Chapter 7

Chapter 7
Pgs. 113-145

Summary
-In this chapter Gatsby stops throwing house parties every Saturday night because he believes that Daisy would not like them and dismisses all of his servants and hires a bunch of people that Wolfsheim knows. Nick and Gatsby take a train to Daisy’s for tea the next day and are led into a shaded room where Jordan and Daisy are sitting; Tom is talking on the phone to George Wilson in the next room and we meet Pam, Daisy’s daughter, who is being cared for by a nurse. They eat lunch later and Daisy’s and Gatsby’s eyes meet during the eating and Tom sees it and becomes a bit suspicious; he insists then that they go into town. Tom drives Gatsby’s car with Jordan and Nick and Gatsby and Daisy take Tom’s car; Tom has to stop at Wilson’s for gas and offers to sell him Gatsby’s car; Nick spots Myrtle looking out the window and believes that Jordan is Tom’s wife. The gang rents out a suite in New York and Tom lashes out at Gatsby and he lashes back; Gatsby wants Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him, but she can’t because she says that she did love him once. A yellow car coming from New York hits Myrtle after she runs out of the garage because of a fight with George and an investigation is started. Nick waits by the gate at Tom’s house for a taxi and runs into Gatsby who tells him that they were the ones who hit Myrtle; Daisy was driving. Gatsby hides in the bushes and continues to watch the house while Nick leaves.

Character Qualities
-George Wilson: “She’s been talking about it for ten years. And now she’s going whether she wants to or not. I’m going to get her away (Fitzgerald 123).” George’s most persistent and noticeable quality is his complete devotion to his wife. He cares for her immensely and will do anything to make her happy, even continuing to work when he looks deathly ill. He is so committed to his wife that he never questions her once about where she goes when she sees Tom and never even suspects that they are seeing each other. He cares for her so much that he can only mutter a few words and is barely able to stand after Myrtle is run over by Daisy when they are coming back from New York.
-Wilson has only been in this story for a few pages, but his role has been clearly established. His role is to be Myrtle’s wife and I think, represent the faithful companion to Myrtle just like Daisy is most of the time to Tom. He is meant to embody the ideal that is present in our society concerning marriage… that we should remain faithful to our loved ones and not pursue others and risk committing adultery. I think that this characterization was meant to be a reflection of society during Fitzgerald’s time period: that those kinds of ideal marriages which we believe in almost never occur. There is always something between couples that threaten their perfect unity, be it constant fighting, affairs with other people, etc.


Most Important Quote
-“She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me (Fitzgerald 130)!” I think this quote is significant because it is a very bold statement that Gatsby says to make himself seem like he’s the only one meant for Daisy. It is a serious jab at Tom that escalates the argument between the two men that I think drives Daisy over the edge. I found it interesting and impactful because I believe that Gatsby tries to assert his assertions of being the one truly meant for Daisy’s love and affection. I think it also reveals an important characteristic of Gatsby that he thinks to highly of himself in certain areas and is unwilling to accept anything that he doesn’t believe.

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