Carraway describes a sizeable list of guests in attendance at Gatsby's house in West Egg on July 5, 1922. It includes New York businessmen, wealthy East Eggers, theatre people, a doctor, and even a man presumed to be a prince. These names show the scope of Gatsby's summer parties. Nick's curiosity becomes more intense while pondering how Gatsby had come to attain such popularity and wealth. One woman states, "'He's a bootlegger....One time he killed a man who found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil.'" Chapter 4, pg. 61. Despite Gatsby's seeming benevolence and goodness, negative rumors continue to arise concerning the source of his money and events of his past. One morning he arrives unexpectedly at Nick's house driving his "cream-colored" station wagon and the two go out to lunch in New York City. During the drive Gatsby expresses concern about his reputation and attempts to explain his past in order to lay aside these insidious rumors. He says that he was originally from San Francisco, which he describes as being in the Middle West, the son of a wealthy family, and educated at Oxford, as had all his ancestors before him. Nick notices Gatsby rush this statement out quickly, as if it were not wholly true. Gatsby claims his family had all died and, upon receiving his inheritance, went to live in Europe. He says he traveled until World War I broke out, at which point he entered the army as a lieutenant stationed in France. Later he was promoted to major. Gatsby shows a medal from Montenegro as evidence of these deeds, for "Valour Extraordinary" and also a photograph from Oxford of himself with other schoolboys on a cricket team. Nick is convinced that his story is true, despite earlier doubts and perceptions of Jay as a rather shady character. Now the mystery seems to have been lifted and his worries are put to rest. With one final word as they approach New York City's Astoria section in Queens, Gatsby declares mysteriously that he would like Nick to meet with Jordan Baker to discuss a certain matter. Offering no other explanation, Nick is annoyed that this task has been thrust upon him. He is simply told that he will meet with her on Gatsby's behalf.
A policeman suddenly stops the car for speeding, but Gatsby shows him a piece of paper and the man apologizes, driving off. Jay explains to a dumbfounded Nick that he had once done the police commissioner a favor. Arriving at an upscale restaurant, Carraway meets a Jew named Meyer Wolfsheim who asks in a heavy accent if he is seeking a business "gonnegtion" although he is hushed by Gatsby, who quickly says Nick is just a friend. Wolfsheim comments on a restaurant across the street, which is "'[f]illed with faces dead and gone. Filled with friends gone now forever. I can't forget so long as I live the night they shot Rosy Rosenthal there....they shot him three times in the belly and drove away.'" Chapter 4, pg. 70-71. Judging by his language, Meyer seems to be somewhat of a shady man himself with his discussion of money, guns, and "gonnegtions." This is hardly the sort of man with whom a person of Gatsby's claimed background and esteem would choose to associate.
As lunch arrives, Jay discusses Baker again and apologizes for offending Carraway in the car by being too straightforward; obviously he had sensed Nick's annoyance. Suddenly he gets up and dashes off to make a phone call. Wolfsheim raves about Gatsby's eloquence and style saying that he had been attracted to these qualities as soon as the two had first spoken. However this implies that much of the basis of the two men's relationship is merely based upon Gatsby's image alone. As Jay returns to the table, Wolfsheim leaves them saying, "'I belong to another generation....You sit...and discuss your sports and your young ladies....As for me, I am fifty years old, and I won't impose myself on you any longer.'" Chapter 4, pg. 73. Nick asks more questions, trying to understand these people, wondering what Meyer does for work. Gatsby replies offhand that Meyer is a gambler and is the man who fixed the World Series in 1919. Nick is astounded by the casualness of this remark and responds with another barrage of questions. The world and the people he is surrounded by continue to baffle him, bearing now the same feelings of disconnection felt earlier when in Tom Buchanan's apartment. Nick suddenly sees Tom Buchanan in the restaurant and rushes over to introduce Gatsby but turns around only to see that he has disappeared. Despite Gatsby's attempts at extinguishing the shadiness of his reputation, the mystery seems only to increase - for some reason he had wanted to avoid seeing Tom.
Nick later meets with Baker and learns much more about Gatsby's situation and why he had fled from Buchanan. Baker explains to him in a dramatic tone of voice that one day in October of 1917, back in the South where she and Daisy had been teenage friends, she saw Daisy in her car with a military officer. Jordan explains that this officer was Gatsby, though soon after he had to go overseas for the war in Europe. Later, with Gatsby off and away, Daisy moved on to other men and met Tom Buchanan from Chicago who pampered her as she liked; for the wedding he bought a pearl necklace valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. On the evening of her glamorous wedding she showed Jordan the same discontent under the appearance of happiness which she had shown to Nick when he visited East Egg. She expressed depression and regret at marrying Tom. On that wedding night a very drunken Daisy told Baker to cancel the wedding - not having the courage to do this task herself - and broke down, crying, clutching a letter from Gatsby so tightly between her fingers that it fell apart.
Finally she calmed down and, regaining composure, proceeded with the wedding as if the incident had never happened. Afterwards Tom had a mistress although he and Daisy still acted happily married. Daisy gave birth to a baby girl, they went to France, and afterwards they settled in East Egg. However, Gatsby had been following Daisy all along and bought his mansion on West Egg in hopes of being close to Daisy to win her back from Tom.
Jordan explains that Nick's home will be used as a meeting place for Daisy and Gatsby to see one another again after so long. A great deal of confusion is put to rest here concerning why Gatsby had left the restaurant earlier on seeing Buchanan with Nick and why he was seen staring out to the sea at the green light on East Egg. Pieces of this man begin to fit together, and Nick realizes that the man was staring out at that light on East Egg for Daisy.
Carraway suddenly becomes disinterested in Gatsby and Daisy, thinking it silly to buy a mansion in pursuit of a married woman whom he hadn't seen for years. Nick turns his attention to the woman at his side as the two now walk, his arm over her shoulder. Nick and Jordan stop to kiss. He recalls a line about people in the world: "A phrase began to beat in my ears with a sort of heady excitement: 'There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired.'" Chapter 4, pg. 81. Turning aside thoughts from his past, such as the woman back West who had prevented him from pursuing Baker earlier, Nick now looks at what is close and present rather than the far and past.
Gatsby has refused to let go of his past, clinging to Daisy despite her marriage. She now appears to be the sole energy that pushes him. Even the large parties at his mansion were thrown in hope that she would one day come to them too. All at once Gatsby's character is thrown into the light and, as Nick observes, is dragged out from the shadows of his "purposeless splendor." Gatsby's entire splendor has been created by whatever means - for the exact source of his money is still a mystery -- solely to have Daisy love him again. Even as Gatsby lingers, Nick now moves on to pursue Jordan Baker.
