pp 43-64
Chapter Three begins with Nick's watching Gatsby's guests arriving on a summer night. Nick had noticed Gatsby's parties often. Another observation made by Nick is that "every Friday, five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from New York. Every Monday, these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves" (43). All of this is done in the name of Gatsby's parties.
Nick is formally invited to one of Gatsby's parties, which is quite unusual. Most of Gatsby's guests just come and go as they please. Some have never even met Gatsby. Nick goes to the party and asks if anyone knows where Mr. Gatsby can be found. Nobody seems to reply, so he begins drinking and socializing.
After a while, Nick turns to notice Jordan Baker entering the garden. As he approaches her, his greeting is interrupted by a pair of bubbly twins dazzled up in their matching yellow dresses. They approach Jordan and begin to discuss golf with her. She seems to be annoyed that the girls distract her from Nick.
A little time goes by, and then Nick is approached by a man. They seem to be getting along quite well with each other. Nick mentions that he has not yet met the host of the party. The man apologizes for not introducing himself earlier and reveals that he is Gatsby. The butler then informs Gatsby that Chicago is on the phone. Gatsby excuses himself and exits.
Later Gatsby asks to speak privately with Jordan. When she returns, she refuses to tell Nick what was said between the two. They decide to leave and see an accident in Gatsby's front lawn. The man appears to be drunk.
Nick realizes in this chapter that he loves being around Jordan. She intrigues him. He knows that he is not in love with her, but that he feels a "sort of tender curiosity" towards her. She is a liar and a cheat. Nick, considering himself "one of the few honest people he has ever known," has no choice but to be completely absorbed by Jordan's quite opposite behavior.
Most of this chapter takes place at Gatsby's mansion during one of his parties.
GATSBY: a lonely man who seeks love from a past romance; is motivated by wealth and love
GUESTS: the guests that come to Gatsby's party obviously do not come for love for their host; they come for their own image and to get drunk
NICK: the narrator; connected to Gatsby because the woman that Gatsby is in love with is a family member of Nick's; Nick is very passive and does not like to start trouble.
JORDAN: a woman golfer; a friend to Daisy, Nick's cousin; she takes a liking to Nick and they begin to form a relationship.
OWL EYES: a man that Nick finds in Gatsby's library trying to sober himself up by looking at all of Gatsby's books.
Symbols that appear in Chapter Three include alcohol, which one can automatically connect with trouble, and parties which one may attribute to loneliness.
The most recognizable motif appearing in Chapter Three is alcohol. Alcohol appears again and again. It is consistently seen at Gatsby's party and is constantly mentioned throughout the novel.
Loneliness and irony are found throughout this chapter. Parties represent loneliness of each of the people who attend, and most of all Gatsby. Irony may also be found. Gatsby just happens to connect Jordan and Nick to Daisy and isn't it ironic that a guy like Nick would fall in love with a girl like Jordan?
This first quotation is said in reference to Jordan.
"She left a borrowed car out in the rain with the top down, and then lied about it" (62). Jordan seems to be a cheater. She does not like to take the responsibility for anything. It is also believed that Jordan cheated to win her golf tournament, but she says that nobody can prove it so she is not worried about it.
Nick says in reference to himself:
"I am one of the few honest people I know" (64). Isn't it ironic that Nick, such an honest man, would be attracted to Jordan Baker, a liar and a cheater?
It is said that Gatsby likes to keep clean when it comes to the people who surround him.
"He doesn't want any trouble with anybody" (48). For example, a woman who came to Gatsby's party tore her dress, so he sent her a new one.
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Page last updated on March 5, 1999.
Curator: Tara Mulligan