Mystery In The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby follows the exploits of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy businessman in upper class New York who host lavish parties in hopes of reuniting with Daisy Buchanan. As an item of gossip for the partygoers, Gatsby surrounds himself with incredible character which prove to be built on the rumors created by the people around him and his own falsified back story. As his dreams of a life with Daisy unravel, the truth of the “Great Gatsby” emerges in the events after his death.
From the beginning of the novel, Gatsby’s character is surrounded by mystery. Daisy’s in reaction to hearing Gatsby’s name in a conversation between Nick and Jordan Baker, “Gatsby? What Gatsby?”(15) foreshadows the mystery that surrounds Gatsby. When

Gatsby meets Daisy as a young soldier at Camp Taylor in Louisville. As Jordan retells, Gatsby “ looked at Daisy...in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at…” (79-80). Jordan’s account of their budding romance shows the beginning of Gatsby’s attraction to Daisy. When they reunite four years later in Nick’s cottage, Gatsby truly believes he can have a life with Daisy without consequence. Nick attempts to reason with Gatsby and remind him that he cannot repeat the past. Despite Nick’s efforts, Gatsby replies, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” (116). Gatsby longs for his old life with Daisy and thinks he can easily return to that life. Unfortunately, Gatsby’s dream of Daisy slips further from his grasps. At the hotel, Gatsby demands Daisy tell Tom she never loved him. But to Gatsby’s surprise, Daisys admits, “I did love him once — but I loved you too” (140). Daisy’s confession confirms that she has changed from her younger self at Louisville. Yet, Gatsby fails to realize that Daisy is not who she used to be. Earlier at the hotel, Gatsby confesses he cannot really call himself an “Oxford man” because he had taken the opportunity as a soldier to study at Oxford for five months (135-136). Gatsby’s confession furthers the unraveling of his formidable tale. With the facts revealing themselves, Gatsby’s tale comes to a fatal conclusion. After Gatsby’s death, the appearance of Gatsby’s father, Henry C. Gatz, who telegrams for Nick to postpone the funeral until his arrival further confirms Gatsby’s life of lies. Upon the arrival of Mr. Gatz, Nick meets with Meyer Wolfshiem to discuss his attendance of Gatsby’s funeral. In their conversation, Nick asked Wolfshiem if he had started Gatsby in business and Wolfshiem replied, “I raised him up out of nothing, right out of the gutter… when he told me he was an Oggsford I knew I could