Gatsby's House

• Gatsby concealing his real self further emphasises the theme of Illusion versus Reality
• Although Gatsby's house is huge and lavish, it is tasteless, showing his lack of real sophistication. Nick sneers at it for being unattractive and looking like a copy of a Normandy Hotel de Ville. This suggests its design is inappropriately grandiose for a dwelling house. It is significant that it is an imitation, as Gatsby himself is an imitation.
• The fact it is obviously new is a negative feature because it means it has a lack of heritage, something Tom mocks Gatsby for when he calls him "Mr Nobody from Nowhere". Fitzgerald's use of personification in the phrase "a thin beard of raw ivy" is effective in again demanding comparison with its occupant. Suggests a wish for concealment - just as Gatsby is concealing his real self.