The Great Gatsby: Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis | Literature Guide on IvyPanda | Literature guide in IvyPanda® (2023)

FAQs

What is the summary of The Great Gatsby chapter 2? ›

One afternoon, Nick finds himself on the train to New York with his cousin Daisy's husband, Tom Buchanan. Tom, who has been drinking, insists on bringing Nick along to meet Tom's mistress, Myrtle Wilson.

Tom taunts Wilson and then orders Myrtle to follow him to the train. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to New York City, to the Morningside Heights apartment he keeps for his affair. Here they have an impromptu party with Myrtle's sister, Catherine, and a couple named McKee.

The Great Gatsby: Summary (Chapter 2) Soon Nick learns that Tom Buchanan is cheating on his wife, Daisy, with Myrtle Wilson. She is a vulgar woman that represents a lower social class and lives in the Valley of Ashes. Tom takes Nick on a trip to New York City.

Chapter two urges readers to question if wealth and happiness are synonymous: the Buchanans might be prestigious, but they are obviously unhappy. Finally, chapter two greater exemplifies Nick's narration. Nick is extremely observant, and he seems to be struggling with how to judge these people and their actions.

The chapter ends with Nick seeing Mr. McKee home and then heading home himself.

In Book 2, Chapter 2 of A Tale of Two Cities, titled 'A Sight Summary,' Jerry and Jarvis Lorry go to court to take in a treason trial. It turns out two of the witnesses are Lucie and Dr. Manette, who we remember from Book 1. And the man on trial is someone who will become important later on: Charles Darnay.

What rumors have been spread about Jay Gatsby? He's a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's where his money is coming from.

Food: “Celebrated sandwiches which were a complete supper in themselves” were served at Myrtle's party at the New York Apartment (chapter 2). Spiced Baked Hams: Served at Gatsby's party (chapter 3).

She is beautiful and charming, but also fickle, shallow, bored, and sardonic. Nick characterizes her as a careless person who smashes things up and then retreats behind her money.

What we learned about Nick in this chapter is he that does whatever he is told to do. He does not really think for himself whenever it comes to making decisions. Nick is different from the people he spends his time with because he does not go to a lot of parties.

What are the Eyes of chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby? ›

The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose.

How does the narrator describe Gatsby? The narrator describes Gatsby as having something gorgeous about him. He also says that Gatsby is optimistic about life, has an extraordinary gift for hope, and is romantic in a way that no one else is.

McKee did not sleep together or even if Fitzgerald did not mean to imply as much, the fact that Mr. McKee and Nick are together in their underwear is not typical for two heterosexual men in the 1920s.

Nick tries to leave Tom and Myrtle, but they insist he come up to their apartment very far uptown. The apartment is small, gaudily decorated, and uncomfortable. Tom brings out a bottle of whiskey. For the second time in his life (or so he claims), Nick gets drunk, so his memory of what happens next is somewhat hazy.

Tom acts like a jerk towards the husband (who is doing some sort of car work for him) and then sends the wife (Myrtle) a not-so-covert message to come with him to the city. George (Myrtle's husband) is blissfully ignorant. He thinks Myrtle just goes to the city to visit her sister.

What takes places in the narrative gaps is a sexual encounter between Nick and Mr. McKee. Nick tells us in the scene that closes chapter two that he “was standing beside [Mr. McKee's] bed and [Mr.

Nick's confliction of being both “within and without” demonstrates how whilst he is immersed in the lifestyle of the 'new era', he cannot connect or relate to it; a result of both his 'old money' status and his establishment as an outsider.

Tom hits Myrtle because she refused to obey him, but also in defense of Daisy; he feels strongly about both women. Tom's outburst therefore shows that he has difficulty handling complex emotions.

The messages exchanged between him and Jerry are a puzzle to all that hear them, especially Mr. Lorry's response: "Recalled to life."This theme of mystery and secrecy will recur repeatedly and will play a central role in the unfolding of the plot.

In Book 2, Chapter 3 of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Darnay stands trial for treason, accused of passing messages to the French, who are supporting the American colonists in the American Revolution. Lorry, Lucie, and other witnesses give evidence that Darnay was traveling between England and France five years earlier.

Who are the main characters in chapter 2 of a tale of two cities? ›

The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes. They may represent God staring down upon and judging American society as a moral wasteland, though the novel never makes this point explicitly.

This is a valley of ashes — a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.

Pages 28-29:​ ​Tom and Nick go to Wilson's garage ○ Tom takes Nick to a run-down looking garage, and they meet its owner, ​George Wilson​, who is described as “a blonde, spiritless man, anaemic, and faintly handsome.” ■ There is some tension between them when George asks Tom when he is going to sell him his car Page 2 ...

As the party progresses, Nick becomes increasingly fascinated with Gatsby. He notices that Gatsby does not drink and that he keeps himself separate from the party, standing alone on the marble steps, watching his guests in silence.

Gatsby provides free alcohol to all those who attend his lavish parties: from cocktails to whiskey, in a fully stocked bar.

They moved with a fast crowd, all of them young and rich and wild, but [Daisy] came out with an absolutely perfect reputation. Perhaps because she doesn't drink. It's a great advantage not to drink among hard-drinking people.

Even though she was still in love with Gatsby, Daisy most likely married Tom because she knew he could provide her with more material comforts.

He's seen her in magazines and has heard an unpleasant story about her. After Jordan goes to bed, Daisy matter-of-factly tells Nick to start a romantic relationship with Jordan. Tom, meanwhile, tells Nick not to believe anything Daisy told him when she took him aside.

In that novel, Nick loves Gatsby, the erstwhile James Gatz of North Dakota, for his capacity to dream Jay Gatsby into being and for his willingness to risk it all for the love of a beautiful woman. In a queer reading of Gatsby, Nick doesn't just love Gatsby, he's in love with him.

What does Nick seem to be struggling with in chapter 2? ›

He is set off as being more practical and down-to-earth than other characters. This essence is again brought to life in Chapter 2 when he doesn't quite know how to respond to being introduced into Tom and Myrtle's secret world (notice, however, that he doesn't feel the need to tell anyone about his adventures).

Nick is the narrator, but he is not omniscient (he can't see everything), and he's also very human and flawed. In other words, he's an unreliable narrator, sometimes because he's not present for a certain event, other times because he presents the story out of order, and finally because he sometimes obscures the truth.

He has failed to tell the truth in many scenes. He has trouble in organizing his financial responsibility, organizing his life to reach his goals, and he is more focused on others than himself and have hesitation in saying no to people.

In conclusion, the eyes reveal all, as Fitzgerald proves in his novel. The symbolism of eyes is prevalent throughout; they show the presence of God in a religion-less society and how the characters cannot hide their true selves under a facade.

Symbols: The Valley of Ashes– the valley of ashes represents the moral decay that cannot be seen in New York or the Eggs because of the façade of wealth. The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg – These eyes symbolize the eyes of God looking down on these people for the immorality in their society.

Nick claims that he got drunk for only the second time in his life at this party. The ostentatious behavior and conversation of the others at the party repulse Nick, and he tries to leave. At the same time, he finds himself fascinated by the lurid spectacle of the group.

We call these narrators, or any narrator whose words can largely not be trusted, “unreliable narrators.” Nick Carraway is not a classically unreliable narrator, because Fitzgerald gives no indications that Nick is lying to the reader or that his version of events directly contradicts anyone else's.

Tom hitting Myrtle in Chapter 2 is an example of indirect characterization. It shows Tom's violent personality and his feelings for Daisy without the narrator directly telling us about it. Tom Buchanan tries to keep Daisy and Gatsby apart, breaks up George and Myrtle Wilson's marriage.

This inner conflict is symbolized throughout the book by Nick's romantic affair with Jordan Baker.

Does Nick Carraway marry Jordan Baker? ›

Nick and Jordan's relationship is unique in the novel—they're not having an affair, unlike Tom/Myrtle and Daisy/Gatsby, and they're not married, unlike Myrtle/George and Daisy/Tom.

Nick is struck by the bitter injustice of Gatsby's solitary death. Despite all the people who found their way to Gatsby's parties, not one, with the exception of a man known only as "Owl Eyes," bothered to make an appearance at his funeral (and he only made it to the gate after the services ended).

Nick took care of Gatsby's funeral because he was his only close friend and the only person who really cared about him. Nobody else showed any interest in Gatsby after his death.

7) What does Tom's behavior reveal about his character? Tom's behavior reveals that he is a racist, abusive, and arrogant person; he thinks that he can take advantage of and bully others because of his wealth and intimidating size. well, it's a fine book, and everybody ought to read it.

In this chapter, Tom reveals his basic knowledge of human psychology; that is, that a person most desires what cannot be easily attained. Tom is also a fine actor, and he cleverly uses this ability in handling his friends.

Myrtle believes that the only reason Tom will not divorce Daisy is because Daisy is Catholic. But we learn that Tom's feelings for Myrtle are far less intense than he has led her to believe and that social pressure prevents him from ever leaving Daisy, who comes from a similar upper-class background.

In chapter 2, Nick reveals the Valley of Ashes, a gray valley where New York's ashes are dumped. The train that runs between West Egg and New York passes through the valley.

Scott Fitzgerald's novel,The Great Gatsby, follows Jay Gatsby, a man who orders his life around one desire: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. Gatsby's quest leads him from poverty to wealth, into the arms of his beloved, and eventually to death.

Chapter 3 is devoted to the introduction of Gatsby and the lavish, showy world he inhabits. Fitzgerald gives Gatsby a suitably grand entrance as the aloof host of a spectacularly decadent party.

“I married [George] because I thought he was a gentleman,” she said finally. “I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe.” Once Myrtle, Tom, and Nick are away in the city in Chapter 2, Myrtle feels able to speak freely about her disastrous marriage to George Wilson.

What might the eyes of doctor tj eckleburg represent in chapter 2? ›

The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes. They may represent God staring down upon and judging American society as a moral wasteland, though the novel never makes this point explicitly.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, presents a critical portrait of the American dream through its portrayal of the 1920s New York elite. By exploring themes of wealth, class, love and idealism, The Great Gatsby raises powerful questions about American ideas and society.

Lesson Summary

The moral of The Great Gatsby is that the American Dream is ultimately unattainable. Jay Gatsby had attained great wealth and status as a socialite; however, Gatsby's dream was to have a future with his one true love, Daisy.

The theme of The Great Gatsby is that past cannot be repeated and everybody has to move forward in life. The author of the book F. Scott Fitzgerald was a popular writer in the 1920s and by using plot, style, figurative language, character, and setting he is able to develop the theme.

In that novel, Nick loves Gatsby, the erstwhile James Gatz of North Dakota, for his capacity to dream Jay Gatsby into being and for his willingness to risk it all for the love of a beautiful woman. In a queer reading of Gatsby, Nick doesn't just love Gatsby, he's in love with him.

○ Nick finds ​Gatsby​enchanting, and describes his smile as “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.

“Old sport” in Gatsby is thus peculiar to Jay Gatsby. The person to whom Gatsby uses it most often (34 times out of 42) is Nick Carraway. Gatsby uses “old sport” as “a familiar term of address” in, for example, Chapter 3.