Chapter 6

     Rumors about Gatsby continued to circulate around New York. A reporter even showed up at Gatsby's home in hopes of interviewing him. Nick now goes into details about Gatsby's early life; not from the rumors, or how Gatsby described it, but as it really happened. James Gatz was born on a farm in North Dakota. He attended college at St. Olaf's in Minnesota, but dropped out after two weeks. The summer following, he worked on Lake Superior fishing for salmon and digging for clams. One day, he saw a yacht owned by a wealthy copper mogul, Dan Cody, and rowed out to warn him about an approaching storm. The grateful man took young Gatz, who gave him his name Jay Gatsby, on board as his personal assistant. While traveling with Cody to Barbary Coast and the West Indies, Gatsby fell in love with wealth and luxury. One of Gatsby's jobs was to look after Cody during his drunken binges because he was a heavy drinker. This convinced Gatsby not to become a drinker. When Cody died, he left $25,000 to Gatsby, but he was unable to claim it because Cody's mistress prevented him from doing so. From that point on Gatsby dedicated himself to becoming extremely rich and successful.
     Nick doesn't see Gatsby or Daisy for several weeks after their reunion. Nick decides to stop by Gatsby's place one afternoon and he is alarmed to find Tom Buchanan there. Tom stopped by Gatsby's place for a drink with Mr. and Mrs. Sloane. Gatsby seems nervous and annoyed and tells Tom awkwardly that he knows Daisy. Gatsby then invites Tom and the Sloanes to stay for dinner, but they refuse. Being polite, they decide to invite Gatsby to dine with them and he accepts. Tom is suspicious because of Daisy visiting Gatsby's home alone often, but has yet to find out that they are in love.
     Tom and Daisy go to a party at Gatsby's home the following Saturday. Tom is not thrilled about going, but wishes to keep an eye on Gatsby and Daisy. Nick finds this party much more unfavorable this time and notices that even Daisy is having a bad time. Daisy is upset by Tom when he tells her that Gatsby's fortune comes from bootlegging. She angrily replies that Gatsby's fortune comes from many drugstores that he owns. Gatsby then begins looking for Nick after Daisy and Tom leave. Gatsby is unhappy because Daisy didn't have a good time. Gatsby wants Daisy to leave Tom so things can be exactly like they were in Louisville. Nick tells him the he cannot recreate the past, but Gatsby protests that he can. As Gatsby walks away, Nick dreams of the first time Daisy and Gatsby kissed and realizes that now that Gatsby has Daisy, his dream is over.