Summary
A reporter arrives asking about Gatsby, revealing his growing notoriety. Nick then reveals Gatsby's true past—he was born James Gatz in North Dakota, the son of poor farmers. As a young man, he worked on Lake Superior, where he met Dan Cody, a wealthy copper magnate who became his mentor. Gatsby learned about wealth, about the lifestyle of the rich, and he began to dream. He reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby, creating a new identity based on his dreams. The chapter shows Gatsby's 'extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness'—his ability to dream, to believe, to hope for something better. But it also shows how that hope became a trap, how the American Dream became corrupted. Gatsby's past reveals both his ambition and his vulnerability—he's a dreamer, but he's also chasing something that can never be caught. The chapter ends with Gatsby and Daisy attending one of his parties, but the magic is gone. The party is empty, the dream is fading, and reality is beginning to intrude.
Coming Up in Chapter 7
The final confrontation approaches as Tom discovers Gatsby and Daisy's relationship, and the illusions begin to crumble.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~385 words)
About this time an ambitious young reporter from New York arrived one morning at Gatsby's door and asked him if he had anything to say. 'Anything to say about what?' inquired Gatsby politely. 'Why—anything.' 'Anything to say about what?' repeated Gatsby. After a moment the reporter gave up and went away. It was from this party that I had my first view of Gatsby's past. He told me all this very much later, but I've put it down here with the idea of exploding those first wild rumors about his antecedents, and also to explain what happened later. For Gatsby—who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn—if personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, something heightened and sensitive. This responsiveness had nothing to do with that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name of the 'creative temperament'—it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. No—Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men. A reporter arrives asking about Gatsby, revealing his growing notoriety. Nick then reveals Gatsby's true past—he was born James Gatz in North Dakota, the son of poor farmers. As a young man, he worked on Lake Superior, where he met Dan Cody, a wealthy copper magnate who became his mentor. Gatsby learned about wealth, about the lifestyle of the rich, and he began to dream. He reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby, creating a new identity based on his dreams. The chapter shows Gatsby's 'extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness'—his ability to dream, to believe, to hope for something better. But it also shows how that hope became a trap, how the American Dream became corrupted. Gatsby's past reveals both his ambition and his vulnerability—he's a dreamer, but he's also chasing something that can never be caught. The chapter ends with Gatsby and Daisy attending one of his parties, but the magic is gone. The party is empty, the dream is fading, and reality is beginning to intrude.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Hope and Corruption
When hope becomes an obsession, when dreams become all-consuming, they can trap you and make you vulnerable to corruption
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
When hope becomes an obsession, when dreams become all-consuming, they can trap you and make you vulnerable to corruption.
Practice This Today
Practice recognizing when hope becomes an obsession, when dreams become all-consuming. Hope is powerful, but it can also be a trap.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Romantic Readiness
Gatsby's extraordinary gift for hope, his ability to dream and believe
Modern Usage:
Like the ability to hope, to dream, to believe in something better—powerful but can become a trap
American Dream
The belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work and determination
Modern Usage:
Like the belief that you can achieve anything if you work hard enough—powerful but can become corrupted
Characters in This Chapter
Dan Cody
Gatsby's mentor, a wealthy copper magnate
Cody represents Gatsby's introduction to wealth and the lifestyle of the rich. He taught Gatsby about money, about power, about the American Dream, but also about its corruption.
Modern Equivalent:
Someone who introduces you to wealth and success, teaching you about money and power, but also about corruption
Key Quotes & Analysis
"He had an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again."
Context: Nick reflecting on Gatsby's character
Gatsby's ability to hope, to dream, to believe is both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. It's what makes him special, but it's also what traps him.
In Today's Words:
He had an incredible ability to hope and dream—powerful but also a trap
"No—Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men."
Context: Nick's final judgment on Gatsby
Gatsby himself was not the problem—it was the corruption, the foul dust, the corruption that preyed on his dreams. The American Dream itself became corrupted, and that corruption destroyed him.
In Today's Words:
Gatsby was fine—it was the corruption that destroyed him, the corruption that preyed on his dreams
Thematic Threads
Hope
In This Chapter
Gatsby's extraordinary gift for hope and romantic readiness
Development
Hope becomes a trap, dreams become corrupted
In Your Life:
Recognize when hope becomes an obsession, when dreams become all-consuming—hope is powerful but can also be a trap
American Dream
In This Chapter
Gatsby's belief that he can achieve anything through hard work
Development
The American Dream becomes corrupted
In Your Life:
Recognize when the American Dream becomes corrupted, when success comes at too high a price
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
How does Gatsby's 'extraordinary gift for hope' become a trap? What does this reveal about hope and dreams?
analysis • deep - 2
How does the American Dream become corrupted in Gatsby's story?
reflection • medium - 3
Have you experienced the hope trap—when hope becomes an obsession?
application • surface
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Hope Trap Analysis
Gatsby's hope becomes a trap, his dreams become corrupted. Think about when hope helps you and when it becomes a trap.
Consider:
- •When does hope help you?
- •When does it become a trap?
- •How do dreams become corrupted?
- •How can you maintain hope without it becoming an obsession?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when hope helped you and a time when it became a trap. How can you maintain hope without it becoming an obsession?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 7
The coming pages reveal truth destroys illusions, and teach us the past can never be recaptured. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.