Fitzgerald reveals the exterior of Gatsby's house in a burst of visual imagery and colorful detail at the start of Chapter III. We learn of the "five crates of oranges and lemons" that go in the door each Friday and the empty skins that come out the door each Monday, and the "several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree out of Gatsby's enormous garden." We hear about his Rolls Royce, the casual laughter of his guests, and the "cocktails [which] permeate the garden outside." The exterior is all that most people see or know about Gatsby's house, just as Gatsby's own carefully-constructed facade is all people really see or know of him. Speculation about him is rampant because he is such a mystery: some say he killed a man, others that he was a German spy, and so on.
Fitzgerald seems to use the house, therefore, as a symbol of its owner. It is flashy and unpredictable and bright, but few people ever get to see inside, past all of the flash and glare. The house is a means to getting Daisy's attention, and when that has been achieved, Gatsby shuts down the parties, making it clear that their purpose, really, was only to attract her in the same way that Gatsby's life -- in a world of shady business deals, illegal alcohol distribution, and gamblers -- was only for her.
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