The Great Gatsby: Chapters 4-6

    

    “You can’t live in the past” is a phrase that Gatsby would strongly disagree with. Years ago Daisy was romantically involved with a lieutenant. This lieutenant was Gatsby. This time period seemed to  be the peak of Gatsby’s life. Just as Tom is trying to live through his sports glory days, Gatsby is trying to live through his past with Daisy. With this, Fitzgerald began The Great Gatsby with an epigraph. The epigraph is clearly foreshadowing Gatsby’s life, and it already allows the reader to think about the deeper meaning of the epigraph. What is the gold hat? What is the significance of bouncing high? Who or what is the narrator yearning for? 


I will begin with the gold hat. The gold hat is a clear symbol of wealth and social status. Many wealthy people inherited their money. This was somewhat true of Gatsby. Gatsby traveled with Cody to the Barbary Coast and West Indies. “It was from Cody that he inherited money - a legacy of twenty-five thousand dollars.” Gatsby didn’t receive any of this because of Cody’s mistress. This meant that Gatsby was back at square one. Gatsby bought many side street drug stores and he also illegally sold alcohol. From this, Gatsby became a wealthy man. Gatsby flaunted his wealth very obviously. Even in chapter 5 Gatsby had the outfit choice of a silver shirt with a gold tie. This was an obvious symbol of his wealth. Gatsby is also known for his parties. Gatsby used his parties to show off his house and to continue to upgrade his social status. 


Gatsby’s wealth was used to attract Daisy. The purpose of Gatsby flaunting his money isn’t for anyone other than Daisy. This brings us to the significance of bounce high. Gatsby is trying to do everything to “bounce” back to Daisy. Gatsby even went to the extent of buying his“...house so that Daisy would be just across the bay". Then once Gatsby’s work paid off to be able to talk with Daisy, he gives her a tour of his house. This, again, ties in Gatsby’s wealth. Gatsby uses his shared materialistic side, with Daisy, to draw her closer. Daisy even said, “It makes me sad because I've never seen such—such beautiful shirts before." The audience hasn’t seen Daisy get very emotional until this point. Now she is getting emotional because of Gatsby’s Display of wealth. 

Nick ends chapter six by telling Gatsby that he “can’t repeat the past”. His astonished reaction shows just how unhappy Gatsby is in his life now. He has a void that needs to be filled. He believes that Daisy could fill that void. Nick continued to state, “I gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy.” Nick is yearning for Daisy, but he wants Daisy to yearn for him. Gatsby wants Daisy to fall back in love with him, even if it is another version of himself. The fake version. 

    Repeating the past is what Gatsby lives for. Gatsby revolves around Daisy, and repeating the past seems to be what would lead Gatsby back to Daisy. Gatsby’s entire social status and wealth has rooted from his love for Daisy. Gatsby has spent years after Daisy, and this has left him feeling unfulfilled. Gatsby is allowing his past to obscure the present. This is exactly why Gatsby has put on a façade. Nick catches onto this quickly, and he especially notices Gatsby’s careful choice of words. Gatsby is trying to make himself believe he is living in the past, as well as others. 

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