This is the part we have all been waiting for, or at least I have. The first party at Gatsby's house. Who is this Great Gatsby? Everyone has presumptions, but in reality no one knows. Nick and Gatsby happen to be neighbors, but have not met yet. To encourage this to end, Gatsby sends a servant to Nick's with an invitation worth of a night's festivities. Now, this is not an ordinary party. This is a party in the Jazz Era, meaning that luxury is a must. However, Fitzgerald has a disdain for this. Through Nick's narration we can infer the author thinks all of this hullabaloo is slightly silly.
    And yet, I am still captivated by the glory of Gatsby and I think initially Nick is too, "Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrive from a fruiterer in New York--every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves. There was a machine in the kitchen which could extract the juice of two hundred oranges in half an hour if a little button was pressed two hundred times by a butler's thumb. At least once a fortnight a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby's enormous garden. On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold. In the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten that most of his female guests were too young to know one from another" (40). Obviously Nick is watching in complete shock and fascination, but I mean who wouldn't want to go to a party at Gatsby's after seeing this? It only sounds of elegance and luxury.
    Then I got to wondering why would Gatsby throw such lavish parties? I mean, there has to be an underlying reason, right? Then I got even more confused when Nick said, "I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited there. People were not invited--they went there" (41). Oh, Mr. Gatsby what is the reason for these parties? Don't worry Fitzgerald does not make you wait too long to discover this necessary purpose.
    In fact, Jordan Baker is exposed to Gatsby's real reason for throwing gorgeous soirees, but is sworn to secrecy, "But I swore I wouldn't tell it and here I am tantalizing you" (53). Not only is Jordan tantalizing Nick, she is tantalizing us all! What could be this extremely important, but highly confidential secret?

    This my second time  reading the Great Gatsby and I am once again reminded how much I love this book. I was completely immersed from Chapter One. Since I began I have barely put it down since--except to eat, sleep and do other homework. Like calculus. Well, that is beside the point. The Great Gatsby is told from the point of view of Nick Carraway. When the point of view is told from another character, the reader is generally unsure of the credibility of the speaker. We are reading the story through his eyes and can only imagine in our own minds what he is portraying for us. However, at the end of Chapter Three Nick states, "Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known" (60). Thus validating his honesty, we can give Nick ethos, or in other words trust that he is a credible speaker.
    Now that we have that established, I can move on to other characters from the book. Opening up with Nick going to visit Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Daisy being his second cousin twice removed. Immediately, I find this ambiance about Daisy--and I don't really like it. She is ditzy in a sense. She seems to lie around all day and do nothing. I am not sure if I can stand much more of her. And her husband I don't like as well. Man, everyone is going to think book is horrible with all of my complaining of the characters, but don't worry it is not! Truthfully it is one of the best books I have ever read. Anyway, Tom is a pompous man, concerned with wealth, outer appearance, and social status. He is extremely judgmental, "Have you read The Rise of the Colored Empires by this man Goddard? Well, it's a fine book and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be--will be utterly submerged. It's all scientific stuff; it's been proved" (13). Now, can I say pompous again? Anyway, this statement early on in the novel allowed me to judge Tom and in not the best way.
    We also meet Jordan Baker. Apparently she is a phenomenal golfer, who frequently competes. She comes off as rude and snobby but once you keep reading I hope you find out that you enjoy her because I truly do. She does not gossip or judge, she keeps to herself and tells it like it is.