At the start of Chapter 3, Gatsby’s gathering brings the wealth and luxury of the 1920s into full view, displaying the upper class in its most extravagant form. The wealthy, both from East Egg and their less refined counterparts from West Egg, let loose without any limits. Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the contrast between East Egg and West Egg reveals his interest in the social order and atmosphere of America in the 1920s, when a large group of industrialists, speculators, and businessmen with newly acquired fortunes joined the old, aristocratic families at the top of the economic ladder. The “new rich” lack the sophistication, etiquette, and taste of the “old rich” but yearn to break into the polite society of the East Eggers. In this situation, Gatsby is still a mystery—although he lives in a gaudy West Egg mansion, East Eggers attend his parties without hesitation. Despite the tensions between the two groups, the combination of East and West Egg creates a unique American atmosphere. While the Americans at the party have a raw energy, the Englishmen there are highlighted, appearing desperate and hungry for wealth, hoping to make connections that will make them rich. During the party, Jordan Baker, who had spent most of her life in East Egg, eventually became exhausted from the people she was with. East Egg was the part of Long Island where the old money resided, so the environment there was quite dull, leaving Jordan no choice but to seek out new experiences. Additionally, Jordan was constantly followed by a young man who was displaying too much affection for her.
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