"There was music from my neighbor's house throughout the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars." (pg. 39)
Setting and location play a huge role in this book. Nick is next door to Jay Gatsby, the character whose name is in the title. By being Gatsby's neighbor, Nick is allowed the opportunity to become his friend as he starts going to the parties at his house. If they were not next door neighbors, they may have never met, and there would be no story. Also, the novel's background contributes to the theme. The novel was written in 1925 in the U.S. This would have been the time of prohibition and somewhat a time of peace. I'm not sure whether this had any impact on the book whatsoever, but we will see.
I think another important aspect of the time frame was that it was during the roaring 20's. These people are living lavish lifestyles and do not seem to care about much outside their social circle. This time was all about living well and having a good time, and Nick's friends certainly do that. This may have something to do with the theme as a social commentary.
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