After Gatsby’s death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes’ power of correction. So when the blue smoke of brittle leaves was in the air and the wind blew the wet laundry stiff on the line I decided to come back home.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, Chapter. The violent events cause Nick to tire of the corruption and superficiality that go with the wealth and success of the East and he returns to the Midwest.