Answer and explanation:
What stories does Gatsby tell Nick about his past?
In Chapter 4 of the novel "The Great Gatsby", Jay Gatsby tells the narrator, Nick, his "true" life story. According to him, he was the son of very wealthy people from the Middle-West. After his parents died, he inherited their fortune and live in Europe collecting jewels. He was educated at Oxford and fought bravely at the war, even receiving decorations from several countries.
Which of these seem improbable and which seem believable? Defend your answers by citing evidence from the text.
The ones that seem most unbelievable, even in the narrator's opinion, are the ones concerning his education and life in Europe. The way Gatsby talks about Oxford is suspicious; he chokes on his words. The way he describes his wealthy life collecting jewels is superficial, mechanical, not really painting a picture for his listener:
"I am the son of some wealthy people in the middle-west--all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition."
He looked at me sideways--and I knew why Jordan Baker had believed he was lying. He hurried the phrase "educated at Oxford," or swallowed it or choked on it as though it had bothered him before. And with this doubt his whole statement fell to pieces and I wondered if there wasn't something a little sinister about him after all.
[...]
"After that I lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of Europe--Paris, Venice, Rome--collecting jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only, and trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me long ago."
With an effort I managed to restrain my incredulous laughter. The very phrases were worn so threadbare that they evoked no image except that of a turbaned "character" leaking sawdust at every pore as he pursued a tiger through the Bois de Boulogne.
However, Gatsby gets to convince Nick of his truth after showing him a medal and a picture. Nick tends to believe people in general, having been taught by his father to not hurry into judging others.
His being the son of wealthy people is, to my mind, the story that is most plausible while Gatsby is telling it. He even shows some deep feelings while mentioning his family:
"My family all died and I came into a good deal of money."
His voice was solemn as if the memory of that sudden extinction of a clan still haunted him. For a moment I suspected that he was pulling my leg
but a glance at him convinced me otherwise.
Aside from these stories, what other evidence is there to suggest that he is lying?
Gatsby's attitudes are suspicious. The way he is constantly looking at Nick, observing his reactions, show a strange concern for what others think of him; the type of concern someone who is telling the truth doesn't have. Also, as the Chapter continues, we see Gatsby receive mysterious phone calls, meet up with gangsters, get rid of a police officer just by showing him his card etc. It is plain to see that he is involved in some illegal activity.
