Keyword Guide · chapter-summary
Chapter 1 sets the tone and point of view for the novel. Readers meet the narrator and glimpse the social world that shapes the story’s conflicts.
The story opens with Nick Carraway reflecting on advice about reserving judgment. He moves to Long Island to learn the bond business and rents a modest house in West Egg. Nick visits his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom in East Egg, where dinner reveals tension, privilege, and restlessness. The chapter ends with Nick noticing his mysterious neighbor, Gatsby, reaching toward a distant green light.
Nick Carraway is the narrator and observer, presenting himself as thoughtful and fair. Daisy Buchanan appears charming but uneasy, hinting at dissatisfaction. Tom Buchanan is wealthy, aggressive, and confident in his social power. Jordan Baker is introduced as a poised but detached guest. Jay Gatsby is seen briefly, creating intrigue before his full introduction later.
Social class is established through the contrast between East Egg and West Egg. Appearance versus reality emerges as characters project polished images that hide tension. The green light across the water symbolizes desire and distance, setting up a central motif. Moral judgment is questioned through Nick’s role as a selective observer.
This chapter builds the novel’s framework: narrator reliability, class divisions, and central symbols. For essays, focus on how Nick’s perspective shapes what readers believe. For quizzes, remember who is introduced and how settings signal social status. In discussion, connect the green light to future ideas about ambition and longing.
Nick Carraway narrates the chapter, presenting events through his personal reflections and observations.
The green light represents desire and an unreachable goal, hinting at themes that develop throughout the novel.
Tension within Tom and Daisy’s marriage and broader social conflicts are suggested through dialogue and behavior.
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