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No Fear The Great Gatsby Chapter 6
So Nick finally decides to tell us who Gatsby is. Gatsby, is not Gatsby at all. Rather, his birth name is James Gatz, and he’s the son of a couple unsuccessful farmers from North Dakota. As Gatsby grew up, he had a dream to do extraordinarily well for himself, and so he drummed up the image of his ideal self- Jay Gatsby- when he was a teenager. This dream of his was not easy to attain, and it’s mostly out of sheer luck that he became the man he always felt he was. At first, he attempted to go to a college in Minnesota, but was so poor that he had to be a janitor in order to pay for school, and he became dismayed at the “ferocious indifference” he felt towards him. This decision to leave reveals Gatsby's extreme sensitivity to social class, and to the fact of his own poverty; from his childhood onward, he longs for wealth and- for the sophistication and elegance which he imagines that wealth will lend him. His work as a janitor is a gross humiliation because it is at odds with his ideal of himself; to protect that ideal, he is willing to damage his actual circumstances. So, feeling as though no one understood his potential, he left. He then worked as a clam digger and a salmon fisher, trying to find anything here and there that would make him money. And then, he met Dan Cody. Dan Cody was a man who had struck millions from dealing with Montana copper mining. He was also a drunk and a bit of a fool, and on the day he met he had anchored himself in a dangerous part of the waters. Gatz rowed out to him to tell him he might get broken up in half an hour if he didn’t move. Thankful for his advice, Cody asked who he was, and for the first time in his life, James Gatz was able to tell him that his name was Jay Gatsby.
This began his friendship with Dan Cody, and he sailed around the world with him for 5 years. He worked as a personal assistant- always making sure Cody had what he needed. Because Cody was such a drinker, Gatsby learned to “let liquor alone,” as he saw what a danger it could be. Cody gave him the background he needed in breeding and manners to be able to pull off appearing rich. Cody put all of his trust into Gatsby, and Gatsby took care of Cody for all those years. Because of this, Dan Cody left him $25,000 in his will… but that sneaky Ella Kaye found a way to get her claws into it, so Gatsby never saw any of the money. Though he now had the clothing and the manners to act rich, he was again penniless.
He met Dan Cody when he was 17, so this whole adventure of his takes us a little past Gatsby’s 22nd^ birthday.
The chapter starts with a young reporter coming to the door to try to verify some of those rumors we’ve heard about this Jay Gatsby, and the James Gatz that still exists inside of him is pleased.
As Nick reminds us that he didn’t get to see Gatsby for a few weeks because he’s hanging out with Daisy all the time, and so he finally decided to knock on Gatsby’s door because he missed him. Something strange happens that day; the girlfriend’s husband (Tom “Jerk-Face” Buchanan) comes over with two strangers. They’re all on horseback, which is
apparently something that people do. As they walk up to the front door, Gatsby says how glad he is they dropped by. It should be noted that this is pretty much the only time Nick-the-wallflower interjects into his own story- apparently telling this part gets him all riled up. After Gatsby says this, Nick interrupts his story to write: “as though they cared!”
It’s as though Nick, in replaying the scene, wants to do what he wishes he had done at the time: armor Gatsby against the cruelty to come by preemptively insulting these uninvited guests. Sadly, since Nick can only relay past events, not change them, the scene continues to unfold. Gatsby, always so eager to please his guests, scurries around offering refreshment (it’s turned down) and energetically asking questions (he receives curt replies).
A hilarious dynamic ensues wherein Gatsby really, really wants to tell Tom that he’s having an affair with his wife. Tom, for his part, just wants to hang out with Nick. And Nick? Well, Nick is bored. I’m going to reduce about three pages’ worth of awkwardness into just a few lines of dialogue, because if I edited out ALL the awkward parts of this book, there’d be no book left. Anyway.
GATSBY: So, Mr. Buchanan! I believe we’ve met somewhere before. TOM: If you say so. I meet a lot of people. I’m a delight, and everyone loves me. GATSBY: Does that include your wife? TOM: Probably. Anyway, I sort of remember you, actually. You were with Nick, right? Out to lunch? Man that must’ve been something. Nick never invites me to lunch. NICK: I’m busy, Tom. You know that.
(Gatsby is staring intently at Tom. It’s… kind of weird.)
GATBSY: I know your wife, by the way. Have I mentioned that? I don’t think I’ve mentioned that. But I definitely know her. TOM: Cool. Say, Nick, do you live around here? NICK: Yep. Next door. TOM: How about that! GATSBY: Did you hear me, Tom? I said I know your wife. TOM: Gatsby, can’t you see I’m trying to have a conversation with Nick over here?
Finally, the “pretty woman” warms up after two highballs and invites Gatsby to her mansion for dinner. This invite—a signal, perhaps, that he’s being admitted into this haughty equestrians’ circle—makes Gatsby feel incredibly excited. He scrambles to go inside (while missing the social cue that he’s not actually invited), and we can just imagine him dashing into a nearby bathroom and running a wet comb through his hair, riffling through the closet to find a nice coat to wear), while the men outside mock him for not “getting it” that the invitation was not sincere. Tom expresses
says that Gatsby owns a chain of drugstores. Tom, displeased with this answer, says he’s going to make it a point to find out Gatsby’s backstory. At this point, I’m almost thinking Tom would make a better narrator.
Nick notes that Daisy seems worried as she leaves the party, nervous that some beautiful girl will swoop in and be charming enough to make Gatsby forget all about her. As much as I hate Daisy, I can concede that the girl has some baggage. Baggage given to her by her lovely husband, who cheats on her with like. Everyone.
After the party, Nick and Gatsby break down the Daisy situation. I mean sure, Tom has money and influence and some sick riding trousers, but he’s also the worst, and Gatsby doesn't understand why Daisy’s still with him. Nick realizes with some alarm that Gatsby won’t be happy until Daisy tells Tom she never loved him, effectively wiping out the last five years. Nick tells Gatsby you can’t repeat the past. Gatsby, shocked that Nick has never used a Time-Turner before, says, "Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!"
Oh Gatsby. C’mon son. Nick realizes Gatsby thinks if he can just return to a certain point in his life and relive it, everything will be the way it was supposed to be. But of course since he’s Nick, he doesn’t bother to argue this point with Gatsby. Why argue when you can just sit back and do nothing? That seems to be Nick’s motto.
The chapter ends with a flashback to Daisy and Gatsby’s first kiss, the gravity of which Gatsby will never be able to replicate because it exists only in memory. In a way, I will admit that it’s…ugh. FINE. I will admit that 27 year old Gatsby seems quite romantic, as he realized that kissing Daisy Buchanan would make him fall in love with her, and if that happened, many of his opportunities would vanish into air. So he allows himself a moment, to truly think if he’s willing to sacrifice the life he is creating for himself, in order to be with Daisy. He decides she’s worth that risk, and bending his head down, he kisses her.
Nick says this story has “appalling sentimentality” (jealous much, Nick?) and in that moment he was reminded of something, of some phrase he wanted to say to Gatsby. He tries to say it, and then the words are lost forever.
(As my student Amber pointed out, and I agree, was he perhaps mustering up (and then losing) the courage to tell Gatsby he loves him?)
