By chapter five, what is Gatsby's identity, and how did he construct it?

[SheldonChen]

Gatsby's first appearance in the book was on page 48 when Gatsby invites Nick to his party and gossiped a little, he said "I'm Gatsby". From the conversation, he mentioned that he was "in the Seventh Infantry until June nineteen-eighteen", and he "had just bought a hydroplane". Thus his first impression for Nick is a rich veteran. The next time Nick saw Gatsby was when Gatsby was driving Nick for a meal, and Gatsby told Nick more about himself that he was graduated from Oxford, "it is a family tradition", he "came into a good deal of money" because his family died (p 65). Nick began to doubt his credibility because he said he's from mid west but when Nick asked what part, and he said San Francisco which is a city on the west coast, not mid west. He shows to Nick that he is a special man in the city when he shows his white card to a police and the police apologized to him. All what Gatsby wants Nick to know is that he is a well educated man from a rich family, and he is also having a good status in this place.

[Monty J]

Shouldn't these posts be made in the private Group, Goodman's AmLit?

[Janet]

Gatsby's identity is a a very clever bit of deception. I've done the research: the seventh infantry wasn't in the battle that Gatsby later says he was in. (Nick's was.) There is much being hidden. Pay attention to his suit colors....