching, and in the judeo-christian society they lived in, the use of God in literature was very common. Together the city of Long Island and Tj ecklebergs eyes are a microcosim of the world and Gods eyes

sorry, double post

I think that the eyes could be interpreted in many different ways. The eyes could represent the eyes of God looking down at the moral decay of the 1920s. All the sins commited by the society reflect their faded connection to God. That might explain the faded appearance of the eyes. Or, they could represent the valley of ashes and how morose it is.

Adding to your statement, when I read that section, I felt that the eyes were indeed watching over the ashes of society, but I felt that the eyes represented the rich people of society and the ashes the poor.  It's almost as if the wealthier part of society is watching from above and laughing at the poor.  When Tom and Nick go to Mr. Wilson's garage Tom is very dominant and feels superior to Wilson because of his higher status in society.  In addition, Wilson is described as having "white ashen dust [veil] his dark suit" (Fitzgerald 30). 

I'm pretty sure that the valley of ashes represents America's declining morality and the eyes of TJ Eckleburg represent God's eyes as he watches over it. This time period in America has become known in history as one of the most sinful and morally lacking in history, rivaling that of today's society.

I agree that the giant eyes in T.J. Eckleburg's advertisment can be meant to symbolize many different things. However, I think there might be a chance that Fitzgerald included the advertisement just to add more mystery to the situation that Nick was in. Eventually, I think that mystery created by the advertisement was transferred and added on to the mystery surrounding Gatsby.

Maybe they represent looking into ones soul. everything around the valley is dead and gone. THe rich peoples soul is dead and gone

I don't think the eyes on the cover is Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's advertisement.  The book described the advertisement having blue eyes and wearing yellow glasses.  I'd also imagine that it was Dr. Eckleburg or another man on the advertisement because women's status wasn't very high back then.  The book has alot to do with women and the yellow things in the woman's eyes remind me of a flower, so I think Daisy is on the cover.

T.J. Eckleburg's advertisement does play a huge role in The Great Gatsby. It shows that someone is looking down on society. It is also located in The Valley of Ashes, which symbolizes the poor and social decay. Matt says that the eyes are beautiful and full of class, which connects the upper class to the social decay. The social decay is caused by people's want for wealth.

eyes always seem to be a major symbol in novels (like big brother). i agree with the importance of the eyes because of how the author kind of covers up the value of them by stating that they were only an advertisement for glasses.

Another scene that relates to the emptiness of the society is when Tom introduces Gatsby to Myrtle.  Many of the characters lack inner values. Tom uses Myrtle's vitality to replace Daisy's cynical personality, while Myrtle uses Tom's wealth to substitute for her filthy home in the valley with lavish gifts and "an elaborate afternoon dress of cream colored chiffon which gave out a continual rustle as she swept about the room."  Daisy even uses fakeness to hide her embarassment of having to stay with her deceitful husband.  Nick feels as though he is the only truthful person he knows. 

When I read that part of the novel, I felt so sad for Myrtle. Fitzgerald develops this character skillfully by first describing what Tom sees in her, her vitality and energy. Then he describes her as the party gets more and more drunk and at one point Nick says that she seems to be spinning in the middle of the room because her actions have become so ridiculous. All of the superficial actions that Stephanie described display a theme that I think will be expanded throughout the novel- the emptiness of life in a superficial society. everyone in their society longs to be rich but the rich people are just as unhappy as those who have no money.

I agree, i think that these themes will appear more than once in the novel. I think that Myrtle's character so caught up in society and what everyone thinks of her. Like at the party, she drank just like everyone else was to fit in, but ends up acting rediculously.

Most of the characters seem to be caught up in the society that they live in.  They try to impress eachother and drink a lot.  Myrtle tries the hardest out of all the characters to fit in.  She goes as far as to cheat on her husband to try to move up in society by being with Tom, who will make her seem rich.  This shows how shallow some people will be just to fit in with society.

Many characters in the novel are fake and just want to fit in.  Myrtle, yes, was the main example of being phony.  She gets too caught up in wanting to fit in with the phony society around her.  She gets extremely drunk at the party and ends up looking absurd.

Not only is Myrtle's character empty, she (just like many of the characters that the reader dislikes) lives two separate lives.  This just adds to the theme of being empty and uncompleted.  She has two unfinished and fake lives that she can't connect.  Also in that chapter we are introduced to Wilson.  The reader obviously sees his ignorance and feels horrible for him because not only is his wife cheating on him, but he's treated like scum by Tom and probably other members of the upper society. 

I agree with what Vasiliy said.  In this part of the novel Myrtle and her husband are both introduced and described in greater detail allowing the reader to see into their lives which are very different than the ones previously introduced in the book.  Myrtle's secret relationship with Tom and their private lives together allows a whole new side of her to emerge once they enter their New York City life together.  She enters the apartment and quickly changes into a new dress and is now the "perfect" city wife and hostess to the guests at her party.  She goes along with what everyone else is doing (including getting drunk) and enjoys the escape from her everyday dull and sad life.  All the while her poor pathetic husband is still sitting in their house/car garage waiting for Tom to bring him the car that his "mechanic" is fixing. 

Nick lives in a shallow society in which the inhabitants are judged crucially based on their status and wealth. Despite Gatsby's secretive background, the people relish at his parties without even knowing how Gatsby obtained his wealth. They just accept Gatsby because he is wealthy. Kristen makes a great point about how Gatsby doens't fit perfectly in with the other wealthy residents of both Egg villages. Unlike Tom Buchanan from East Egg, Gatsby's success and way of acquiring wealth is a mystery. Tom was born into a powerful, old family resulting in his arrogant and phony persona. He associates publically with other women, portraying his egotistical side.  Surprisingly, Gatsby doesn't display these pompous qualities that Tom Buchanan does. He clearly does not make big scenes at his party because many of his guests do not even know who he is. Gatsby's difference with other wealthy individuals show that he is indeed, "new money," and has a background story involving how he obtained his wealth and for what reasons.

Its interesting that Gatsby throws these huge parties but then puts no effort into being a part of the party. His guests don't know who he is and he doesn't join in on the drinking or the conversations. This adds to the mystery surrounding Gatsby. Throwing the parties makes it seem like he wants to live like the other rich people at the time, but then he doesn't want to be like them at the same time.

I think what happens is that Gatsby does not feel that he is throwing the party, but rather as being part of the party. He feels that he is no more special than his guests, so he does not even go out of the way to introduce himself or be extra friendly, etc. This might foreshadow the truth behind Gatsby's character. I think that, because he might be lying about his money, and how he is extremely shy and awkward, he might have just accumulated his wealth mysteriously, and even he doesn't think that he deserves it.

I think this is happening cause Fitzgeraldis showing how Gatsby is rich and in a way part of the rich society, yet he is different than everybody else. Gatsby is willing to live in this phony society, but not be part of it.

I find it interesting that Gatsby does not take part in this phony society, yet everyone tries to make him apart of it. Everyone gossips about him, and thinks that he's the liar and has killed someone. Yet Gatsby still takes no part in it.

Gatsby entertains various high-society people, very few of which even have even met Gatsby which immediately seems peculiar.  We don't generally invite strangers into our homes because of some sort of fear.  Gatsby himself is a complete mystery as well, which makes the situation ironic.  There are many hints at the fakeness of the guests throughout chapters three and four, beginning with the man in the library who is astonished that they are "real" and "have pages."  This refers to the people he is probably constantly surrounded by, who may seem interesting and true from the outside but when you open them they have nothing to show.  Gatsby first proves himself to be different than the house guests by owning and probably reading intellectual material.  Most of the crowd at Gatsby's house is described in a way to make us pity them.  They are usually maudlin and sit around gossiping to eachother, exchanging outlandish stories about Gatsby that they know aren't true.  Gatsby seems unlike the others, more relatable.  The story is building up to the point where the audience will find out what Gatsby's purpose for living in West Egg is and what he is looking for to fullfill his already lavish lifestyle.

The books can also represent the empty people. Gatsby has filled in books meaning there is more to him then just the outside impression. However for the rich people in the novel there is only the fake front they put up. the inside heart that each person has is hidden and/or lost by the rich tradition.

the mention of the books is a very good point. not only in the aspect mentioned but also because this man is very surprised to see real books. if people usually stock their shelves with fake books, it can be assumed they do not read while gatsby probably does. this gives gatsby a sort of higher intellect than the other rich people

I agree with you guys in that the rich people at the party might as well be metaphorically portrayed through the empty book. While Gatsby throws these extravagant parties and is shown as a socially inept person, we know that there is more to Gatsby than his money or luxurious spendings.

In chapter 3 Nick talks about a few other girls he "sees," but he goes back to Daisy despite the fact that she is a dishonest person.  Thus far, the reader feels able to relate most to Nick in that he seems the most genuine and the most normal.  Nick's interest in Daisy reveals how quickly and easily one can stray from their standards/morals when surrounded by certain lifestyles such as those of from the East and West Egg. 

During the car ride of chapter 4, Gatsby is so anxious to tell Nick the story of his past so Nick won't "get [the] wrong idea" of him from all the rumors floating around.  Everything Gatsby says seems so phony and suspicious.  He has to have souvenirs to prove he been to specific places and done certain things.  The way he immediately shows Nick these things and hurries through his story with such detail is as if he wants to make sure Nick believes what he is saying.  Nick doesn't exactly fall for what he is hearing either; he says, "The very phrases were worn so threadbare..."  It irritates me when Gatsby calls Nick "old sport" too because it adds to the phony facade Gatsby puts up.   

During the car ride of chapter 4, Gatsby is so anxious to tell Nick the story of his past so Nick won't "get [the] wrong idea" of him from all the rumors floating around.  Everything Gatsby says seems so phony and suspicious.  He has to have souvenirs to prove he has been to specific places and done certain things.  The way he immediately shows Nick these things and hurries through his story with such detail is as if he wants to make sure Nick believes what he is saying.  Nick doesn't exactly fall for what he is hearing either; he says, "The very phrases were worn so threadbare..."  It irritates me when Gatsby calls Nick "old sport" too because it adds to the phony facade Gatsby puts up.   

I liked that Fitzgerald made Nick seem confused about the people he is surrounded by. In the beginning of the novel, Nick comes off as pretentious and haughty, but by introducing so many characters that have even bigger personality flaws than Nick, Fitzgerald humanizes him, making him easier to relate to. I agree that his opinion of the characters in the novel will probably change. It's important that Nick finds out more and more about the characters at the same time that the reader does because it puts Nick on the same level as the reader. 

Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby through Nick's thoughts and opinions. Gatsby "represented everything for which [Nick has] an unaffected scorn" if how Nick introduces Gatsby and gives the reader the feeling that Gatsby is the greatest man in the world. As the novel progresses through Chapters 3 and 4 we as readers see Gatsby from a different perspective with all the elaborate parties he throws every weekend. Nick's confusion is shown through how he didn't even recognize who Gatsby was when they sat down to talk. This shows in actuality how little Nick knows about Gatsby at this time.

Nick's confusion begins in the car with Gatsby. Gatsby begins to recount many events from his life which seem wild and exaggerated to Nick. He initially thinks that Gatsby is pulling his leg but then realizes that he is not. Nick is further confused by the lunch with Wolfsheim which brings up further questions of Gatsby's business. Nick is ideed most perplexed by why he has to extract the information from Jordan Baker rather than Gatsby himself. Nick's confusion is reinforced by how the mounting questions he has about Gatsby.

The thing that confuses me about the scene in the car is that while Gatsby does produce evidence of what he claims to be his past, why we he just be carrying that around with him. Who keeps medals that they one with them all the time. This makes me believe that he was planning on showing them to Nick and that he probably fabricated most of the story.

I never though of Nicks character this way. Now that you have mentioned it i see how Fitzgerald humanizes Nicks character. He doesnt seem to like the people around him and doesnt understand why they act this way. He is introduced to all these characters and we see how he reacts to them. He tries to learn more  about the characters in which we get to see what he thinking about them while he is meeting them.

Since Nick is the only view point we have, we are naturally confused as he is about the mysterious Gatsby.  i believe that as Nick (and us, the reader) learn more about Gatsby, the story will  become progressively darker and no longer the care free partying we see in the first few chapters.

I agree, i think as Gatsby's story and personality is revealed, the characters wil be impacted either directly or indirectly, and all of the carelessness will slowly fade. Maybe Gatsby will be a realization that fitting into society isn't the most important thing, and maybe what society believes is right and what is accepted isn't always the right thing to do or believe.

Nick's confusion has a lot to do with they way Gatsby carries himself as mysteriously as he does. Like Gradolf said, the carelessness will slowly fade, and you can already see this with the progression of Gatsby's character. Nick always seems confused and constantly wondering "Who is this man?" because Gatsby has not let anyone get to know him, with the exception of Jordan Baker.

i agree with andy. us as the readers only knows what nick knows (as the narrator.) When Nick starts to learn more than all the mystries about Gatsby, Dr. Eckulberg's eyes, and Daisy will uncover themselves to us as the reader.

I agree with Andy that the more we get to know about Gatsby, the thicker and darker the plot will become.

I'm not sure that's true about Nick being a dynamic character. I don't think we ever really even hear Nick's voice much past chapter one. He is not exactly a main character, but rather the reader's viewpoint and something of a foil for Gatsby. I'd say that Nick certainly makes clear that Gatsby is impressive in every way imaginable - the ultimate larger-than-life character - but Nick pretty much lets the reader decide what to think about Gatsby.

I think it is very important that Nick criticizes Gatsby so much, yet he is seems to be put on a pedestal at the same time. Nick's lack of trust in people does not allow him to have intimate, honest relationships with his peers. I also think it is interesting that Nick judges everyone all the time, and knows what he is doing and was raised not to judge people.

I find it interesting that Gatsby is exactly the type of person that Nick hates, yet Nick has an inexplicable attraction towards him. Also, Nick keeps talking about how he hates the materialism of the people in West Egg, yet he keeps going to Gatsby's parties.
I think that Nick likes Gatsby so much (or, rather, is so intrigued by him) because Gatsby pays attention to him. If Gatsby didn't speak to Nick, he would be "that stuck up rich guy next door." If this is true, it reveals something about Nick: that he is much shallower that he will admit to anyone, even himself.

I think we get the idea that nick is of shallow, but we forget that we are hearing his first thoughts of everything and everyeone.  No one has a perfect first impression on someone else, so, to be truthful, nick is jsut saying exactly what he sees.  He has to put labels on people to remeber them in his mind, but he doesn't share his occasional rudeness about it to others.  Yes, Nick may just like the attention, but he wants a friend i bet.  They share a common past, which could add to the affection felt by nick, and maybe gatsby feels the need for a friend that isn't completely fake. 

I thought it was interesting how Nick's view of Gatsby changed throughout the story.  At first Nick is curious as to who Gatsby is and why he is so secretive.  Then, Nick's view changes when he begins to here rumors about Gatsby, which also increases his curiousity.  When Nick finally meets Gatsby, I think he is taken by suprise, because he has heard so many rumors he wasn't quite sure what to expect.  Then a new view comes into play when Gatsby tells Nick about his story between him and Daisy.

I agree with Corey.  This is true to what happens in todays society.  You may hear one rumor about someone and your entire perspective might change about them in a positive or negative way.  I liked how the author showed what Nick thought of Gatsby because it is realistic and makes the novel more interesting.  When Nick becomes more interested in who Gatsby is, so does the reader. 

I think Nick is confused because he doesnt know why he likes Gatsby. i think he likes him because there is something real about him, he has greedy and materialistic views but he is also intellegent. An extreme contrast to Tom, rich but not intellegent and tries to seem like it. I think Nick is subconsciously attracted to the true nature of Gatsby.

I do agree with Stephanie, that Nick does view Gatsby from different perspectives. He takes a liking to him even though he represents everything that Nick hates. Nick does remind Gatsby, however, that he can not recreate his past with Daisy.

I agree that Nick obviously has a few skeptical thoughts about Gatsby. For one, Gatsby's mysterious nature would definitely provoke a protective stance  from Tom towards Gatsby. Also a man who has been dwelling in wealth for a majority of his life does not actually know the value of money and it's limits in terms of what it could buy, in this case Daisy's love.