The Great Gatsby Timeline

By JKerper

  • James Gatz is born in North Dakota to a family of poor farmers

  • Period: to

    The Great Gatsby

  • James Gatz changes his name to Jay Gatsby

  • A young Gatsby acquires work on the yacht of millionaire Dan Cody, his future idol.

    A young Gatsby acquires work on the yacht of millionaire Dan Cody, his future idol.

  • Dan Cody dies, and Gatsby is left penniless but educated

  • Nick Carraway graduates from Yale and fights in World War I

  • Daisy Fay and Gatsby fall in love in Louisville before Gatsby is relocated for battle

  • Daisy Fay marries Tom Buchanan and they first move to Chicago, and then East Egg on Long Island

    Daisy Fay marries Tom Buchanan and they first move to Chicago, and then East Egg on Long Island

  • Nick moves to West Egg to learn the bond business and rents a house next to Gatsby's mansion

    Nick moves to West Egg to learn the bond business and rents a house next to Gatsby's mansion

  • Nick visits his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom and meets Jordan Baker, a golfer

    Nick visits his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom and meets Jordan Baker, a golfer

  • Tom takes Nick to meet his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, and they throw a party with Myrtle's friends

  • Gatsby invites Nick to one of his parties and two quickly become friends

    Gatsby invites Nick to one of his parties and two quickly become friends

  • Gatsby takes Nick to lunch in New York where he reveals his past and Nick meets Meyer Wolfsheim

  • Gatsby asks Nick to help reunite him and Daisy through Jordan and Nick becomes romantically involved with Jordan

  • Gatsby and Daisy reunite and begin an affair

    Gatsby and Daisy reunite and begin an affair

  • Tom and Gatsby meet and Tom is instantly distrustful

  • Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby's parties and Tom accuses him of being a bootlegger

    Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby's parties and Tom accuses him of being a bootlegger

  • Daisy and Gatsby continue their affair and Gatsby cancels his parties and fires all his servants

  • George Wilson discovers Myrtle's affair and plans to take her West

  • Nick, Jordan, and Gatsby come for lunch at the Buchanan's and Tom witnesses the passion between Gatsby and Daisy

  • They go to New York in the afternoon and Myrtle sees Tom drive by in Gatsby's car

  • At the Plaza Hotel, Tom confronts Gatsby about the affair and Daisy realizes her allegiance is to Tom

    At the Plaza Hotel, Tom confronts Gatsby about the affair and Daisy realizes her allegiance is to Tom

  • Daisy and Gatsby drive back in his car and Daisy hits and kills Myrtle while driving

  • Tom discovers Myrtle's death and tells George it was Gatsby who killed her

  • George shoots Gatsby and then commits suicide

    George shoots Gatsby and then commits suicide

  • Nick tries in vain to get people to attend Gatsby's funeral and he meets Gatsby's father, Henry C. Gatz

  • Nick returns to the Midwest, disgusted with the people in New York