The great gatsbyThe great gatsby

Chapter 9Chapter 9

Two Years LaterTwo Years Later Nick writes this chapter two years Nick writes this chapter two years

after Gatsby's death. after Gatsby's death. I remember the rest of that day, and I remember the rest of that day, and

that night and the next day, only as that night and the next day, only as an endless drill of police and an endless drill of police and photographers and newspaper men photographers and newspaper men in and out of Gatsby's front door.in and out of Gatsby's front door.

CatherineCatherine She swore that her sister, Myrtle She swore that her sister, Myrtle

had never seen Gatsby. had never seen Gatsby. Her sister was completely happy Her sister was completely happy

with her husband and had been into with her husband and had been into no mischief whatever. no mischief whatever.

So Wilson was reduced to a man So Wilson was reduced to a man “deranged by grief.” in order that “deranged by grief.” in order that the case might remain in its simplist the case might remain in its simplist form. form.

And it rested there.And it rested there.

Preparing for the funeralPreparing for the funeral

Nick realizes he is the only person who Nick realizes he is the only person who seemed to really care about Gatsby and seemed to really care about Gatsby and one of the few who was on his side. one of the few who was on his side.

Nick calls Daisy to give her the news within Nick calls Daisy to give her the news within the hour, but the servants tell him that she the hour, but the servants tell him that she and Tom have gone out of town without and Tom have gone out of town without leaving an address or a date of return. leaving an address or a date of return.

He then tries to call Meyer Wolfsheim at He then tries to call Meyer Wolfsheim at his office, but it is after five o'clock, and no his office, but it is after five o'clock, and no one answers. one answers.

No one caresNo one cares When Nick is in the room with Gatsby's When Nick is in the room with Gatsby's

body, he imagines him saying, “Look body, he imagines him saying, “Look here, old sport, you've got to get here, old sport, you've got to get somebody for me. . .I can't go through somebody for me. . .I can't go through this alone.” this alone.”

The next day no one telephoned, even The next day no one telephoned, even though everyone would have read about though everyone would have read about Gatsby's murder in the newspaper. Gatsby's murder in the newspaper.

no one comes to Gatsby's house. no one comes to Gatsby's house. Nick feels very alone. Nick feels very alone.

Shady BusinessShady Business When the phone finally rang, Nick When the phone finally rang, Nick

thought it would be Daisy at last. thought it would be Daisy at last. It was someone named Slagle, who It was someone named Slagle, who

did not know Gatsby was dead.did not know Gatsby was dead. ““Young Parke's in trouble,” he said Young Parke's in trouble,” he said

rapidly. “They picked him up when rapidly. “They picked him up when he handed the bonds over the he handed the bonds over the counter.”counter.”

When Nick tells him Gatsby is dead, When Nick tells him Gatsby is dead, he hangs up quickly.he hangs up quickly.

Henry C. GatzHenry C. Gatz On the third day after On the third day after

Gatsby's death, a Gatsby's death, a telegram arrives from telegram arrives from Gatsby's father.Gatsby's father.

It said to postpone the It said to postpone the funeral until he came funeral until he came from Minnesota. from Minnesota.

Mr. Gatz was a solemn Mr. Gatz was a solemn old man, very helpless old man, very helpless and dismayed.and dismayed.

he was proud of his son “Jimmy” and the he was proud of his son “Jimmy” and the wealth he had amassed. wealth he had amassed.

He tells Nick that “he had a big He tells Nick that “he had a big future. . .”future. . .”

““If he'd of lived he'd of been a great If he'd of lived he'd of been a great man. . . helped build up the country.” man. . . helped build up the country.”

KlipspringerKlipspringer That night an obviously frightened person That night an obviously frightened person

called up, and demanded to know who I was called up, and demanded to know who I was before he would give his name. before he would give his name.

It was Klipspringer, the boarderIt was Klipspringer, the boarder Nick tells him about the funeral Nick tells him about the funeral

arrangements, scheduled for the next day at arrangements, scheduled for the next day at three o'clock.three o'clock.

Klipspringer indicates that he is tied up and Klipspringer indicates that he is tied up and probably will not be able to make it. probably will not be able to make it.

He was more concerned about a pair of He was more concerned about a pair of shoes he had left at Gatsby’s mansion.shoes he had left at Gatsby’s mansion.

Nick hung up on him.Nick hung up on him.

WolfsheimWolfsheim The morning of the funeral, The morning of the funeral,

Nick went to New York to Nick went to New York to see Meyer Wolfsheim.see Meyer Wolfsheim.

His secretary said he was His secretary said he was in Chicago.in Chicago.

He knows she is lying. He knows she is lying. Nick mentions Gatsby, and Nick mentions Gatsby, and

the secretary goes into the the secretary goes into the office to get Wolfsheimoffice to get Wolfsheim

Memories of GatsbyMemories of Gatsby ““My memory goes back to when I first met My memory goes back to when I first met

him,” he said. “A young major just out of him,” he said. “A young major just out of the army and covered over with medals he the army and covered over with medals he got in the war.” got in the war.”

““He was so hard up he had to keep on He was so hard up he had to keep on wearing his uniform because he couldn't wearing his uniform because he couldn't buy some regular clothes.”buy some regular clothes.”

Wolfsheim tells Nick about how he Wolfsheim tells Nick about how he discovered Gatsby and “made him -- raised discovered Gatsby and “made him -- raised him up out of nothing, right out of the him up out of nothing, right out of the gutter.”gutter.”

Wolfsheim then says he regrets he cannot Wolfsheim then says he regrets he cannot come to Gatsby's funeral, confessing “I come to Gatsby's funeral, confessing “I can't get mixed up in it.”can't get mixed up in it.”

Leaving Wolfsheim’sLeaving Wolfsheim’s ““When I left his office When I left his office

the sky had turned the sky had turned dark and I got back to dark and I got back to West Egg in a West Egg in a drizzle.” drizzle.”

Nick changes his Nick changes his clothes and goes over clothes and goes over to check on Mr. Gatz. to check on Mr. Gatz.

Mr. GatzMr. Gatz The old man explains he last saw Gatsby The old man explains he last saw Gatsby

two years ago when he came home for a two years ago when he came home for a visit and to buy his father a house. visit and to buy his father a house.

Gatz then shows Nick a picture of Gatz then shows Nick a picture of Gatsby's mansion that he has carried in Gatsby's mansion that he has carried in his wallet to show his friends. his wallet to show his friends.

Gatsby’s ScheduleGatsby’s Schedule He also shows a ragged copy of He also shows a ragged copy of

“Hopalong Cassidy,” a book Gatsby “Hopalong Cassidy,” a book Gatsby owned when he was a boy. owned when he was a boy.

Inside, on the back cover, Gatsby Inside, on the back cover, Gatsby had written out a detailed schedule had written out a detailed schedule for his day on September 12, 1906. for his day on September 12, 1906.

At the bottom of the schedule were At the bottom of the schedule were his “resolves,” including “no his “resolves,” including “no wasting time” and “be better to wasting time” and “be better to parents.”parents.”

The FuneralThe Funeral A little before three the Lutheran A little before three the Lutheran

minister arrived from Flushing, and I minister arrived from Flushing, and I began to look involuntarily out the began to look involuntarily out the windows for other cars. windows for other cars.

So did Gatsby's father. So did Gatsby's father. The minister glanced several times at The minister glanced several times at

his watch, so I took him aside and his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. asked him to wait for half an hour.

But it wasn't any use. Nobody came. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came.

About five o'clock our About five o'clock our procession of three cars procession of three cars reached the cemetery reached the cemetery and stopped in a thick and stopped in a thick drizzle beside the gate - drizzle beside the gate - first the hearse, then first the hearse, then Mr. Gatz and the Mr. Gatz and the minister and I in the minister and I in the limousine, and a little limousine, and a little later four or five later four or five servants and the servants and the postman from West Egg postman from West Egg in Gatsby's station in Gatsby's station wagon.wagon.

As we started through the gate into As we started through the gate into the cemetery I heard a car stop and the cemetery I heard a car stop and then the sound of someone then the sound of someone splashing after us over the soggy splashing after us over the soggy ground. ground.

I looked around. It was the man with I looked around. It was the man with owl-eyed glasses whom I had found owl-eyed glasses whom I had found marvelling over Gatsby's books in marvelling over Gatsby's books in the library one night three months the library one night three months before.before.

Nick Goes HomeNick Goes Home After Gatsby's death the East was After Gatsby's death the East was

haunted for me like that, distorted haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes' power of beyond my eyes' power of correction. correction.

So when the blue smoke of brittle So when the blue smoke of brittle leaves was in the air and the wind leaves was in the air and the wind blew the wet laundry stiff on the blew the wet laundry stiff on the line I decided to come back home.line I decided to come back home.

Goodbye JordanGoodbye Jordan There was one thing to be done There was one thing to be done

before I left, an awkward, unpleasant before I left, an awkward, unpleasant thing that perhaps had better have thing that perhaps had better have been let alone. But I wanted to leave been let alone. But I wanted to leave things in order and not just trust that things in order and not just trust that obliging and indifferent sea to sweep obliging and indifferent sea to sweep my refuse away. my refuse away.

I saw Jordan Baker and I saw Jordan Baker and talked over and around talked over and around what had happened to what had happened to us together, and what us together, and what had happened had happened afterward to me, and afterward to me, and she lay perfectly still, she lay perfectly still, listening, in a big chair. listening, in a big chair.

When I had finished she When I had finished she told me without told me without comment that she was comment that she was engaged to another engaged to another man. man.

Goodbye TomGoodbye Tom One afternoon late in October I saw Tom One afternoon late in October I saw Tom

Buchanan. Buchanan. "What's the matter, Nick? Do you object "What's the matter, Nick? Do you object

to shaking hands with me?"to shaking hands with me?"      "Yes. You know what I think of you."      "Yes. You know what I think of you."      "You're crazy, Nick," he said quickly.      "You're crazy, Nick," he said quickly.

"Tom," I inquired, "what did you say to "Tom," I inquired, "what did you say to Wilson that afternoon?" Wilson that afternoon?"

Tom & WilsonTom & Wilson ““I told him the truth,” he said. “He I told him the truth,” he said. “He

came to the door while we were came to the door while we were getting ready to leave, and when I sent getting ready to leave, and when I sent down word that we weren't in he tried down word that we weren't in he tried to force his way up-stairs.” to force his way up-stairs.”

““He was crazy enough to kill me if I He was crazy enough to kill me if I hadn't told him who owned the car. His hadn't told him who owned the car. His hand was on a revolver in his pocket hand was on a revolver in his pocket every minute he was in the house...” every minute he was in the house...”

Tom & DaisyTom & Daisy I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I

saw that what he had done was, to him, saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. entirely justified.

It was all very careless and confused. It was all very careless and confused. They were careless people, Tom and They were careless people, Tom and

Daisy - they smashed up things and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . . . they had made. . . .

Goodbye GatsbyGoodbye Gatsby Gatsby's house remained empty, but Gatsby's house remained empty, but

it haunted Nick. it haunted Nick. On weekends, he still heard the On weekends, he still heard the

music and laughter of Gatsby's music and laughter of Gatsby's extravagant parties; as a result, he extravagant parties; as a result, he went into the city to escape the went into the city to escape the sounds in his head. sounds in his head.

On his last night on West Egg, Nick On his last night on West Egg, Nick walks over to Gatsby's mansion and walks over to Gatsby's mansion and down to the beach.down to the beach.

““He had come a long way to this He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.” could hardly fail to grasp it.”

What Gatsby never really knew or What Gatsby never really knew or accepted was that the dream was accepted was that the dream was in the past. in the past.

For the Great Gatsby, however, as For the Great Gatsby, however, as long as he could see the green long as he could see the green light, he had a purpose in life. light, he had a purpose in life.

The EndThe End So we beat on, So we beat on,

boats against the boats against the current, borne current, borne back ceaselessly back ceaselessly into the past.into the past.