- Nick meets Myrtle
- The hedonistic lifestyle is seen at a party
Tom is presented as an unlikeable character. This is shown through is eagerness towards Myrtle and reserved attitude towards Daisy. He demands Myrtle to "get on the next train" showing his desire to be around her. This contrasts his actions towards Daisy in Chapter One where he does not appear to want to be associated with her. The command also proposes the idea the Tom is having an affair with Myrtle due to the power he has over her. She obeys him without hesitation, allowing Tom to feel powerful. Fitzgerald also uses the class system to display Tom's dominance in the affair. Myrtle is working class and therefore of a lower status of Tom who is upper class. The power within these social statuses are reflected within the relationship. Also in this chapter, Tom breaks Myrtle's nose which further demonstrates Tom's power. This is because Myrtle does not retaliate unlike Daisy who would, suggesting Tom feels the relationship between him and Myrtle is successful because he feels dominant.
Fitzgerald portrays the relationship between Tom and Myrtle as materialistic as opposed to an emotional one. Tom is seen buying Myrtle gifts such as a "puppy", suggesting that he has to by her love.
The metaphor of the picture can symbolise many things. The hen represents Daisy, and the lady Myrtle. The lady is referred to as "stout" and "old". These adjectives to not create and attractive picture like Daisy, showing that Myrtle does not focus on her appearance and is not deemed as 'attractive'. It also shows that second glances can be different, implying that if the reader saw the story through the eyes of someone other than Nick, that we may view the events differently and have different opinions of the characters. It also proposes the idea that we need to look closer at people as they may not be who we think they are.
Fitzgerald presents Myrtle as the opposite to Daisy. At the party, Myrtle says "I don't care what I look like". In contrast, Daisy appears to be concerned about her looks and the opinions of others. Myrtle is not described as beautiful, but demanding and decisive-traits Daisy does not have.
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