Chapter 8: Viii

Nick Carraway

The narrator, a young man from a prominent Middle Western family. He graduated from New Haven in 1915, fought in the Great War, and moved East in 1922 to enter the bond business. He describes himself as someone who reserves judgment and is one of the few honest people he has ever known. He lives in a small bungalow in West Egg. He is slow-thinking and follows interior rules that act as brakes on his desires. He is becoming romantically involved with Jordan Baker. In this chapter, he spends the early morning hours with Gatsby, listens to the full story of Gatsby's past with Daisy, and later discovers Gatsby's body. He gives Gatsby his only compliment, telling him he is worth more than the 'rotten crowd' of the Buchanans and their circle.

Jay Gatsby

Nick's wealthy neighbor in West Egg. Born James Gatz in North Dakota to shiftless farm people, he reinvented himself at age seventeen after meeting Dan Cody. He attended St. Olaf’s College for two weeks but left because he despised the janitor work. He spent five years traveling with Cody, learning the ways of the wealthy and becoming 'Jay Gatsby.' He is an elegant young roughneck with a rare, understanding smile and an elaborate formality of speech. He bought his mansion to be near Daisy Buchanan, whom he loved in 1917. He believes he can repeat the past and fix everything to how it was five years ago. In this chapter, he reveals the truth of his initial romance with Daisy, admitting he took her under false pretenses of wealth. He is murdered in his swimming pool by George Wilson.

Daisy Buchanan

Nick's second cousin once removed and Tom's wife. Formerly Daisy Fay of Louisville, she was the most popular girl in town and had a romance with Jay Gatsby in 1917. She is known for her exhilarating, low, thrilling voice. She is appalled by the 'raw vigor' of West Egg and the vulgarity of Gatsby's parties, though she finds the movie stars interesting. In this chapter, her history with Gatsby is explored, revealing how she chose the 'wholesome bulkiness' of Tom Buchanan while Gatsby was away at Oxford. She does not call Gatsby before his death.

Tom Buchanan

A former football star at New Haven and Daisy's husband. He is enormously wealthy, sturdy, straw-haired, and has a supercilious, aggressive manner. He is unfaithful and prone to violence. He is suspicious of Gatsby's wealth and social standing, suspecting him of being a bootlegger. He finds Gatsby's parties to be a 'menagerie.' In this chapter, he is described as the 'force' of money and practicality that Daisy chose over waiting for Gatsby.

Jordan Baker

A professional golfer and friend of the Buchanans. She is slender, erect, and has grey, sun-strained eyes. She is described as incurably dishonest. She was a bridesmaid at Daisy's wedding and knew Gatsby when he was a young lieutenant in Louisville. She is currently spending time with Nick in New York. In this chapter, she calls Nick at work, but their conversation is cold and they effectively end their relationship.

The Finnish woman

A servant in Nick's house who makes his bed and cooks breakfast. In this chapter, she informs Nick about Gatsby's new servants.

Myrtle Wilson

Tom Buchanan's mistress and George Wilson's wife. She was killed in a hit-and-run accident. In this chapter, her husband finds her secret dog-leash and concludes she was murdered by her lover.

George B. Wilson

The proprietor of a garage in the valley of ashes. He is a blond, spiritless, anaemic man who appears covered in ashen dust. In this chapter, he is deranged by grief and the discovery of his wife's infidelity (symbolized by a silver dog-leash). He comes to believe the driver of the yellow car was Myrtle's lover and murderer. He tracks Gatsby down, kills him, and then commits suicide.

The Butler

A servant at the Buchanan household. In this chapter, he answers the phone and attends to the guests during the heat.

The Baby

The three-year-old daughter of Tom and Daisy Buchanan. She has yellow hair and looks like her mother. Gatsby seems surprised by her physical reality.

Catherine

Myrtle Wilson's sister. She is a slender, worldly girl of about thirty with red hair and a milky white complexion. In this chapter, she arrives at the garage drunk and faints upon learning her sister's body has been taken away.

Mr. McKee

A man from East Egg who attended Gatsby's parties.

Mrs. McKee

A girl in a yellow dress who attends Gatsby's parties. She is confident and gossipy. Gatsby once sent her a new evening gown worth $265 after she tore hers at one of his parties.

The dog seller

A grey old man selling puppies on the street in New York.

The elevator boy

A servant at the apartment building in New York.

The Italian child

A young boy seen near the railroad tracks in the valley of ashes.

The man with owl-eyed spectacles

A stout, middle-aged man with enormous owl-eyed spectacles. He is found drunk in Gatsby's library, marvelling at the fact that the books are real rather than cardboard. He has been drunk for about a week.

The other girl in yellow

A girl in a yellow dress who accompanies Lucille. She and Lucille later perform a 'baby act' in costume. She is the one who suggests Gatsby might have killed a man.

Jordan's escort

A persistent undergraduate who acts as Jordan's escort at the party. He is cynical, melancholy, and given to violent innuendo.

The red-haired lady

A tall, red-haired young lady from a famous chorus. She gets very drunk at the party and weeps while singing.

The pale individual

A pale, dangling individual who is the actual driver of the car that crashes into the ditch. He is extremely disoriented and suggests trying to drive the car in reverse despite the wheel being off.

Gatsby's chauffeur

A servant of Gatsby who delivers the invitation to Nick. In this chapter, he helps Gatsby pump up a pneumatic mattress and later helps Nick find Gatsby's body in the pool. He is noted to be one of Wolfshiem's protégés.

Gatsby's butler

A new servant at Gatsby's house with a 'villainous face' who replaces the previous staff. In this chapter, he waits for a telephone call for Gatsby that never comes and helps discover Gatsby's body.

Meyer Wolfshiem

A small, flat-nosed man with large head and tiny eyes. He is a gambler who fixed the 1919 World's Series. Gatsby mentions him to Nick to clarify that the business offer he is making doesn't involve Wolfshiem.

Klipspringer

A man who was at Gatsby's house so often he became known as 'the boarder.' He seemingly has no other home. He is a slightly worn young man with shell-rimmed glasses and scanty blond hair. He plays the piano.

The policeman

A policeman who attempts to pull Gatsby over for speeding.

Doctor Webster Civet

A guest at Gatsby's party. In this chapter, he is seen at the same table as Miss Baedeker and Nick. He is a doctor, but Miss Baedeker insults him by saying his hand shakes and she wouldn't let him operate on her. He was previously mentioned as having drowned in Maine.

Ferdie

Daisy's chauffeur. He is a quiet man who drives Daisy to Nick's house.

Gatsby's gardener

A man sent by Gatsby to Nick's house to ensure the lawn is perfectly mowed for Daisy's arrival. In this chapter, he is the last of Gatsby's former servants. He plans to drain the pool but is told not to by Gatsby. He is the one who first spots Wilson's body.

Dan Cody

A wealthy man who made his fortune in silver, copper, and gold rushes. He was Gatsby's mentor for five years. In this chapter, Gatsby tells Nick the full story of his time with Cody.

Gatsby's maid

A servant at Gatsby's house who is seen opening windows and spitting into the garden.

Mr. Sloane

A man who arrives at Gatsby's house on horseback with Tom Buchanan. He is described as lounging back haughtily and being ungrateful for Gatsby's hospitality.

The woman in the riding-habit

A pretty woman who arrives at Gatsby's house on horseback with Tom and Mr. Sloane. She has been to Gatsby's house before. She cordially invites Gatsby and Nick to dinner, though Mr. Sloane is clearly against the idea.

The reporter

An ambitious young man from New York who visits Gatsby's house on his day off to seek a statement, having heard rumors about Gatsby at his office.

The Star

A famous movie star who attends Gatsby's party. She is described as a 'gorgeous, scarcely human orchid of a woman' sitting under a white-plum tree.

The moving-picture director

A man at Gatsby's party who spends the evening bending toward the Star. He is described as having a 'pleasantly thin' ray of moonlight between his face and hers.

Miss Baedeker

A guest at Gatsby's party who gets very drunk. She tries to slump against Nick's shoulder and is known for screaming when she has too many cocktails. She previously had a bad experience in New Jersey where she was almost drowned in a pool.

The Nurse

A nurse who cares for the Buchanans' daughter, Pammy. She is described as freshly laundered.

Gatsby's new butler

A new servant at Gatsby's house with a 'villainous face' who replaces the previous staff. He is one of several siblings who used to run a small hotel and were hired through Meyer Wolfshiem.

Michaelis

A young Greek man who runs a coffee joint next to Wilson's garage. He is the principal witness to the aftermath of Myrtle's death. In this chapter, he stays with George Wilson all night, trying to comfort him and distract him from his grief.

Biloxi

A man who attended Daisy and Tom's wedding in Louisville. He fainted from the heat and stayed with Jordan's family for three weeks. He claimed to be the president of Tom's class at Yale, which was a lie.

Asa Bird

A man who is mentioned as having brought Biloxi to Daisy's wedding.

Walter Chase

An associate of Gatsby who went to jail in New Jersey. Tom uses his name to attack Gatsby's business reputation.

The pale well-dressed negro

A witness to the accident who describes the 'death car' as a big, new yellow car.

The motorcycle policeman

An officer who arrives at the scene of Myrtle Wilson's death to take statements and names.

The woman on the train

A woman on the train who suffers from the intense heat.

The conductor

A man working on the train during the heatwave.

West Egg

A less fashionable but still wealthy community on Long Island where Nick and Gatsby live.

• Nick rents a small bungalow here.
• Nick sees Gatsby standing on his lawn at night.

East Egg

A very fashionable and wealthy community on Long Island where the Buchanans live in a Georgian Colonial mansion.

• Nick visits the Buchanans for dinner.
• Tom discusses his racial theories.
• Daisy confesses her unhappiness to Nick.

The Buchanans' House

The wealthy estate of Tom and Daisy in East Egg, characterized by its cool, shadowed salon and crimson carpets.

• The dinner party takes place here.
• Tom receives a phone call from his mistress.
• The group has lunch during a heatwave.
• Daisy kisses Gatsby when Tom leaves the room.
• Gatsby meets Daisy's daughter, Pammy.
• Tom realizes Daisy and Gatsby are having an affair.
• Nick and Gatsby return here after the accident; Nick sees Tom and Daisy conspiring in the kitchen.

Gatsby's Mansion

Gatsby's palatial home in West Egg, now described as dusty, musty, and empty of its usual crowds.

• Nick observes the mansion from his neighboring yard.
• Nick attends a massive party here.
• Nick meets Gatsby for the first time.
• Gatsby and Jordan have a private meeting in the library.
• A car accident occurs just outside the gates.
• Gatsby shows Daisy and Nick through his many rooms.
• Daisy cries over Gatsby's collection of imported shirts.
• Klipspringer plays the piano for the group.
• A reporter visits to ask for a statement.
• Tom Buchanan, Mr. Sloane, and a woman arrive on horseback for a drink.
• Gatsby hosts a large party attended by Tom and Daisy Buchanan.
• Gatsby and Daisy dance and later talk privately on Nick's porch.
• Gatsby and Nick talk late into the night about repeating the past.
• Gatsby tells Nick the story of his past with Daisy.
• Gatsby waits for a phone call from Daisy.
• Gatsby is shot and killed in his swimming pool.

The Middle West

The region where Nick grew up and where his family business is located; he finds it too quiet after the war.

• Nick decides to leave this area to move East.
• Nick decides to return here.
• Nick reminisces about returning home for Christmas during his youth.

The valley of ashes

A desolate, industrial wasteland between West Egg and New York where ashes grow like wheat and the air is powdery with dust. It is overlooked by the billboard of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg.

• Tom and Nick get off the train here to visit Wilson's garage.
• Tom arranges to meet Myrtle in the city.

Wilson's Garage

The garage and residence of George Wilson, located in the desolate area between West Egg and New York.

• Tom and Nick meet George Wilson here.
• Tom and Myrtle arrange their secret meeting.
• Tom stops for gas in Gatsby's car.
• Wilson reveals he is sick and wants to move West.
• Myrtle watches from a window, misidentifying Jordan as Tom's wife.
• Myrtle is killed in the road outside the garage.
• Tom, Nick, and Jordan stop and discover Myrtle's body.
• Michaelis stays with a grieving George Wilson.
• Wilson finds the silver dog-leash and decides to seek revenge.

The New York Apartment

A small, crowded apartment on the top floor of a building at 158th Street, filled with oversized tapestried furniture.

• Tom, Myrtle, and Nick host a small, drunken party with the McKees and Catherine.
• Tom breaks Myrtle's nose during an argument about Daisy.

Pennsylvania Station

A major railway station in New York City.

• The group arrives here from the valley of ashes.
• Nick ends up here in the early morning waiting for his train home.

Gatsby's house

Gatsby's mansion in West Egg, which has become quiet and dark after he fires his servants and stops the parties.

• Nick lists the various guests who attended Gatsby's parties throughout the summer.
• Nick visits and is turned away by a rude new butler.
• Gatsby explains he fired his staff to avoid gossip about Daisy's visits.
• Nick organizes the funeral here.
• Henry Gatz arrives and stays in a bedroom.
• The funeral service is held with almost no attendees.
• Nick visits one last time before leaving for the West and erases an obscene word from the steps.

The restaurant in New York

A cellar restaurant on Forty-second Street in New York City.

• Nick and Gatsby have lunch with Meyer Wolfshiem.
• Nick encounters Tom Buchanan.

The Plaza Hotel

A high-end hotel in New York City where the group rents a suite to escape the heat.

• Jordan tells Nick the story of Daisy's past.
• The group listens to a wedding taking place below.
• Tom and Gatsby have a heated confrontation about Daisy and Gatsby's past.
• Gatsby's bootlegging is exposed.
• Daisy admits she loved both Tom and Gatsby.

Louisville

The city where Daisy lived in 1917 and where she and Gatsby first fell in love.

• The setting for Jordan's flashback about Daisy and Gatsby.
• Gatsby revisits the city after the war to find Daisy, but she has already married Tom.

Nick's House

Nick's small house next to Gatsby's. In this chapter, Gatsby and Daisy go there to sit on the steps and talk privately during the party.

• Gatsby and Nick discuss the plan for tea.
• Gatsby's gardener mows the lawn.
• Daisy arrives for tea and reunites with Gatsby.
• Gatsby nearly knocks over a clock on the mantelpiece.
• Gatsby and Daisy sit on the steps for half an hour while Nick keeps watch in the garden.

Little Girl Bay

The location on Lake Superior where seventeen-year-old James Gatz first saw Dan Cody's yacht.

• James Gatz rows out to the Tuolomee to warn Dan Cody about a coming wind.
• James Gatz officially becomes Jay Gatsby.

The Pool

The swimming pool at Gatsby's house where he goes for a final swim.

• Gatsby relaxes on a pneumatic mattress.
• Gatsby is murdered by George Wilson.
• Wilson's body is found nearby in the grass.

Nick's Office

The office where Nick works in New York City.

• Nick receives a cold phone call from Jordan Baker.
• Nick tries to call Gatsby but the line is busy.

New York City

The bustling city where Nick works. Described as having 'white chasms' and a 'racy, adventurous feel' at night.

Probity Trust

A financial institution in lower New York where Nick works as a bond salesman.

The Yale Club

A club in New York where Nick usually takes dinner.

Warwick

A place where Nick and Jordan attended a house-party and where Nick discovered the truth about Jordan's dishonesty.

Queensboro Bridge

The bridge connecting Long Island/Queens to Manhattan.

Central Park

A park in New York City.

Muhlbach Hotel

A hotel in Kansas City where Tom Buchanan stayed before his wedding.

The old Metropole

A place in New York mentioned by Wolfshiem as the site of Rosy Rosenthal's murder.

The Sound

The body of water separating West Egg and East Egg. In this chapter, it is covered in mist, obscuring the view of the green light on Daisy's dock.

St. Olaf’s College

A small Lutheran college in southern Minnesota where Gatsby stayed for two weeks as a young man.

Kapiolani

A place in Hawaii mentioned by Tom as a location where he and Daisy shared a romantic moment.

The Punch Bowl

A landmark in Hawaii where Tom once carried Daisy to keep her shoes dry.