Jay Gatsby Timeline and Summary

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• Gatsby throws fabulous parties all the time, but nobody seems to know much about him or who he is.
• Nick Carraway meets Gatsby at a party but does not at first know who he is. Later, Gatsby asks to speak privately with Jordan.
• Gatsby and Nick spend some time in New York together, but when Nick tries to introduce him to Tom Buchanan, Gatsby literally disappears.
• Nick learns that Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan and is hoping Nick will arrange for the two of them to meet under the pretext of tea.
• Jordan fills in the background of how Gatsby and Daisy met.
• Nick arranges the tea as requested.
• Although the meeting goes well, it’s clear to Nick that Gatsby’s idealized dream of Daisy is more real to Gatsby than the real Daisy herself.
• Gatsby and Daisy begin an affair and Gatsby begins to dream of her leaving Tom.
• Gatsby meets Tom.
• Gatsby has a party attended by Daisy and Tom.
• Tom, suspicious, begins to "investigate" who Gatsby is and how he got his money.
• Gatsby, Tom, Daisy, Jordan and Nick spend time in the city together, and Tom realizes Gatsby loves Daisy. He confronts him about it.
• During the confrontation, Gatsby tries to get Daisy to say she never loved Tom, but she is unwilling to say it.
• Gatsby and Daisy ride back to Long Island together. Daisy drives, supposedly.
• On the way (according to Gatsby’s later story), Daisy hits Myrtle Wilson and kills her – but she keeps driving.
• Gatsby hangs around outside the Buchanan home, making sure Daisy is safe after Tom comes home.
• George Wilson comes after Gatsby and kills him and then himself.
• Only three people attend Gatsby’s funeral: Gatsby’s father, Nick, and the owl-eyed man who once admired the books in Gatsby’s library.