In this, the opening chapter of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, we are introduced to the main characters and are given hints about how they live their lives. The geography of the setting is described, as is its social situation. The main focus of this chapter is a dinner that Nick Carraway attended at his cousin, Daisy shared with her husband Tom Buchanan, and, presently, a Miss Jordan Baker, if only temporally. This chapter ends with Nick catching a glance of the well-known Gatsby, who is staring at a single green light (presumably on a dock) in East Egg from in front of his house (on West Egg). Aside from the background information that is provided in this chapter, foreshadowing seems to be a main theme of this chapter.

Tom Buchanan; "Well it's a fine book and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we...