The Great Gatsby: Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 - ORIENTATIONAL

What happens?

- Nick is invited to Daisy and Toms party.
- Daisy gets punched by Tom
- The audience realise what type of person is, he makes a racist remark and also shows that he beats women.
- Nick drives through the Valley of Ashes with Tom for the first time, Nick talks about how he see's a advertisement board with the giant eyes of T.J Eckleburg.

- Nick meets Myrtle, the person Tom is having a secret love affair with. He also meets Myrtle's wife George Wilson.

- First rumour about Gatsby from the McKee's who live downstairs to Myrtle and George Wilson, they said that Jay Gatsby is the nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm, the ruler of Germany during World War I.

How the chapter is told:

- There is use of symbolism to help with the historical context of the novel. The eyes of TJ eckleburg represent god looking down on the valley of ashes and judging the moral decay of the 1920's, It could also symbolise the reader judging Tom in this case as he is having an affair and lives a criminal lifestyle.

- Purpose of the chapter is for the reader to understand what type of person Tom is, he is a racist and a women beater, Fritzlgald shows this through the actions of Tom punching Daisy and also through the dialouge when Nick is describing a book he likes, Tom interrupts and talks about a book related to white supremicy.

- During Daisy's party, Nick becomes more drunk and starts to express more opinions and emotions, this could show how unreliable Nick is as a narrator.