Concerning The Great Gatsby, chapter
five, and Gatsby's personality, I'll analyze him as he appears in the opening section of
the chapter for you.
Gatsby appears
anxious about making arrangements to meet Daisy at Nick's
house. He may also feel a bit isolated or
lonely. He approaches Nick the minute Nick arrives
(apparently he has been watching and waiting for him) and suggests going to Coney
Island. When that doesn't work, he offers a swim in his pool. He looks at Nick with
"suppressed eagerness." In other words, he's trying not to show it, but he is eager to
talk to Nick about arranging for Daisy to come to Nick's for tea. Gatsby is a bit like
a nervous adolescent with a crush on someone in this
scene.
At the same time, Gatsby's terrible
social skills are exhibited here. Gatsby is not very good with people.
He is not comfortable with people. He is somewhat inept with verbal communication. He
asks Nick to go to Coney Island, etc., because he is afraid or unable to come straight
to the point.
He is extremely unsure of
himself, but he is also extremely
courteous. When Nick asks
"What day would suit
you?"
to have Daisy over,
Gatsby immediately replies
"What day would suit
you?"
He
is so courteous, in fact, that he seems much more comfortable doing a favor for someone
than having someone do a favor for him. He, apparently, had decided ahead of time to
offer Nick a "little business" to help him out financially, and in fact does so.
Finally, when Gatsby tells Nick that he wants to get the
grass cut before Daisy comes (and Nick suspects Gatsby means Nick's grass, which
apparently is correct), he reveals his perfectionism, at
least when it comes to making a good impression on Daisy. Later he will send a tea set
and flowers over to Nick's before Daisy's arrival.
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