What is the plot of The Great Gatsby?

The Great Gatsby is a hard look at the decadance of the
roaring 20's told by the friend of a poor boy who spent his whole life trying to be rich
enough and good enough for the rich girl he fell in love with in his
youth.

Jay Gatsby starts as a young war hero who falls in
love with socialite Daisy. When he is back off at war, Daisy gets tired of waiting for
him and gets involved in the "old money" party scene. There she meets and and eventually
marries Tom Buchanan ... mostly because he has money and she can't resist the lifestyle
he can provide. However, we see through the cold relationship she has with her daughter,
and the shallow activities she spends her time on that her life is not at all
fulfilling.

Gatsby spends years making money (through shady
and most likely illegal activities) so he can impress and win back his love. He
befriends his neighbor Nick (through whose eyes the story is told) and throws lavish
parties near where Daisy lives for the sole purpose of luring her back into his
life.

She eventually wanders into one of his parties and
they re-connect and become lovers. Her husband Tom has also been having an affair with
his mechanic's wife Myrtle.

All goes well for awhile, but
Gatsby's "new money" (money made by himself and not inherited by his ancestors) doesn't
get him accepted into high society. In fact, he is rejected by the old money
people.

The big show down comes when Tom confronts Gatsby
about the affair. Gatsby thinks Daisy will leave Tom and marry him, but she can't. She
is too entrenched in the old money lifestyle. Daisy dashes off in a car upset by the
choice she cannot make, and Gatsby follows her. Daisy ends up hitting and killing Tom's
lover Myrtle...but Tom blames it on Gatsby.

In the end,
Daisy reconnects with Daisy and leaves Gatsby behind, and Myrtle's husband kills Gatsby
and commits suicide.

Nick goes back to the midwest, finding
the east coast high society disgusting...and the sad tale ends.