The Great Gatsby Chapter 2

The Valley of Ashes A desolate area of land between West Egg and New York City A desolate area of land between West Egg and New York City In this industrial wasteland, through which the commuter train must pass, everything is covered with dust, smoke, and ashes. In this industrial wasteland, through which the commuter train must pass, everything is covered with dust, smoke, and ashes. It symbolises moral decay and destitution It symbolises moral decay and destitution

Dr. T.J. Eckelberg The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic - their irises are one yard high. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic - their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. Blue and gigantic They look out of no face His eyes…brood on over the solemn dumping ground The ideas of vision and seeing are vital to the novel The ideas of vision and seeing are vital to the novel Advertisements like this were a new thing. Advertisements like this were a new thing.

The Wilsons They live in the valley They live in the valley They are noticeably of a lower class They are noticeably of a lower class They live in “a small block of yellow brick” They live in “a small block of yellow brick” The garage is “unprosperous and bare” The garage is “unprosperous and bare”

George Wilson Nick followed Tom over a low whitewashed railroad fence, and back a hundred yards along the road under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent stare. Nick followed Tom over a low whitewashed railroad fence, and back a hundred yards along the road under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent stare. The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land One of the three shops it contained was… One of the three shops it contained was… Repairs. Repairs. GEORGE B. WILSON. GEORGE B. WILSON. Cars bought and sold. Cars bought and sold. A blond, spiritless man, A blond, spiritless man, anemic, and faintly anemic, and faintly handsome. handsome. “walking through her husband as if “walking through her husband as if he were a ghost” A white ashen dust veiled his dark A white ashen dust veiled his dark suit suit Tom says: “He’s so dumb he doesn’t Tom says: “He’s so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive”

Myrtle Wilson She is in total contrast to her husband She is in total contrast to her husband An immediately perceptible vitality An immediately perceptible vitality She buys things- ‘Town Tattle’, a magazine, perfume, a puppy She buys things- ‘Town Tattle’, a magazine, perfume, a puppy Tom’s relationship with her is Tom’s relationship with her is physical and material. physical and material. A thickish woman, in the A thickish woman, in the middle thirties, and faintly stout, but carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can. sensuous, with an air of sensuous, with an air ofvitality

Catherine Myrtle’s sister Myrtle’s sister A slender, worldly girl of about thirty, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, and a complexion powdered milky white. A slender, worldly girl of about thirty, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, and a complexion powdered milky white. When she moved about there was an incessant clicking as innumerable pottery bracelets jingled up and down upon her arms. When she moved about there was an incessant clicking as innumerable pottery bracelets jingled up and down upon her arms.

The McKees Neighbors from downstairs Neighbors from downstairs Mr. McKee was a pale, feminine man Mr. McKee was a pale, feminine man He was a photographer He was a photographer She was shrill, languid, handsome and horrible. She was shrill, languid, handsome and horrible. She loudly complained to everyone present about her husband George She loudly complained to everyone present about her husband George

Party in New York There is a lot of gossip, some of it blatantly untrue: There is a lot of gossip, some of it blatantly untrue: Daisy was not a Catholic There is again a suggestion that there is a class system at work: “that man’s way below you!” (page 40) There is again a suggestion that there is a class system at work: “that man’s way below you!” (page 40) The mood is broken by the sentence: The mood is broken by the sentence: Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his hand. (page 43)

Whiskey & Gossip “They say Gatsby’s a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's where all his money comes from.” “They say Gatsby’s a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's where all his money comes from.” “Neither of them can stand the person they're married to.” “Neither of them can stand the person they're married to.”  Kaiser Wilhelm: the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling both the German Empire and Prussia from June 1888 to November 1918.

More Whiskey & Gossip Catherine leaned close to me and whispered in my ear: "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." Catherine leaned close to me and whispered in my ear: "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." "When they do get married," continued Catherine, "they're going West to live for a while until it blows over." "When they do get married," continued Catherine, "they're going West to live for a while until it blows over." "She really ought to get away from him," resumed Catherine to me. "They've been living over that garage for eleven years. And tom's the first sweetie she ever had." "She really ought to get away from him," resumed Catherine to me. "They've been living over that garage for eleven years. And tom's the first sweetie she ever had."

The Party’s Over Nick describes himself at the party as being "within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." Nick describes himself at the party as being "within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." The spell of the party, however, is broken around midnight when Tom and Myrtle argue loudly over her talking about Daisy. The spell of the party, however, is broken around midnight when Tom and Myrtle argue loudly over her talking about Daisy. Tom insists that she not even mention his wife's name. Tom insists that she not even mention his wife's name. When Myrtle taunts him by shouting, "Daisy! Daisy!...I'll say it whenever I want to," Tom answers by striking her face and breaking her nose. When Myrtle taunts him by shouting, "Daisy! Daisy!...I'll say it whenever I want to," Tom answers by striking her face and breaking her nose. Nick's sense of moral order is repulsed by the violence, and he leaves in an alcoholic stupor, finally catching the 4:00 a.m. train back to West Egg. Nick's sense of moral order is repulsed by the violence, and he leaves in an alcoholic stupor, finally catching the 4:00 a.m. train back to West Egg.