Chapter 2

Chapter 2

pgs. 23-38

Summary

-Nick begins by telling us about the ash fields between West Egg and New York and giving us an image of ash being able to form anything from objects to men. Nick and Tom go to the ashheaps on a Sunday to a garage where they find Mrs. Wilson, Tom’s other lover. They take a train to New York and then take a taxi to their apartment, stopping for some food and Tom buying a dog for Mrs. Wilson (Myrtle). Myrtle, Nick, and Tom get drunk and invite their neighbors, the McKees, and Myrtle’s sister, Catherine, over where they discuss the issues between Myrtle and her husband, and between Tom and Daisy. Tom and Myrtle have a fight about Daisy and Tom breaks her nose; that’s when Nick decides to leave and makes plans for lunch with Mr. McKee in the elevator.

Character Qualities

-Myrtle Wilson: “I married him because I thought he was a gentleman, I thought that he knew something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe.” Myrtle is a woman who carries herself with confidence, “She was in her middle thirties, and faintly stout, but she carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some woman can. Her face contained no facet or gleam of beauty, but there was an immediate perceptible vitality about her… (Fitzgerald 25).” She seems to be happy being Tom’s mistress and even knows that Tom is married to Daisy. She is able to get along very well with Tom and they rarely fight. Myrtle is very good at keeping herself happy by making Tom buy her many things such as the dog that she wanted, and Tom does not get very angry about it. She has a lively, almost sensual personality.

-Myrtle Wilson’s role in the novel is to be Tom’s mistress. The two are very happy when they get together at an apartment that Tom is paying for in New York. They seem to share a much more personal and redeeming relationship than those of the relationships that they have with their actual spouses. She further divides the gap that separates Tom and Daisy from being happy together so much so that Daisy has stopped caring about what he is doing with Myrtle and is disgusted by him.

Most Important Quote

-“Some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face, discussing in impassioned voices whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy’s name. ‘Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai-‘ Making ashort deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand (Fitzgerald 37).” I find this quote important because it says something about Tom; that he may still care for Daisy enough to defend her when someone is mocking her. His violent course of action may represent hidden feelings of passion for Daisy that he may be having a hard time to reveal because he does not want to end his relationship with Myrtle.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Pgs. 1- 21

Summary

-The story begins with Nick contemplating qualities and characteristics of men that he finds fascinating and promptly gives a brief glimpse of his life from college onward to the beginning of his life in New York. He lives on Long Island Sound on the west side next to Mr. Gatsby; he having a small “eyesore” as he refers to it and Gatsby having a mansion  that he compares to a Hôtel de Ville in Normandy. His cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom, live on the east side and invite him to dinner at their mansion where he meets Ms. Baker. Daisy tells him that she has a daughter and they have a revealing discussion in private. Nick says goodbye for the night and drives back to the east side where he sees Gatsby staring out at something, trembling.

Character Qualities

-Daisy Buchanan: “Sophisticated- God, I’m sophisticated. (Fitzgerald 17).”  Daisy is a very upbeat and positive person. She hides her emotions by constantly trying to maintain a sense of being good-natured and positive about everything, though she reveals her emotions and feelings to Nick private. She is trying to maintain her role of being a faithful wife and unquestioning of her husband’s actions, even going so far as to not question Tom’s affair with a New York woman. She means well and wants everything to work out well for everyone.  She is very charming and respectable and tries to envelop all of her problems, such as that of her and Tom’s relationship, with a false sense of steadiness, even though they do not love each other.

-Daisy is Nick’s second cousin once removed and lives on the east side of Long Island Sound. She does not know Nick very well, but wishes to become acquainted since he has moved to the island. When Nick is over for dinner she confides in him her true feelings and emotions; she is miserable. She does not love Tom and she is worried for her daughter, “All right, I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool. (Fitzgerald 17).” At this point in the story, she is very miserable and longing for Nick to accept her and allow her to divulge all of her emotions and desires.

Most Important Quote  

-“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had. (Fitzgerald 1).” Being the very first quote in the story, it was very deep and thought-provoking. What I find really interesting about it is the way that Nick has seemed to adopt it and has lived his life being non judgmental. I think that it holds a great significance in this story; being able to fully engage a person without having pre-conceived notions or stereotypes on one’s mind, and fully absorbing a person’s complete character without anything to influence how it will be perceived.