Nick Carraway's diary entry

Thursday, 31st July, 1922

Gatsby! Who is he really? That question’s been loitering in my mind for almost a week since our first unexpected meeting at his party. Everything arising these days seems to add onto my curiosity; the more I see and talk to him, the more I want to unfold the ‘mystery’. Today luncheon was specially peculiar due to the presence of that World’s Series fixer.


Me, I still vividly remember what the women and men gossiped about Gatsby that night. My extremely wealthy neighbour! Isn’t it strange as nobody knows exactly who he was in the past? How he possesses this grandiose fortune? Why he never shows up at his own lavish parties. To be honest, I myself cannot answer those seem-to-be-simple questions since I know nothing about him, I just met him a few times for certain occasions and that’s all!
Gatsby is an extraordinary man, and I know it since first time we met. Although he is rich and he has most of the things that I have never been in favour for, my intuition still insists on telling me that he is different from others, Gatsby is much better in some way.
Who Gatsby really is? He must be a very powerful citizen of this town since the policeman pulled him over, however, right away let him go after giving a glance at his little postcard. What special messages does that postcard carry? Perhaps, Gatsby has very wide connections within the town just like those participating in the gangs and that is a bribe form? But no… definitely NOT! He doesn’t look like he is one of the men in the criminal series. NEVER!
… But… why does he make friends with Wolfshiem? He’s such an old, suspicious and business-obsessed man! How could he dare fixing the results of the World tournament without being caught? Gatsby did mention that Wolfshiem was skillful enough to hide his crime from the government. This is a real hidden story… and did Gatsby get involved in that event? Nobody would know!
This tricky guy, Wolfshiem makes me think so hard about the relationship between him and Gatsby. They seem to know each other through a business, nonetheless, Gatsby didn’t show his interest of telling me about it. I can tell that he wasn’t comfortable and open to talk in front of me at all. Is it a sign of hiding secrets? If yes then why would he need to do that? Is there something wrong going on with their business that they can’t share? There was a moment when Gatsby absurdly stopped Wolfshiem from asking me if I was looking for ‘gonnegtion’. I totally got none of the topics from the conversation, he absolutely talked to the wrong person since I had nothing to do with his business connections. However, Gatsby’s attitude was very strange, he was very careful about what Wolfshiem said to me and that conjures up the feeling which something must be covered up and if it’s leaked out, both of them will be in trouble. They are probably dealing with particular illegal stuff and become incredibly wealthy in a short period of time.
The more I recall the meeting at lunch, the more I truly believe in what I am predicting. Wolfshiem knew Rosy Rosenthal which means he used to have a connection with an ‘experienced’ gambler. There is no doubt that Wolfshiem could be one of the bootleggers and that’s where his dirty money comes from. What a malicious man! He actually showed me the cuff button made of human molars, did he mean anything? Did he mean to threaten me to shut my mouth up just in case I figured out these things?
How about Gatsby then? Does he have anything to do with the organized crime or just because I have been thinking so much that I complicate myself? Honestly say, Gatsby sometimes appears very ordinary without any signs of corruption, however, other time, I think he is being dishonest. At first, I wasn’t very convinced that he graduated from Oxford since he said it with reluctance and no enthusiasm. On the other hand, Wolfshiem again told me about that, it could unlikely be a lie if an outsider confirms it, couldn’t it? It’s so complicated to have an accurate consideration for Gatsby and all those relationships around him. I can’t understand him!
And yes, it was very coincident and … awkward to see Tom again this noon in the restaurant. He seriously does not change much since I knew him in Yale, very rough and heedless. Again, for the second time of today Gatsby behaved in a peculiar manner, what made him disappear while I was introducing him to Tom? Had they known each other before… perhaps through another illegal business connection or elsewhere? Is the world that round? Everything is enigmatic and seems out of control in front of me.
The relationships between Gatsby, Wolfshiem and Tom would reveal in the next few days and I myself will figure it out. I want no longer be a naïve person!


My opinion about Gatsby is seriously unstable, it switches from one side to another so quickly due to the complication of his behaviour and relationships. Gatsby himself doesn’t provoke any suspected points however, Wolfshiem’s relation makes me doubt about Gatsby so much.

By: Uyen 11S