Gatsby Ch. 6

Ch. 64-74


A reporter arrives at Gatsby’s door as Nick describes some of the rumors that have been circulating concerning Gatsby. Nick then delves into Gatsby’s real history telling us that his real name was James Gatz and was from North Dakota where he was born into poor farmers. Gatz went to St. Olaf’s in Minnesota but dropped out because he was embarrassed by the janitorial work he was forced to do. He began to fish on Lake Superior where one day he met Dan Cody who invited him on his yacht. There he changed his name to Jay Gatsby and sailed with Gatsby to the West Indies and Barbary Coast. Cody eventually left him 2500 dollars after his death but did not allow Gatsby to claim his inheritance which motivated him to become wealthy. One day after not having seen Daisy nor Gatsby for weeks Nick sees Tom, Daisy and the Sloans at Gatsby’s house. The next Saturday Gatsby throws a huge party however, Daisy who is in attendance is unhappy at. Nick tries to comfort Gatsby who is upset that Daisy had such a terrible time and begins to think of Gatsby and Daisy’s first kiss.

Daisy Buchanan

“I knew that except for the half-hour she’d been alone with Gatsby she wasn’t having a good time.” (p.70)

Angelic Beauty: Her physical descriptions are somewhat divine, and she is always wearing white.

Sarcastic: “He reads deep books with long words in them.” This remark among others when Nick is at her house for dinner shows her profound sarcasm.

Distrusting: The fact that she is carrying out an affair with Gatsby.

Unhappy: She does not seem to like her life at home. “Who’s Tom?”

Daisy means the world to Gatsby. Daisy truly dictates Gatsby’s every move and he has lived his life in the hope of someday being able to impress her. Daisy is so significant to the novel due to the fact that she is the wind behind Gatsby’s sails. Because the novel is centered on Gatsby’s life Daisy is so meaningful because she is the person that Gatsby has centered his life around. It is clear that without Daisy in his life Gatsby would be a drastically different man. The glamour and wealth that Nick constantly describes would not be inexistence without Daisy. If it wasn’t for Daisy Gatsby would not live the extravagant life which is one of the major themes and symbols of the novel.


“She was appalled by the West Egg, this unprecedented “place” that Broadway had begotten upon a Long Island fishing village. She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand.”(p.71)

This quote is so significant because it exemplifies the notion that Daisy and Gatsby’s fairy tale relationship may not work out. This quote shows that Daisy has problems with Gatsby’s life style and may not be able to live with him on West Egg. This is the first time in the novel is which a conflict between Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship arises. Through this quote it is evident that Daisy is unhappy in West Egg and may not be able to have as perfect of a relationship as Gatsby had imagined. This quote foreshadows later conflicts that may occur that could inevitably divide Gatsby and Daisy. The flaw that is evident from this quote could perhaps come between Gatsby and Daisy and cause Daisy to stay ignore Gatsby and stay with Tom.