| There was music from my neighbour’s house through the summer nights. | (p.41) Nick sets the scene at the start of the chapter. |
| In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. | (p.41) The party scene is lyrically evoked. |
| “Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.” | (p.45) Dark rumours circulate about Gatsby. |
| “It’s more that he was a German spy during the war.” | (p.45) A character called Lucille is quoted on the subject of Gatsby. |
| We all turned and looked around for Gatsby. | (p.45) Where is the mysterious host? |
| “Your face is familiar,” he said politely. | (p.48) Nick is addressed for the first time by the man who turns out to be Gatsby. |
| It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. | (p.49) Gatsby makes a strongly positive first impression on Nick. |
| I could see nothing sinister about him. | (p.51) Nick compares his impression of Gatsby with the rumours. |
| …they were merely casual events in a crowded summer, and, until much later, they absorbed me infinitely less than my person affairs. | (p. 57) Nick reflects on the importance of the events of the novel |
| I even had a short affair with a girl who lived in Jersey City and worked in the accounting department | (p. 57) Nick reminds us that he has a private life away from the Gatsby circle. |
| I wasn’t actually in love, but I felt a sort of tender curiosity. | (p.58) Nick examines his feelings for Jordan Baker. |
| I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known. | (p.59) Nick shows his capacity for self-delusion. |
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 3
April 8, 2020