The Great Gatsby

Writer: Scott Fitzergald
Genre: Classic

The narrator, Nick Carraway lives adjacent to the main protagonist of the book - Mr. Gatsby. He is intrigued by the lavish parties thrown by Gatsby and gets to attend one of them. He notices that the host always stays away from the parties, just occasionally mingling with his guests.

Daisy and Tom Buchanan who live across the bay are related to Nick. Daisy is Nick’s cousin and Tom and Nick have been in the same society in college. Daisy introduces Nick to Jordan Baker, a sportswoman and wants Nick to date him. It’s Jordan who describes the problems in Tom and Daisy's marriage because Tom is involved with another woman. The other woman, Myrtle Wilson is introduced to Nick by Tom in New York.

Meanwhile during one of his encounters with Gatsby, Nick learns that Gatsby hosts grand parties with the hope of meeting Daisy. It enfolds that Daisy and Gatsby were lovers and had separated when the penniless Gatsby was sent overseas by the army. When he returns back, he finds out that Daisy had married Tom and decides to win her back. He uses Nick to get reintroduced to Daisy and tries to impress her with his wealth. Daisy, although happy to meet Gatsby is not the same to him. In the meantime Tom discovers the growing friendship between Daisy and Gatsby.

In one of the encounters, Gatsby, Nick, Tom, Daisy and Jordan decide to go to the city to escape the heat and it is here that Tom and Gatsby have a confrontation over Daisy. However Daisy's noncommittal response to Gatsby’s demand that she leave Tom since she doesn’t love him has Gatsby surprised. They decide to head back home after some heated exchanges between Tom and Gatsby. Daisy and Gatsby drive back home together and on the way Tom's mistress, Myrtle, is killed. On hearing the news, Tom is horrified and poisons Wilson's mind (Myrtle's husband) that it was Gatsby who killed Myrtle. The news works as expected and in the end Wilson kills Gatsby before shooting himself. Gatsby had already told Nick that it was Daisy who was driving the car when Myrtle was killed but he was ready to take the blame.

For Gatsby's funeral nobody turns up, as against his parties, and its only Nick, Gatsby's father and some servants. Nick has had too much and leaves the locality breaking of his relationship with Jordan and choosing to ignore the Buchanans.

Considered to be a great classic, I got bored of it and wouldn't personally recommend it to anyone.