Chapter 6

This chapter finally reveals Gatsby's secretive past. We learn that Gatsby, born as James Gatz on a farm, attended college at St.Olaf's however fropped out because of the humiliating janitorial work he had to do to pay for his education. He went on to work on Lake Superior as a fisherman, which to me, does not sound better than not getting an education. While working at Lake Superior, Gatsby met Dan Cody, a wealthy man who made him his assistant. It was working with Dan Cody that made Gatsby decide to become a wealthy man.

Gatsby accomplishes his goals, and becomes a rich man, but he doesn't become a better man. Gatsby lacks many things, one of these being social and aristocratic grace. He is obsessed with wealth and status. He believes that the road to success passes through being rich, and he expects to be able to achieve everything with money, even buy happiness. It is pretty clear that Gatsby is ashamed of who he used to be, since he tries his best to hide his past which includes his parents, the people who gave him life. Yet this does not mean anything to Gatsby. 


Chapter 6 proves once again that Gatsby's power to make his dreams come to is what makes him "great." However, we see that this is also what leads him to expect too much from people, what blinds him to the point where he is living a lie and makes him value all the wrong things in life. His power makes him weak.

This chapter brings to light many connections between the characters of the story and real people in Fitzgerald's life. Daisy, who probably never worked a day in her life represents Fitzgerald's mother, who lived off her inheritance. Fitzgerald's mother was a person who had become newly rich, just like Gatsby. Gatsby believed that Daisy would love him if he were rich, similarly to Fitzgerald who moved to New York to make money so he could marry Zelda Sayre. Another thing they have in common is that they both dropped out of school to pursue different careers and joined the army. Traces from Fitzgerald's life are also seen in the character Dan Cody. Like Fitzgerald, Dan Cody was an alcoholic.