The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

The Great Gatsby

Chapter 3 Review

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 marks the point of F. Scott Fitzgerald's book when the main plot begins to unfold. The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 summary begins with Nick describing the parties his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, throws daily. These parties are described as lavish and opulent, including live bands, whole crates of oranges and lemons, and Rolls Royces all lined up in Gatsby's yard. Nick Carraway, the narrator, proclaims that he has received an invitation to one of Gatsby's famous parties, and, the next night, enters an already roaring celebration at Jay Gatsby's house.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Nick initially looks for the host, even asking random party guests if they know where to find him. Eventually, he gives up the quest because of the odd looks and negative answers from the others when asked about Gatsby's whereabouts. Instead, Nick has a drink and, after doing so, clings to Jordan Baker, the only person at the party he knows. Jordan leads Nick on a half-hearted search for Jay Gatsby and, on the way, the two come into contact with a very drunk man describes as having huge owl-like spectacles. The man is very interested in the fact that Gatsby's books are real.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Eventually, Nick and Jordan give up the search for Gatsby, taking a spot at the bar next to a man described as the same age as Nick and a young woman. Nick and the stranger discover they were in the same division during The Great War, and Nick agrees to go on a hydroplane ride with the man before clumsily discovering that the stranger is, in fact, the Jay Gatsby he has spent the night looking for.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

The chapter ends with Nick saying his goodbyes and witnessing a car crash involving the owl-eyed man and another while walking home. After this, Nick includes a short anecdote on the deceitful nature of Jordan Baker, saying that he feels he could love her but does not know how to love a woman so comfortable with lying.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following alternative endings could you create for The Great Gatsby Chapter 3, if Nick had not discovered that the drunk man with owl-like spectacles was Jay Gatsby?

• Jordan Baker would have found Gatsby and brought him to Nick.

• Gatsby would reveal himself to Nick in a different way later on in the novel.

• Nick never discovers the truth about Gatsby, resulting in a different storyline.

• Gatsby remains a mystery character throughout the rest of the novel.

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of Jordan Baker in Nick's journey towards unraveling the mystery that is Jay Gatsby?

• Jordan leads Nick on a search for Gatsby, which ultimately results in him finding the host of the party.

• Jordan serves as a wing-woman for Nick and helps him make a good impression on Gatsby.

• Jordan symbolizes the temptations and dangers of the high society lifestyle that Nick is trying to navigate.

• Jordan's true nature as a liar warns Nick not to trust anyone associated with Gatsby.

Multiple Choice

What literary device does Fitzgerald use in Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby when Nick comes into contact with the drunk man described as having "huge owl-like spectacles?"

• Simile

• Foreshadowing

• Irony

• Symbolism

Draw

Create a drawing or painting of a scene from one of Gatsby's famous parties, incorporating elements described in Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby. Be sure to include at least three of the following: live music, fruits and other refreshments, luxurious cars, Gatsby himself, and Nick Carraway.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

What Kind of People Come to Gatsby's Parties?

The kind of people who come to Gatsby's parties are generally the extremely wealthy and, according to Nick, shallow types. New and old money mingling and drinking together as well as a slew of people hoping to capitalize on so many wealthy people in one place make up most of Gatsby's party goers. The parties include famous people and their friends, not usually people like Nick, quiet and reserved.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

How Do People Get Invited to Gatsby's Parties?

How do people get invited to Gatsby's parties? They don't! Most attendees never receive an invitation to one of Gatsby's parties, so people just show up. In The Great Gatsby Chapter 3, one partier states that most people are brought, not invited, to the house.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

What is Special about Nick's Invitation to Gatsby's Party?

What is special about Nick's invitation to Gatsby's party is his invitation, of course. Nick describes a butler walking across his lawn to personally invite him to Jay Gatsby's house for a party. The butler relays to Nick Gatsby's apology for not having invited him sooner, making the excuse of business as the cause of the lack of previous invitation. Nick is one of the few people to receive an invitation to a famous Gatsby party.

Multiple Choice

How would you modify Gatsby's parties to make them more inclusive for people like Nick Carraway?

• Limit the guest list only to people who represent old money to create a more reserved and sophisticated atmosphere.

• Set up separate areas at the party for different groups of guests such as intellectuals and party animators.

• Designate specific times of the night where guests are encouraged to participate in quiet, reflective activities.

• Create spaces within the party that cater to a wider range of interests and personalities, including quiet corners for reading or sitting, and more interactive spaces for dancing or games.

Open Ended

How does the contrast between the partygoers and Nick's character help to illustrate the theme of social class in The Great Gatsby?

In your response, be sure to include specific examples from the film that illustrate differences between the people who attend Gatsby's parties and Nick Carraway. Analyze how these differences help to reveal the gulf between the wealthy and the working class in America during the 1920s. Furthermore, consider how this illustrates the novel's thematic commentary on the rigidity and exclusivity of the American class system, as well as how it may relate to contemporary issues around social stratification.

Open Ended

What does Nick Carraway's exclusive invitation to Gatsby's party reveal about his character and role in the novel?

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Symbols in The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3, in line with the rest of Fitzgerald's novel, includes many important symbols. First, there is the party itself, directly opposite Tom's East Egg party in the previous chapter.

• The Party

The party serves as a lavish and shallow mask for the more serious goings on in Gatsby's personal life. There is also the distinction, made by Nick, between East Egg and West Egg.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Symbols in The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

• East Egg vs West Egg

East Egg is the area of what is known as 'old money' society, people whose wealth has passed down generations, and West Egg, where Gatsby and Nick live, is the area for the nouveau riche, those who have recently come into money. The two areas being on opposing sides of the same body of water illustrates the inherent opposition between the two classes: old money types looking down on the gaudiness of new money people and their parties.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Symbols in The Great Gatsby Chapter 3

• The Books

The books can be seen as a facade, a symbol of Gatsby's life as seemingly impressive and real but suspiciously off. The man with the owl-like spectacles sees in the books what the others cannot. While an average partygoer would glance at the books, perhaps see they are real, and move on, Owl-eyes inspects further to find the truth behind the facade. This is, perhaps the main idea of Fitzgerald's novel: seeing truth behind the facade.

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the party in The Great Gatsby Chapter 3?

• To display Gatsby's wealth

• To mask the serious goings on in Gatsby's personal life

• To bring together East Egg and West Egg society

• To create a lasting memory for partygoers

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of East Egg and West Egg in The Great Gatsby?

• East Egg is for old money society and West Egg is for nouveau riche

• East Egg is for nouveau riche and West Egg is for old money society

• East Egg is for those who have recently come into money and West Egg is for those who inherited their wealth

• East Egg is for those who inherited their wealth and West Egg is for those who have recently come into money

Multiple Choice

How does Fitzgerald use the man with the owl-like spectacles in Chapter 3?

• To provide insight into Gatsby's personal life

• To symbolize the opposition between East Egg and West Egg

• To illustrate the importance of parties in the novel

• To reveal the truth behind the facade of Gatsby's life

Multiple Choice

What does the distinction between East Egg and West Egg represent in The Great Gatsby?

• The rivalry between Gatsby and Tom

• The difference between wealth and poverty

• The inherent opposition between old money and new money

• The importance of social status in the novel

The Great Gatsby Chapter 3 Summary

Chapter 3 is the first introduction to Jay Gatsby and the aura of mystery he surrounds himself in. Gatsby is private and quiet. He doesn't drink at his own party and carries himself increasingly well, a stark contrast to the drunk outburst of violence Nick sees in Chapter 2 at Tom's party in East Egg. The reader is introduced to the gossip surrounding Gatsby, including the whispers from the young women that he may have killed a man once or been a German spy during WWI.

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Additionally, Gatsby's party serves to portray the lavish extremity of the new money parties during the 1920s. Mentioning that even East Egg residents such as Jordan Baker enjoy the parties only further demonstrates their significance in the era. The war has recently ended, and the wealthy American citizens take advantage of the life they have to party and drink and dance.

Open Ended

Explain how Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby portrays the lavishness of new money parties during the 1920s, and the significance of these parties in the era.

Poll

I understand the plot and characters of The Great Gatsby?

• Just the plot

• Just the characters

• The plot and the characters

• I don’t understand what is happening