The Great Gatsby - Chapter 6
Summary
In Chapter 6 rumors about Gatsby are continuing to circulate in New York, following these rumors a reporter travels
to Gatsby’s mansion in hopes of interviewing him having learnt the truth of his real life
 Here we find out Gatsby’s real history not the way Gatsby claimed it happened but the way it actually happened
 Gatsby was born James Gatz on a farm in North Dakota where he later attended St. Olaf’s college before dropping
out and taking up local jobs
 Gatsby first met Dan Cody when he warned him of an oncoming storm
 Appreciative of this warning Cody took Gatsby in, where he adopted the name Jay Gatsby and worked as Cody’s
steward, mate, skipper, secretary and jailor
 After 5 years of working for Cody, Gatsby had traveled all over the continent twice over, and was left a fortune of
twenty thousand dollars when Cody died, but denied this right by Cody’s mistress Ella Kaye
 This event lead to Gatsby’s constant pursuit of wealth
 For several weeks Nick does not hear nor see Gatsby until one Sunday afternoon when Nick goes to see Gatsby
where he finds Tom, and Mr. and Mrs. Sloane having a drink with Gatsby
 Here Gatsby tells Tom that he knows Daisy, where Tom reacts in criticizing Daisy for going around alone
 Upon insisting they must leave Gatsby invites Tom and Mr. and Mrs. Sloane to dinner, where Mrs. Sloane reverses
the offer and Gatsby accepts not seeing the insincerity of the invitation
 The next Saturday Tom and Daisy attend Gatsby’s party along with Nick and many others
 At the party Gatsby and Daisy manage to spend some time alone together while Tom is briefly entertained by the
other guests
 After the guests leave Gatsby tells Nick he is unhappy because Daisy did not enjoy the party and that she has
changed from before
 Nick reminds Gatsby that he cannot recreate the past but Gatsby protests this and believes he can make things exactly
as they where when they first met
 It is here that Nick reflects on Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship and remembers their first kiss, when Gatsby fell for
Daisy and she became his dream
 It is here that Nick realizes that all these years Gatsby has waited so long to be with Daisy, and now that he is with
her she may not be able to live up to those expectations
Vocabulary
Meretricious
"He was a son of God- a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that- and he must be about His Father's business,
the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty." (95)
Superficially or garishly attractive
Conceits
"The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night." (95)
An elaborate image or far- fetched comparison
Contingencies
"He was employed in a vague personal capacity- while he remained with Cody he was in turn steward, mate, skipper,
secretary, and even jailor, for Dan Cody sober knew what lavish doings Dan Cody drunk might soon be about, and he
provided for such contingencies by reposing more and more trust in Gatsby." (97)
A possible but not very likely future event or condition
Perturbed
"Tom was evidently perturbed at Daisy's running around alone, for on the following Saturday night he came with her to
Gatsby's party." (100)
To disturb the composure of something
Lethargic
"A massive and lethargic woman, who had been urging Daisy to play golf with her at the local club tomorrow." (102)
Sluggishness, slowness or dullness

Theme Development
Appearance vs. reality
"So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception
he was to the end."(95)
This quotation reveals that James Gatz invented the identity of Jay Gatsby. James Gatz's new identity allowed him to
appear as an approachable and wealthy man. His imagination lead him to set ambitious goals that he later is able to
achieve through his new found self. This quote helps to develop the theme of appearance vs. reality; "So he invented just
the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent", this part of the quote signifies the
appearance that James Gatz takes on which is likely to be very different from his reality. A seventeen-year-old boy still
has a creative imagination and would be able to appear as anything they want. In reality, James Gatz is a lower class
citizen and is from an unsuccessful family. He uses his appearance of Jay Gatsby to appear wealthy and successful to the
people around him.
Class
"To young Gatz, resting on his oars and looking up at the railed deck yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the
world."(96)
This quote develops the theme of class because when Gatsby was a young boy he was very poor and of a low class. In this
part of Gatz's life he sees 'all of the beauty and glamour in the world' which triggers him to start developing ideals about
himself. He makes up a new identity that allows him to express these ideals and fit in with people that are of a higher
class. Dan Cody is a man of a much higher class who is fortunate to have a lot of money and own the yacht mentioned in
the quote. 'looking up at the railed deck' this part of the quote symbolizes how Nick is looking up from his lower class to
Dan Cody and all of his possessions.
Character Analysis
Tom Bauchanan
"I wonder where in the devil he met Daisy. By God, I may be old-fashioned in my ideas, but women run around too much
these days to suit me. They meet all kinds of crazy fish."(100)
This quote reveals many of Tom Bauchanan's character traits. "I may be old-fashioned in my ideas, but women run
around too much these days", this part of the quote shows how Tom is old-fashioned in his ideas and that he is sexist. His
way of thinking reflects the old thoughts on females that started to change in the 1920's. Tom wants Daisy to continue to
act as the stereo-typed woman and he wants her to stay home and not be meeting any more men. Two more traits that are
shown in this quote are jealousy and insecurity; Tom is very jealous that Daisy has been visiting Gatsby and talking to
other men. Tom is jealous that Daisy is running around and potentially being unfaithful. His jealousy leads to insecurity
because he calls Gatsby a crazy fish. The insult helps his self-esteem but also shows that he's worried that Daisy is being
untrustworthy and starting a relationship with Gatsby.
Jay Gatsby
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: 'I never loved you'."(105)
Jay Gatsby's character traits are exposed in this quote; firstly is shows that Gatsby is selfish."she should go to Tom and
say: 'I never loved you'." Gatsby is obsessed with living his dream of having a life with Daisy. He is willing to destroy
Tom and Daisy's relationship in order to live his dream which is very selfish of him. His character begins to change
because he is willing to hurt people's feelings for his own happiness. This quote also shows how Gatsby is very
determined and persistent; he will stop at nothing to be with Daisy and live his dream. Gatsby's determination and
persistence have helped him come closer to living his dream and unfortunately potentially hurting someone he loves in the
process.
Relationship Analysis
Dan Cody and Jay Gatsby
"While he remained with Cody he was in turn steward, mate, skipper, secretary and even jailer, for Dan Cody sober knew
what lavish doings Dan Cody drunk might soon be about." (97)
Dan Cody had a very good relationship with Jay Gatsby by providing him with a job and a wealthy lifestyle. Jay Gatsby
used his alter-ego when meeting Dan Cody and from there on he remained as that type of person. Dan Cody had a very
big influence on Jay Gatsby because he became obsessed with being rich. Their relationship began to change every time
Dan Cody would drink alcohol. "Dan Cody sober knew what lavish doings Dan Cody drunk." Jay Gatsby became in
charge of Cody by taking care of him when he was drunk. They essentially switched roles because Gatsby was helping
Cody in his time of need. Gatsby was able to provide for him when he wasn't capable of providing for himself.
Daisy Bauchanan and Jay Gatsby
"Then they sauntered over to my house and sat on the steps for half an hour... I knew that except for the half an hour she'd
been alone with Gatsby she wasn't having a good time."(102)
This quotation shows how Gatsby and Daisy's relationship has evolved. They are spending more alone time together
which is helping them to strengthen their relationship. Daisy is not being trustworthy or faithful to Tom and she is willing
to hurt him in order to develop her relationship with Gatsby. "I knew that except for the half an hour she'd been alone with
Gatsby she wasn't having a good time", this shows that Daisy is not able to have a good time with Tom and is enjoying
herself more when she is with Gatsby. Even though Gatsby and Daisy are getting along very well, their relationship has
changed a lot since they first met in 1917; in 1917 they had a very strong relationship and Daisy devoted herself to
Gatsby. Daisy is unable to do this now because she is married to Tom. Daisy and Gatsby's relationship is constantly
changing with every moment they spend together.
Rhetorical Devices
Personification
“But his heart was in a constant, turbulent riot.” (95)
This quote is refering to Gatsby’s emotional state when he was young, by using personification. A heart cannot riot,
therefore it is given a human quality to be better described. It is explaining that Gatsby’s heart, or emotional state, is in
constant upheaval, a never-ending disruption that is unsteady and not controlled. The significance of the use of
personification is that it helps illustrate the rough period that Gatsby was going through. It helps the reader understand that
Gatsby is not happy with the position he is in, being of lower class and wealth, and it could foreshadow future events of
Gatsby changing his situation.
Metaphor
“A universe of ineffable gaudiness spun out in his brain while the clock ticked on the washstand and the moon soaked
with wet light his tangled clothes upon the floor.” (95)
This quote is the comparison between Gatsby’s thoughts and the universe. Evidently there cannot be a universe in
Gatsby’s brain, and since it’s an “ineffable gaudy” universe, his thoughts are of the showy, bright and elabourate future
that is too great to be expressed in words that he hopes to have some day. This again describes Gatsby’s urge to gain
wealth. It also demonstrates the theme of appearance versus reality because he wants to have it all, the whole universe,
while reality sets in due to his tangled clothes on the floor and his surroundings of lower class.
Simile
“At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” (107)
This simile compares Daisy to a blossoming flower. When flowers blossom they mature, they become more wanted as
opposed to a bud, and when Gatsby kissed Daisy, he realized that this was the moment he decided to devote all of his
heart and love toward daisy. She showed her true colours by kissing him, and that is the feelings she feels toward him.
When Fitzgerald mentions “the incarnation was complete”, he is refering to their feelings they feel for each other, that at
the moment of the kiss they realized they loved each other and they reached the next level in the relationship.
Onomatopoeia
“The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet.” (104)
At this point in the novel Tom questions how Gatsby became wealthy, and Nick defends Gatsby. The Onomatopoeia that
is used here, where the pebbles “crunched” under his feet, helps to convey the message that Tom is unsure and uneasy
about Gatsby. Because the reader can hear the footsteps, it accentuates the silence, proving that Tom is not convinced with
Gatsby’s profession. This also reinforces the idea that Tom doesn’t trust Gatsby, especially when it comes to spending
time with daisy. By hearing the crunch the reader understands the distant relationship between Tom and Gatsby, and the
tension that is caused just by bringing it up in conversation.
Imagery
“… but I felt an unpleasantness in the air, a pervading harshness that hadn’t been there before.” (100)
Here Nick is describing that he felt something was different in the atmosphere of the room. This is describing the
ambience of the party that Tom and Daisy go to. This descriptive imagery helps the reader to foreshadow some of the
smaller events to come, such as Gatsby thinking that Daisy didn’t have a good time, or that Tom and Daisy left
dissatisfied with the way the party unfolded. This is the point that sets the mood for the section of the novel that describes
the party, for after this incling that Nick had, it unfoiled just as he’d predicted.
Biographical Theory
In The Great Gatsby written by Scott Fitzgerald, the dominant critical theory displayed is biographical. Fitzgerald
uses his own life experiences to inspire the characters, relationships and the overall plot of the novel. In Chapter 6 you
learn that Jay Gatsby was born James Gatz in North Dakota to a poor family, similarly in Fitzgerald’s family money was
always of concern. Because of this Fitzgerald vowed to never be a failure, exactly in the same way Gatsby promises to
make something of himself by achieving wealth. In this chapter you also learn of Gatsby’s real history as a student of St.
Olaf’s college who dropped out after two weeks, relating to Fitzgerald as he started failing and withdrew from Princeton
University. Because of these similarities it is clear that many qualities and characteristics Jay Gatsby possess were pulled
from Fitzgerald’s personal life. Another character who was inspired from Fitzgerald’s own life is Daisy Buchanan. Daisy
holds a very important place in Gatsby’s life as he has based his life around the chance of being with her once again. In
Gatsby’s life Daisy was the one thing he could never truly attain and the girl who every guy wanted to attain. Similarly in
Fitzgerald’s life a young girl named Ginevra King inspired the role of Daisy, as Fitzgerald met her when she was a
debutant and they dated for some time. However she broke up with him because she was wealthy and he was not, and at
this time rich girls did not marry poor boys. Although Fitzgerald and Ginevra did not last she always played a very
important role in his life as he always saw her as the “golden girl” who could never be attained, the same role Daisy plays
to Gatsby. In conclusion many of Fitzgerald’s life influences clearly play a key role in his novels and shape the characters
and relationships as seen in The Great Gatsby.
Questions
1. What do we learn about Gatsby's origins?
In chapter 6 we learn who Gatsby really is and how he became the man he is. Firstly, we learn that Gatsby's real name is
James Gatz; he was born in North Dakota and came from a very unsuccessful family of farmers. James Gatz invented a
new identity at the age seventeen that was a reflection of how he imagined and wanted himself to be; Jay Gatsby was his
new found identity. His first jobs were a clam digger and salmon fisher which gave him something to eat and a place to
eat. Jay then attended a Small Lutheran College of St.Olaf's; he dropped out after two weeks because he was not satisfied
working as a janitor in order to pay his tuition. Gatsby wanted much more for himself so he began working for a man
named Dan Cody who made him obsessed with a wealthy elegant lifestyle. Jay Gatsby worked as steward, mate, skipper,
secretary and jailer for Dan Cody. One of his least favourite jobs was to watch over Dan Cody when he was drinking
which made Gatsby realize drinking was not something he wanted to do. All these experiences shaped Gatsby into the
man he became.
2. Who is Dan Cody, and why is he an important figure in Gatsby's early years?
Dan Cody is a 50 year old man from Yukon; he was a copper mogul which made him a millionaire and live a very
wealthy lifestyle. He owned a yacht and allowed Jay Gatsby to come aboard and work many different jobs for him.
Gatsby had to watch over Dan Cody while he was drinking. This is a very important part of their relationship because it
made Gatsby realize drinking was not something he wanted to do. Their arrangement lasted 5 years and at the end of it
Dan Cody passed away. Gatsby's entire experience aboard this yacht made him obsessed with becoming rich and living a
wealthy lifestyle like Dan Cody; it influenced Gatsby to want to live his version of the American dream which made him
achieve many great things such as becoming wealthy.
4. How does the party that Tom and Daisy attend differ from Gatsby's other parties?
The party that Tom and Daisy attend differs from Gatsby's previous parties because their is "an unpleasantness in the air"
according to Nick. Nick feels this because there is a lot of tension between Gatsby and Tom; Gatsby is trying to live his
dream of being with Daisy but Tom stands in his way as he is Daisy's husband. Tom is also very jealous that Daisy has
been sneaking around and visiting Gatsby alone. Gatsby then starts to introduce Tom as a polo player and this upsets
Tom. It raises the tension between them and makes the party much different then all of the other parties.
6. Why is Gatsby depressed after Tom and Daisy leave? What does he want from Daisy?
Gatsby is depressed after Tom and Daisy leave because he knows Daisy didn't have a good time. Gatsby has waited for
the moment when Daisy would come to his party for a long time and the fact that Daisy didn't enjoy herself upsets him a
lot. The thing that Gatsby wants from Daisy is to tell Tom she never loved him. Gatsby is in love with Daisy and wants
her to leave Tom so they can start a life together. He wants Daisy to understand his dreams and go back to the way their
relationship used to be in 1917.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "Chapter 6." The Great Gatsby. Hammondsworth: Penguin Books, 1950. 94107. Print.