The Great The Great GatsbyGatsby

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Chapter 5 takes place on the day following Nick's revelations about Gatsby and Daisy's previous involvement.

The Lights Are On…The Lights Are On…When Nick returns home from his date in When Nick returns home from his date in

the city with Jordan Baker, Gatsby's the city with Jordan Baker, Gatsby's house is ablaze with lights from tower to house is ablaze with lights from tower to cellar, but there is no party and no sound. cellar, but there is no party and no sound.

““As my taxi groaned away I saw Gatsby As my taxi groaned away I saw Gatsby walking toward me across his lawn.”walking toward me across his lawn.”

““Your place looks like the World's Fair,” Your place looks like the World's Fair,” I said. I said.

Gatsby is Gatsby is anxiousanxiousGatsby invites Nick for a swim… but Gatsby invites Nick for a swim… but

there is clearly something else on his there is clearly something else on his mindmind

Nick Nick realisesrealises that he is waiting to hear that he is waiting to hear about Daisyabout Daisy

““I'm going to call up Daisy to-morrow I'm going to call up Daisy to-morrow and invite her over here to tea.” and invite her over here to tea.”

Nick Invites Nick Invites DaisyDaisy Nick calls Daisy, and, without Nick calls Daisy, and, without

mentioning Gatsby, invites her mentioning Gatsby, invites her over for tea under the condition over for tea under the condition that she doesn't bring Tom.that she doesn't bring Tom.

I called up Daisy from the I called up Daisy from the office next morning, and office next morning, and invited her to come to tea. invited her to come to tea.

““Don't bring Tom,” I warned her.Don't bring Tom,” I warned her.““What?”What?”““Don't bring Tom.”Don't bring Tom.”““Who is 'Tom'?” she asked Who is 'Tom'?” she asked

innocently. innocently.

Preparing for Preparing for DaisyDaisy On the morning of Daisy's On the morning of Daisy's

visit, scheduled for 4:00 p.m., visit, scheduled for 4:00 p.m., it is pouring rain, but a it is pouring rain, but a gardener, sent by Gatsby, still gardener, sent by Gatsby, still comes and cuts Nick's grass.comes and cuts Nick's grass.

At 2:00 p.m., a virtual At 2:00 p.m., a virtual greenhouse of flowers, greenhouse of flowers, complete with containers, complete with containers, arrives from Gatsby. arrives from Gatsby.

Gatsby WaitsGatsby WaitsAt 3:00 p.m., Gatsby, At 3:00 p.m., Gatsby,

looking nervous and looking nervous and tired, arrives, dressed in tired, arrives, dressed in a white flannel suit, a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold tie. silver shirt, and gold tie.

He tries unsuccessfully He tries unsuccessfully to calm his nerves by to calm his nerves by reading.reading.

Daisy ArrivesDaisy ArrivesUnder the dripping bare Under the dripping bare

lilac-trees a large open car lilac-trees a large open car was coming up the drive. was coming up the drive.

It stopped. Daisy's face, It stopped. Daisy's face, tipped sideways beneath a tipped sideways beneath a three-cornered lavender three-cornered lavender hat, looked out at me with hat, looked out at me with a bright ecstatic smile. a bright ecstatic smile.

Where is Gatsby?Where is Gatsby? When Daisy and Nick enter the When Daisy and Nick enter the

house, Gatsby has disappeared. house, Gatsby has disappeared. She turned her head as there was She turned her head as there was

a light dignified knocking at the a light dignified knocking at the front door. front door.

I went out and opened it. Gatsby, I went out and opened it. Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into of water glaring tragically into my eyes. my eyes.

Awkward Awkward MomentsMoments

Nick leaves them alone for a little Nick leaves them alone for a little while.while.

Gatsby is reclining against the mantel Gatsby is reclining against the mantel in a “strained counterfeit of perfect in a “strained counterfeit of perfect ease or boredom...and his distraught ease or boredom...and his distraught eyes stared down at Daisy, who was eyes stared down at Daisy, who was sitting frightened but gracefully on sitting frightened but gracefully on the edge of a stiff chair.” the edge of a stiff chair.”

Daisy says that she has not seen Daisy says that she has not seen Gatsby for many yearsGatsby for many years

Gatsby immediately adds that it has Gatsby immediately adds that it has been five years next November, been five years next November, betraying his devotion to Daisy. betraying his devotion to Daisy.

Fortunately, the Fortunately, the awkward awkward moment is moment is broken with the broken with the

Finnish housekeeper Finnish housekeeper bringing in the tea. bringing in the tea.

““This is a terrible This is a terrible mistake”mistake”Gatsby is nervous, and so is DaisyGatsby is nervous, and so is Daisy

Gatsby tries to leave, but Nick Gatsby tries to leave, but Nick convinces him to stayconvinces him to stay

Nick leaves them alone againNick leaves them alone againWhen Nick rejoins the pair in the When Nick rejoins the pair in the

living room, Daisy is wiping her living room, Daisy is wiping her eyes, which are filled with tearseyes, which are filled with tears

Gatsby, on the other hand, is Gatsby, on the other hand, is glowing. glowing.

““I want you and Daisy to I want you and Daisy to come over to my house”come over to my house”

Gatsby gives Nick Gatsby gives Nick and Daisy a tour of and Daisy a tour of his homehis home

dressing-rooms dressing-rooms poolroomspoolroomsbathrooms bathrooms

Gatsby and Light

Page 52: “blazing with light”Find more quotes associating Gatsby with

light“an ecstatic patron of recurrent light”“the house glowed full of light” MetaphorMakes him seem like a mythical figure, who

can bring light and happiness. Nick is hero worshipping him

The Green Light The green light represents Gatsby’s aspirations Gatsby associates Daisy with the green light It is distant and full of hope. It is one way in which he has idealised the thought

of her- distant and perfect Analyse “seemed as close as a star to the moon” The reality of Daisy cannot possibly live up to the

illusion: Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.

Loneliness

Despite his wealth Gatsby seems lonely:

It was strange to reach the marble steps and find no stir of bright dresses…and hear no sound…

Gatsby’s BedroomGatsby’s Bedroom His bedroom was the simplest room of all - His bedroom was the simplest room of all -

except where the dresser was garnished with a except where the dresser was garnished with a toilet set of pure dull gold. toilet set of pure dull gold.

WardrobeWardrobeHe took out a pile of He took out a pile of

shirts and began shirts and began throwing them, one by throwing them, one by one, before usone, before us

While we admired he While we admired he brought more and the brought more and the soft rich heap soft rich heap mounted higher mounted higher

Daisy ReactsDaisy Reacts Words are not sufficient for

either Gatsby or Daisy to express their feelings:

Suddenly, Daisy bent her head Suddenly, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to into the shirts and began to cry.cry.

““They're such beautiful They're such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. muffled in the thick folds.

Gatsby in Love

Gatsby seems to be stunned by Daisy’s presence:

“stared around…in a dazed way”He regresses into an awkward teenager

when he sees Daisy again.“he nearly toppled down a flight of stairs”“…he was consumed with wonder”

OutsideOutsideAfter the house, we After the house, we

were to see the grounds were to see the grounds and the and the swimming- swimming-

poolpooland the hydroplane and the hydroplane and the mid-summer and the mid-summer

flowers flowers

We'll have Klipspringer play We'll have Klipspringer play the pianothe piano

Klipspringer is known Klipspringer is known

as “the boarder” as “the boarder”

because he is always because he is always

at Gatsby’s parties at Gatsby’s parties

and seems to live at and seems to live at

the mansionthe mansion

Nick LeavesNick Leaves They had forgotten me, They had forgotten me,

but Daisy glanced up and but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand held out her hand

Gatsby didn't know me Gatsby didn't know me now at all. now at all.

I looked once more at I looked once more at them and they looked them and they looked back at me, remotely, back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life possessed by intense life

The end of the chapter

Even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams…because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.

There is foreshadowing of the tragedy to come:

His ghostly heart.