In the roaring 1920s, Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate and World War I veteran, moves to New York to pursue a career in the bond business. He rents a small house in West Egg, Long Island, an area populated by the newly rich. His mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, lives in a grand mansion and throws lavish parties every weekend, attended by the city's high society. Despite being surrounded by opulence and excitement, Gatsby is singularly focused on a green light across the bay, which belongs to the dock of Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin and Gatsby's former lover.

Daisy, who lives in the more established East Egg with her husband Tom Buchanan, leads a life of luxury yet apparent emptiness. Gatsby's obsession with Daisy fuels his lifestyle and ambitions; his immense wealth and parties are all part of an elaborate plan to attract her attention and win her love again. As Nick becomes entwined in the lives of his wealthy neighbors, he finds himself drawn to Gatsby's magnetic persona and becomes a confidante to his new friend. Intrigue and tensions rise as the connections between the characters unfold, revealing the complexities of their relationships and social statuses.