Final answer:
In Chapter 3, guests at Gatsby's party speculate about his mysterious background and extravagant lifestyle, with rumors ranging from him being a murderer to an Oxford man, underlining his enigmatic persona.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, the guests at Jay Gatsby's party spread various rumors about him, mostly related to Gatsby's mysterious background and extravagant lifestyle. They speculate wildly, with some saying he's a murderer or a spy, while others think he could be an Oxford man.
These rumors show how Gatsby is an enigmatic figure to the public, a man draped in luxury but with a past that is the subject of much gossip. The variety of tales indicates that Gatsby's life story is uniquely his own, reinforcing F. Scott Fitzgerald's theme that his characters are not meant to represent anything larger than their essential character—making Gatsby's story both individual and universal.