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chapter six
We now learn the truth about Gatsby’s past. His real name is James Gatz, and his parents were unsuccessful farmers. He went to school in Minnesota for a mere two weeks before leaving. He had left over his feelings of humiliation towards the janitorial job he held which paid for his room and board.
He had worked at various menial jobs along Lake Superior for over a year. He changed his name to Jay Gatsby the day that he met Dan Cody on the Lake. Gatsby had rowed out to the millionaires boat to inform him of a high wind that was coming in. When the millionare asked for his name, James Gatz replied, and became, Jay Gatsby. From that moment on they spent the next five years together. Gatsby was always employed in some capacity by Cody. Their partnership ended with Cody's death. Cody left him an inheritance of twenty-five thousand dollars, but a woman friend of Cody's managed to see to it that she got all of the money.
Nick stops by Gatsby's and is surprised to find Tom there. Tom is there with two other people and the mood is somewhat ackward as Tom and Gatsby speak to one another. Gatsby mentions to Tom that he knows his wife. Tom is completely oblivious to the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. Later, Tom wonders aloud to Nick where Gatsby would have met Daisy. He states that women run around too much these days.
The following Saturday night, Tom accompanies Daisy to one of Gatsby's parties. Daisy does not have a good time at the party. This is not the world that she is accustomed to and she is offended by the actions of the guests. Tom mentions to Nick that he intends to find out exactly who Jay Gatsby is.
After the party, Gatsby and Nick talk. Gatsby is upset that Daisy did not enjoy herself at the party. He seems to expect that she will simply walk away from Tom and stay with him forever. Nick mentions that people cannot repeat the past. Gatsby responds that you most certainly can, and he informs Nick that he is going to fix everything so that it is back to the way it was when he and Daisy were together.