CHAPTER VI

Nick begins the chapter by describing an incident in which a reporter showed up at Gatsby's door, asking to interview him. This opening reminds the reader that Gatsby is the subject of rumour and gossip throughout New York. After describing the incident, Nick notes that he spent some away from Gatsby, and then goes on to verify the true facts of Gatsby's biography. In the chronology (history/narrative) of the novel, Nick did not know these details yet, but in looking back on the incidents as the narrator of something that occurred in the past, he did. He then gives Gatsby's biographical details, the truth behind both the public rumours and Gatsby's own claims: born Jay Gatz on a farm in North Dakota around 1900; changed his name to Jay Gatsby at age seventeen; spends more than a year on the south shore of Lake Superior clamming (gather clam/sea-shell by digging in the sand by the ocean) and fishing; attends and drops out of St. Olaf College in southern Minnesota after two weeks; meets Dan Cody, a fifty year-old multimillionaire expert in mining and precious metals, and ends up as his assistant for five years aboard the Tuolomee, Cody's boat; Cody dies and leaves Gatsby $25,000, which he never receives due to a legal technicality; Gatsby dedicates himself to becoming rich and successful.

• Gatsby's real name is James Gatz.
• He was born in North Dakota to "shiftless, unsuccessful farm people."
• He left home when he was young and moved around the west.
• One day he was "loafing" along the shore of Lake Superior when he spotted a yacht in some trouble. In a borrowed rowboat, he went out to the boat and helped its drunken owner, Dan Cody.
• Cody was about 50 years old, and "new rich" from his silver mines. He took Gatsby under his wing and hired him as "steward, mate, skipper, secretary" to protect Cody from his drunken self.
•  Cody was Gatsby's mentor and showed him how the wealthy class lived.
• When Cody died he left Gatsby $25,000, but Cody's family cheated him out of it.
• When he met Cody, James Gatz changed his name to Jay Gatsby.

For a few weeks, Nick doesn't see Gatsby. Nick explains that during this time, while he was away from Gatsby, he was spending time with Jordan, and trying to charm her aunt, with whom she lived. One day, however, Nick did go to see Gatsby for tea. While he was there, three people arrived there unexpectedly including Tom Buchanan, Daisy's husband. Gatsby tells Tom that he knows his wife, and invites Tom and his friends to stay for dinner. They say they can't stay, but the woman in the riding party after drinking two alcoholic drinks tells Gatsby she'd like to come to one of his parties and then invites Gatsby to supper. Gatsby accepts, not realizing that the invitation was just to be polite, and accepts. The other man in the party announces that they must be leaving, but the woman invites Gatsby again. When Gatsby excuses himself to get his car to follow them, the man is amazed that Gatsby really thinks he's been invited. The three visitors end up leaving before Gatsby returns.

The following Saturday night, Tom and Daisy come to one of Gatsby's parties. Gatsby tries to impress them by pointing out celebrities and insists on introducing Tom as "The Polo Player," which annoys Tom. When it is time for dinner, Tom excuses himself to sit with another woman. Daisy mockingly offers Tom a pencil, in case he needs to take down her address. Nick relates watching the celebrities at the party through Daisy's eyes. She seems simultaneously (at the same time) impressed by a famous actress and director, and disgusted by the number of people who were obviously not invited. When Tom returns he questions Nick about Gatsby, and suggests he is a bootlegger (someone who makes or sells illegal liquor/criminal), which Nick denies. Daisy says Gatsby made his money from drug stores that he built up himself. Eventually Daisy and Tom leave. Nick waits to visit with Gatsby when the party ends, and Gatsby confesses he feels very far away from Daisy. Nick tells Gatsby, "You can't repeat the past," to which Gatsby replies, "Of course you can."

After the party, Gatsby is depressed. He suspects that Daisy neither enjoyed the party nor understands the depth of his feelings for her. Nick reminds him that the past is impossible to repeat, but Gatsby disagrees. He says he will return everything to the way it was before.

Nick recalls a memory that Gatsby once shared with him about the first time Gatsby kissed Daisy. Nick calls Gatsby's sentimentality about history "appalling (alarming)" and reflects that in that kiss Gatsby's dreams of success focused solely (just/only) on Daisy. She became an idealized dream for Gatsby and the centre of his life.