Overview of Chapter 1 of Gatsby

A brief introduction to the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece "The Great Gatsby":

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was A famous American writer in the 20th century and a representative writer of the "Lost Generation", he only wrote a few works in his short life. "The Great Gatsby" is the writer's most representative work.

The background of the novel is set in the upper-middle-class white circle of modern American society, and is unfolded through Callaway's narration. Callaway was born in the Midwest of the United States, and later came to New York to learn the stock business and wanted to make a fortune. He lived on Long Island, neighbored Gatsby, the protagonist of the story, and made friends with him. Gatsby, whose original name was Gates, was from the Midwest like Carraway. He was born in poverty but was ambitious, and later became rich by selling bootleg liquor. He often holds large lavish parties at home and feasts for guests to show his generosity. The purpose is to attract Daisy, his lover five years ago, and win back her heart. Daisy had been Gatsby's lover when he was serving in the army five years ago. When Gatsby went overseas to participate in the First World War, he married Tom Buchanan, a playboy from a wealthy family, out of greed for profit. However, the satisfaction of material and sensual desires could not fill Daisy's spiritual emptiness and poverty. With Callaway's help, Gatsby and Gatsby seem to have rekindled their old feelings after reuniting. But Daisy is no longer the original Daisy. She is no longer the innocent girl Gatsby imagined, but a stupid, selfish, vulgar and beautiful body. Gatsby's beautiful old dream was finally shattered, but he was still making the last struggle and still had a glimmer of illusion about Daisy, which led to an even more tragic ending. Later, Daisy ran over Tom's mistress while driving Gatsby's car drunk, but she conspired with Tom and cruelly blamed Gatsby, causing the deceased's husband to suddenly break into Gatsby's home and shoot him. Beating Gatsby to death and then committing suicide, Gatsby finally became the victim of selfish and cruel Daisy.

"The Great Gatsby" is a novel about American success and ideals with a distinct self-awareness. It is unusually different from Fitzgerald's previous work. Yet the fact that this flippant, shallow author wrote one of the century's most widely read and admired American novels remains a mystery. The book "Tramachio," based on the first draft of the novel, was recently released by Cambridge University Press, which means readers may be able to gain insight into its inner mysteries. On the long proofs typed from this manuscript, Fitzgerald made "a thousand minor revisions" and "several major revisions." He himself estimated that the rearrangement of the manuscript was "one of the most expensive events since Madame Bovary." In other words, "Tramachio" is "The Great Gatsby" before it was carefully polished by Fitzgerald.