A narrative timeline of The Great Gatsby, with relevant contextual features.

Fitzgerald

USA context

Gatsby text.

1890

fictional jimmy Gatz born

1895

Born, St.Paul,

1896 |

Minnesota

Klondike gold rush

1897 |

1898 |

1899

1900

1901

1902

first aeroplane flight

1904

1905

1906

Gatz creates his schedule and ambitions

1907

Meets Dan Cody - Gatsby created

1908

(Wright brothers)

I

1909

first model T ford

I

1910

I

I

1911

Cody dies, Gatsby cheated out of inheritance of $25,000

1912

1913

Attended

Princeton

1914

|

1915

|

1916

|

1917

|

US enters WW1

Observed by Jordan in Daisy's car

1918

Lieutenant in the army. Based in Alabama. Fell in love with Zelda

War prohibition act to save grain

Affair with Daisy until he leaves for France. Successful war.

1919

Daisy marries Tom, just after receipt of Gatsby's letter. Gatsby attends Oxford. Gatsby, dejected, asks Wolfshiem for a job.

1920

This side of paradise published.

Prohibition starts

Pammy is born to Daisy and Tom

Marriage

Rise of bootleggers such as Capone. Becomes a huge business.

1921

Short stories published

1922

Beautiful and the Damned

Early June: Buchanan party, 2 weeks before longest day.

A few days before the 4th July - evening at the flat in NY

5 July: Nick writes the names on the guest list

late July: Lunch with Wolfshiem

Two days later: Tea party

several weeks later: August? Daisy and Tom attend a party

At least a week later: lights fail to go on

next day: invitation for lunch with Daisy, 'tomorrow'

next day: ill-fated lunch and visit to NY. Death Myrtle.

next day: Gatsby's death. Time collapsed by regular events at stated times of day.

three days later: a warm September day, Mr Gatz arrives

Late October: meets Tom in NYC

Last night: All is closed, probably November

1923

1924

moved to live on the Riviera

Narrative written by Nick looking back over the time past.

Great Gatsby written

1925

Great Gatsby published

1926

1927

Lived between paris and Hollywood. Wild

Lindbergh first solo flight across the Atlantic

life. Zelda's

breakdown

1928

|

first appearance of Mickey Mouse. All women given the vote.

1929

|

Collapse of stock world wide, war declared on bootleggers, Valentines Day massacre in Chicago.

market depression

1930

|

1931

|

1932

25% unemployment

1933

end of Prohibition,

drought in the

South and Plains

1934

Tender is the night

1935