The Great Gatsby Book
Nick Carraway, a young man hailing from Minnesota, relocates to New York in the summer of 1922 to gain insight into the bond industry. He secures a residence in the West Egg area of Long Island, known for its affluence yet lacking in social prestige, inhabited by the newly wealthy who have recently acquired their fortunes and often indulge in ostentatious displays of their wealth. Adjacent to Nick’s home is the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, a man of considerable means residing in an enormous Gothic mansion and hosting lavish parties every Saturday night.
Distinct from the other residents of West Egg, Nick is a Yale alumnus with social ties in East Egg, a more fashionable part of Long Island that is home to the established elite. One evening, he visits East Egg for dinner with his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her husband, Tom, who was once Nick’s classmate at Yale. During this visit, Daisy and Tom introduce Nick to Jordan Baker, an attractive and cynical young woman with whom he embarks on a romantic relationship.
Nick also uncovers details about Daisy and Tom’s marriage; Jordan reveals that Tom is involved with Myrtle Wilson, who resides in the valley of ashes, a bleak industrial wasteland situated between West Egg and New York City. Shortly after this revelation, Nick accompanies Tom and Myrtle to New York City, where they attend a crude and extravagant party in Tom’s apartment dedicated to the affair. During the gathering, Myrtle provocatively mocks Tom about Daisy, prompting Tom to retaliate violently by breaking her nose.