The Great Gatsby Chapter 2

Chapter 2 pgs 23-38

Summary: Tom takes Nick to his lover Myrtle Wilson’s house, where Myrtle’s husband, George Wilson, greets them. Tom, Nick, and Myrtle go to her apartment in New York. Myrtle invites her sister, Catherine, and her neighbors Mr. McKee and Mrs. McKee to have a little party where Nick gets drunk for the second time in his life. Catherine tells Nick that Tom and Myrtle can’t stand the person they got married to, but can’t get divorced because Daisy is Catholic. Nick is shocked to because Daisy is not Catholic. The chapter ends when Tom hits Myrtle for mentioning Daisy’s name and Nick falling asleep while waiting for his train to get back home.

Character: Myrtle Wilson

b)“Her face, above a spotted dress of dark blue crepe de chine, contained no facet or gleam of beauty, but there was an immediate perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smoldering. She smiled slowly and, walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye. (25)

c) From Nick’s description of Myrtle Wilson, she seems like a person who shows off her wealth and doesn’t care about her husband. Throughout this chapter, she puts emphasis on the things she owns such as her clothes by changing her dress many times, going shopping, and buying a dog. The way she acts also shows how she sees her husband as invisible when she sees Tom because she “walked right through her husband as if he were a ghost” (26). Myrtle knows what she wants and doesn’t act like she really cares for her husband when Tom is there.  

d) Myrtle is Tom’s mistress and is married to George Wilson. She seems to be the opposite of Daisy as Tom appears to have more power in the relationship and Daisy acts like a fool to get what she wants. In the story, Myrtle represents a woman who has more power in a relationship. She says, "I married him because I thought he was a gentleman, I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoes" (34). This illustrates that Myrtle chooses what she wants in her relationship and looks down on her husband, George. It illustrates how George is not good enough for her as opposed to the other way around.

Quote: “Yet high over the city our line of yellow windows must have contributed their share of human secrecy to the casual watcher in the darkening streets, and I was him too, looking up and wondering. I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life” (35)

This quote stood out to me because it illustrates Nick’s opinion on having two views of society. Nick says that he is in the secrecy of the high buildings where the rich people are, but also feels like the outsider watching and wondering from below on the dark streets. Nick can see it from both ways and is “enchanted and repelled by the variety of life.” I liked this quote because I see the different views from society. A person, like Nick, can be rich and feel like wealthy people, but also feel like an outsider because he doesn’t act like the others.  

The Great Gatsby Chapter 1

Chapter 1 pgs 1-21

Summary: In chapter one the narrator is Nick Carraway who graduated from New Haven, participated in the Great War, and now lives at West Egg next to Gatsby’s mansion. Nick then goes to East Egg, the rich part of town, to have dinner with his cousin Daisy, her husband Tom Buchanan, and their friend Ms. Baker. At dinner they talk about many thing such as Tom’s racist views on the book "The Rise of the Colored Empires," and Nick found out that Tom has a lover in New York. When Nick returns home, he sees Gatsby in the dark, looking toward the ocean.

Character: Tom Buchanan

“Now he was a sturdy straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and game him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.” (7)

We see that Tom Buchanan may not be the most likable man because he is arrogant, rich, racist, and not faithful to his wife. Even though he has become successful playing football, Nick’s first description of him portrays Tom as arrogant and supercilious. He is really wealthy and lives at East egg in his elaborate house. During dinner Tom expresses his racist beliefs by bringing up a book, “The Rise of the Colored Empires" and talking about how "It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things" (13). Nick also finds out that Tom has been cheating on his wife when Miss Baker tells him, “Tom’s got some woman in New York” (15). Tom has many flaws and bad qualities that make him seem like the opposite of Nick.

In the novel, Tom is very rich and is married to Nick’s cousin Daisy. I think that Tom’s role in the novel will be representing the rich of society that is corrupt and to full of themselves. He is rich yet racist, unfaithful, and very arrogant. I think he represents the worst of society and the corruption of people.

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” (1).

This quote from Nick’s father is important to the chapter and stood out to me because it made me realize all the advantages I have, yet I sometimes criticize people. When I criticize people, I sometimes don’t realize that I have had so many advantages such as my family, my friends, school, and all the opportunities I have been given. This quote made me realize not to be so quick in judgment because others may not have had the luxuries and opportunities I have.