The Great Gatsby's 'The Man Behind The Myths'

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The third chapter from the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald deserves the title “The Man behind the Myths”. There is a plethora of rumors and stories circulating about Gatsby, one of the main characters in this novel. He is a man of wealth; however, he appears to be unemployed and have no source of income. At his own parties, Gatsby is like a ghost unnoticably floating about the guests. The legends and actions of Gatsby are described and explored in this chapter, “The Man behind the Myths”. Throughout the third chapter the narrator, Nick, speaks with and overhears many rumors about the party host, Gatsby. There are not many people really know who Gatsby is because he remains hidden within the abundant crowd which consumes …show more content…

No one has any idea who he is because he is watching from afar or blending in with the numerous guests at his parties. People do not realize who he is because he mixes in with the crowd and does not converse with any of the other party goers. His behavior creates a mystery about him and who he really is, which causes his guests to speculate about him and his absence at his outings. All of Gatsby’s obscure actions make the meeting between Nick and Gatsby all the more shocking, because their meeting is not some illustrious meeting between the two. It just so happens that they stumble upon each other. They begin conversing like two regular party guests getting to know one another, when Nick asks if the stranger knows about any of the rumors about their host. Then the stranger reveals himself as Gatsby. Nick is stunned to realize that this humble person with whom he has been speaking owns such a beautiful property and possesses an amazing wealth. Prior to their meeting, Nick expected Gatsby to be some shady fellow with an extreme past due to the rumors. Nick comes to realize that none of the over the top rumors about Gatsby were true; Nick now knows the truth about “The Man behind the Myths”. In conclusion, the third chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, rightfully earns the the title of “The Man behind the Myths”. Throughout the course of the chapter Nick is brought to the attention of the multifarious myths surrounding Gatsby. During the course of the chapter Nick meets the man behind the myths, and is given the answers to who this man really

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