Unfortunately, for three of the four, the revelations are complementary. The turbulence of Chapter 7 gives clear indications of what Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, and even Nick are about. All of the paths, once loosely related at best, now converge - forcefully and fatally. The chapter ends with Gatsby, the paragon of chivalry and lost dreams, remaining on vigil outside Daisy's house, in case she needs assistance dealing with Tom, while Nick heads back to West Egg.Įverything The Great Gatsby has been building toward intersects in this very important chapter. Gatsby, however, in true chivalric fashion, says he'll take the blame. After asking a few questions, Nick learns Daisy, not Gatsby, was driving at the time. Outside the Buchanans', Nick bumps into Gatsby who asks if there was trouble on the road. Nick, seeing clearly the moral and spiritual corruption of Tom, Daisy, and the whole society they represent, declines. Returning to East Egg, Tom invites Nick inside to wait for a cab to take him home.
Tom, visibly upset by the day's events, can only whimper of his anger toward the man he already hates. Tom learns the car that struck Myrtle matches Gatsby's in description. He is grief-stricken to find Myrtle's lifeless body lying on a worktable. Excited by the thought of something going on, Tom pulls over to investigate. Nick, Tom, and Jordan arrive on the scene shortly. As she enters the highway Myrtle is struck by a passing car that fails to stop, continuing its route out of the city. He returns a few hours later, hears Myrtle's voice, and then sees her break away from her husband and rush into the road. Michaelis, astonished, heads back to his restaurant. Wilson explains he has Myrtle locked inside and she will remain so until they leave in two days' time. The narration now skips to George Wilson who has been found ill by his neighbor, Michaelis. Tom, Jordan, and Nick follow in Tom's car. Tom orders Daisy and Gatsby to head home (in Gatsby's own car this time). He declares: "Daisy's leaving you." Tom assures him Daisy will never leave him for a bootlegger. Gatsby, somewhat shaken by the scene unfolding before him - the collapse of his carefully constructed dream - tries another tactic. Daisy, however, cannot honestly admit she never loved Tom. She loves me." Tom, in disbelief, turns to Daisy for confirmation.
Gatsby, refusing to be intimidated, tells Tom "Your wife doesn't love you. He confronts Gatsby about his love for Daisy.
Tom, doubly enraged at the potential loss of his mistress and his wife, malevolently questions Gatsby after the group assembles at the Plaza Hotel. Wilson abruptly announces he and Myrtle will be headed West shortly because he has just learned of her secret life, although the identity of Myrtle's lover is yet unknown to him. Noticing the car is low on gas, Tom pulls into Wilson's station where he finds Wilson visibly unwell. Tom, it turns out, has been suspicious of Gatsby all along and has had him investigated. He retrieves a bottle of whiskey and the group starts out - Tom, Jordan, and Nick driving Gatsby's car, and Gatsby and Daisy in Tom's. Later, after Daisy suggests they go to town, Tom witnesses a soft glance that passes between Daisy and Gatsby and can no longer deny the two of them are having an affair.Įnraged by what he has just learned, Tom agrees they should go to the city. While all five are at the Buchanans' house, Tom leaves the room to speak with his mistress on the phone and Daisy boldly kisses Gatsby, declaring her love for him. The day, it turns out, is unbearably hot, making all the participants in the luncheon - Daisy, Gatsby, Nick, Jordan, and Tom - even more uncomfortable than expected. When Gatsby comes, at Daisy's request, to invite him to lunch at her house the next day, Nick learns that Gatsby replaced the servants with "some people Wolfshiem wanted to do something for" - he feared they would leak information about he and Daisy. As the curiosity surrounding Gatsby peaks, the routine Saturday parties abruptly cease.
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