Jay Gatsby, a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel "The Great Gatsby", was famous for his lavish parties. However, the invitation process for these parties was quite untraditional.
## The Invitation Process
1. **Informal and Open Invitation:** Gatsby's parties were known for their informal and open invitations. Essentially, Gatsby did not personally invite people to these events. Instead, people in and around New York City simply knew when they were happening and would show up.
2. **Word of Mouth:** News about Gatsby's parties often spread through word of mouth. People would hear from friends or acquaintances that a Gatsby party was on the horizon, and they'd spread the news even further.
3. **Inclusion, not Exclusion:** Unlike traditional parties of the time, where an invitation was often a mark of social status or approval, Gatsby's parties were unique in that all were generally welcome. This was to encourage larger crowds and therefore reinforce Gatsby's reputation as a generous host. The spectrum of guests ranged from the old money community of East Egg to the new money denizens of West Egg, and even those with questionable means of income.
4. **No RSVP Necessary:** Since invitations were not formally sent out, there was no need for guests to respond to an invitation. Guests would simply appear on the night of the party.
However, it's important to note the underlying irony in this open invitation process – whilst Gatsby opened his home to hundreds of guests, he was quite an elusive and lonely figure himself. His motives for doing so are central to the novel's plot, as he hoped that his beloved Daisy Buchanan would one day walk into one of his sprawling parties.