Sean O'Donnell--Chapter 2 Pages 23-38

Sean O'Donnell--Chapter 2 Pages 23-38


Tom and Nick were traveling between New York and East egg, when Tom decides to take Nick to meet his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. They get off the train in the ashheaps, where Dr. T. J. Eckleburg's endless stare meets them. After meeting Myrtle and her husband, Tom, Nick and (secretly) Myrtle travel to an apartment in the city. Myrtle buys a puppy along the way and when they arrive at the house, she organizes a party. After a night full of drinking and conversation with the McKees and Catherine (Myrtle's sister), Tom slaps Myrtle. Myrtle's broken nose, resulting from the slap, gives Nick and Mr. McKee the opportunity to slip out of the party, which they do.


Myrtle Wilson


"Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment, and as she expanded the room grew smaller around her, until she seemed to be revolving on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air" (Fitzgerald 27).


Myrtle Wilson is a woman of strong stature and strong will.  Myrtle, just like Daisy, is caught up with maintaining her image.  She finds herself unhappy with her marriage, yet refuses to do anything about it.  She, much like Tom, has low morals because she feels it is okay to cheat on her husband.  Like Tom, she is an attention seeker.  Fitzgerald describes her as a woman of vitality and strong will.


Myrtle Wilson is Tom's mistress.  Although she too is married, she loves Tom and regrets marrying Mr. Wilson.  Fitzgerald portrays her as a strong willed woman who gets what she wants.  She represents the 'new woman' of the time period.  She holds a great deal of power in the relationships she is in.  She shares Tom's attribute of the need to be the center of attention.  Myrtle despises marrying Mr. Wilson, and finds Tom (and his wealth) attractive.  She does not think that her husband is worthy of her, and deeply regrets marrying him.  


"The fact that he had one was insisted upon wherever he was known.  His acquaintances resented the fact that he turned up in popular restaurants with her and, leaving her at a table, sauntered about, chatting with whomsoever he knew" (Fitzgerald 24).  This illustrates Tom's arrogance and lack of respect for women.  He takes his mistress on dates to places where he is known.  After disrespecting his wife by doing this, Tom leaves Myrtle alone at the table to talk with the other guests he knew.  Tom thinks the world revolves around him.  He shows no respect for anyone else, especially the women in his life.  This stood out to me because it is an extremely disrespectful thing to do.  Tom's lacks a strong moral character, which he shows again later by taking his mistress with him and his guest, Nick to have a party in an apartment in the city.  He is unashamed about cheating on his wife, which he shows throughout the party.