The Great Gatsby

1. The Great Gatsby Chapter Two Notes

2. The Valley of Ashes • The modern world – hell created by modern industry • Dr. T. J. Eckleburg – gigantic blue eyes • Represents ?

3. George Wilson • Light blue eyes (Dr. T. J. has blue eyes, too. What is the parallel and/or contrast?) • He is described as being covered with ashes • Tom says, “He’s [George’s] so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive.” • George seems to be a victim of the modern age • Is he also an entrepreneur?

4. Myrtle Wilson • List of things she buys: Town Tattle, perfume, dog collar, and wreath for mother’s grave • All items seem to have equal value to her (doesn’t know what to value?) • Buys a dog from an old man who resembles John D. Rockefeller – everyone is an entrepreneur! • American Dream for everyone • Apartment – Town Tattle and Simon Called Peter* * Simon Called Peter was a popular novel by Robert Keable. It was regarded as immoral by Fitzgerald. The novel’s protagonist is an army chaplain who becomes involved in passionate episodes. Town Tattle and the other assorted magazines would be equivalent to today’s The Enquirer, Us, People, Star and so on, but instead of celebrity gossip, they would have mainly focused on gossip about high society (celebrities as we know them did not exist since there was no TV and very little radio).

5. Myrtle Wilson, continued • Myrtle refers to people who provide a service as “these people.” She acts as if they are servants. Irony is that she herself is one of “these people.” She is trying to climb the social ladder by being with Tom. She is looking down on “these people” as if they are her inferiors. • Her one thought is to escape her class - Clothes – changes several times - upset when she finds out George’s suit is borrowed - Falls in love when she sees Tom’s suit and shoes

6. More Myrtle and the party • Says, “You can’t live forever” implying that she must enjoy life now; irony is that her choice for living in the moment connects her to Tom’s brutality – foreshadowing? • The second party – 1st was with “upper class” at the Buchanans’s • 2nd party is with the “lower class” – Myrtle and guests • Tom breaks her nose when she says “Daisy” • Hypocrisy – breaks Myrtle’s nose to save Daisy’s honor, but if he cared for her honor, he wouldn’t be having an affair

7. End of chapter Two • Nick – both in and out of the action – interesting perspective • “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” Describes both his drunken state and his ambivalence about wanting to be one of the rich but seeing the danger and immorality • Party – everyone gets drunker and drunker, everything blurred and smoky – unclear • Blurring of perception – symbolic of moral disorder of participants • Human behavior is the equivalent of desolate ash heap