No Fear The Great Gatsby Chapter 4
Our chapter opens with some of the gossip linked to Gatsby. Then, Nick goes into a ton of detail
about all of the guests who ever came to one of Gatsby’s parties in the summer.
The list goes on for almost three pages. Obviously, Nick took quite a bit of time making sure to
record as many people as possible. If anything, I would certainly say that this solidifies Nick as an
observer. It also shows us that clearly when it comes to who came to Gatsby’s parties, he had quite a bit
of interest in it that summer. He seems to be fairly fixated on all things Gatsby.
We are then treated to Nick’s telling of one of the first times him and Gatsby go someplace
together. Gatsby picks him up in his gorgeous car, Gatsby too, just like Nick, Jordan, Tom, and Daisy, is
described at first as restless. The man can’t stop fidgeting. He’s always moving or tapping or jostling
something.
They set off on that “disconcerting ride,” and Gatsby flat out asks Nick what he thinks of him.
Nick doesn’t really know how to answer that question, so he tries to give him a “fluff” answer- the
“generalized evasions which that question deserves,” when Gatsby cuts him off and explains that he’s
going to tell Nick all about his life, because he doesn’t want Nick to get the wrong idea of him from all
the gossip he hears.
Nick remarks to us that Gatsby obviously knew then, how much people said about him.
Gatsby says he’s going to tell Nick “God’s truth” about his life, and explains to him the intricate
details of who he is. Nick remarks that a few of the things Gatsby rushes through (like that he was
educated at Oxford) don’t really sound genuine, and so Nick starts to wonder if maybe there is something
sinister about Gatsby after all. He’s also not really sure if Gatsby is being straight up with him, or if he is
kidding around, but Gatsby is able to produce artifacts that back up his story, and suddenly Nick sees that
smile of Gatsby’s again, and he becomes enthralled with the truth in Gatsby’s words.
Gatsby points out it’s a big deal that Nick doesn’t “think [he] was just some nobody,” because he
has a favor to ask of him.
This remark ends up annoying Nick because of the arrangement Gatsby has put together in order
for Nick to find out what this favor is, and for a moment he regrets that he “ever set foot upon his
overpopulated lawn.”
A few very interesting things also happen during this chapter that are important to pay attention to:
-A police officer tries to pull Gatsby over, but Gatsby merely waves a white card in front of his face, and
the policeman tips his cap to him and apologizes for not knowing him. When Nick inquires what
happened, Gatsby says he was able to do the police commissioner a favor once.
…So, that favor means that now Gatsby can wave a card in front of a cop to excuse himself from being
pulled over. What kind of favor, would solicit that kind of reward?
