The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald, Peter Joucla

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781849435284
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literatur
• Subtopic: Britisches Drama

Please note this title can not be sold to customers in North America, due to copyright restrictions 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' 'F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby was first published on April 10, 1925. Set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City during the summer of 1922, it is the story of an attractive young man, hopelessly in love, who, having worked so hard to improve himself so he can win back the woman he loves, finds himself in a world where money has replaced humility and despair has replaced hope.For me, the novel is a comment on the values and cynicism of east coast America almost a hundred years ago, a time when a section of society had suddenly become very wealthy and the American Dream was for most, nothing more than the mere pursuit of money.'

Act One

Spring 1922, West Egg, Long Island.

Music. Overture.

SCENE 1
TOM BUCHANNAN’S GEORGIAN COLONIAL MANSION,
OVERLOOKING THE BAY

TOM BUCHANAN, dressed in riding clothes appears. He’s a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.

TOM: Nick! Welcome. How are you?

NICK appears.

NICK: Tom. Good to see you.

They shake hands.

TOM: It’s been, what, how long?

NICK: We graduated in nineteen fifteen, but we met up once in...

TOM: – That’s right. You’re looking good.

NICK: Thanks and you too...

(Looking around.) Very impressive...

TOM: – I’ve got a nice place here. See that over there? That’s half an acre of genuine Italian garden. I’ll take you down there later and show you the beautiful roses.

NICK: It’s exquisite.

TOM turns NICK round, politely and abruptly.

TOM: Go inside. Daisy has been looking forward to seeing you for days.

As they walk the singing continues. Or maybe it dies out slowly as each of the chorus transforms into the character and joins the scene. DAISY makes an attempt to rise.

She leans slightly forward with a conscientious expression, and then she laughs an absurd, charming little laugh. Nick laughs too and comes forward into the room.

DAISY: I’m paralyzed with happiness!

NICK: Hello Daisy.

Finally she gets up and embraces NICK. Then she turns to JORDAN. This is my friend Jordan Baker.

JORDAN nods at NICK almost imperceptibly.

NICK: Hi. Don’t worry. You stay there. No need to get up.

DAISY: So Nick, how are you?

Listen, you have to tell me everything that’s happened to you.

At once, do you hear? I want to know everything. My, you look great.

You were just a boy all those years ago.

NICK: I’m fine.

DAISY: I have such a wonderful memory of the times we had in Chicago.

You remember?

NICK: Yeah. Well I stopped off there for a few days on my way out here.

Everyone sends you their love.

DAISY: (Ecstatic.) Do they miss me?

NICK: The whole town is desolate. All the cars have the left rear wheel painted black as a mourning wreath, and there’s a persistent wail all night along the north shore.

DAISY: How gorgeous! I love a persistent wail! Let’s go back, Tom. Tomorrow!

TOM gives a snarl.

(To NICK.) You ought to see the baby.

NICK: I’d like to.

DAISY: She’s asleep. She’s two years old. Haven’t you ever seen her?

NICK: Never.

DAISY: Well, you ought to see her. She’s...

TOM: (Interrupting.) – So what are you doing with yourself, Nick?

NICK: I’m a bond man.

TOM: Who with?

NICK: Oh, it’s a new company, Bloomberg and...

TOM: – Never heard of them.

NICK: (Annoyed.) You will. You will if you stay in the East.

TOM: Oh, I’ll stay in the East, don’t you worry.

He glances at DAISY and then back at NICK.

I’d be a God damned fool to live anywhere else.

JORDAN sits up.

JORDAN: Absolutely!

She yawns and with a series of rapid, deft movements stands up. Oh, I’m stiff. I’ve been lying on that sofa for as long as I can remember.

DAISY: Don’t look at me. I’ve been trying to get you to New York all afternoon.

JORDAN: No, thanks.

A butler passes and she grabs two cocktails from his tray. I’m absolutely in training.

TOM: (Looking at her incredulously.) You are! How you ever get anything done is beyond me.

TOM downs a glass of whisky.

NICK takes a moment to admire JORDAN’s beauty.

DAISY: We heard you were engaged to a girl out West.

TOM: That’s right. We heard that you were engaged.

NICK: It’s libel. I’m too poor.

DAISY: But we heard it. We heard it from three people, so it must be true.

NICK: (Annoyed.) No. It’s not true at all.

Silence.

DAISY: You’ve found a place in West Egg.

NICK: Yes. (Pointing.) Just the other side of the bay. Wait, maybe you can see it from here. You want me to show you?

DAISY: Yes, I insist. Come on, let’s go out onto the terrace.

DAISY drags NICK away from TOM and JORDAN. They go out onto the terrace. He looks.

NICK: Yes...

See that colossal white mansion right over on the other side of the river?

DAISY: Where?

NICK: You can just make it out...there.

DAISY: I see it.

NICK: It’s supposed to be an imita...