Chapter 7 of Great Gatsby

 

Time = next Saturday
Gatsby has locked himself into his house and fired all of his servants - makes you think something bad has happened.
Find out that Daisy has been coming round Gatsby's house (something fishy going on there)

Weather = hottest day ever

Nick goes round to Daisy and Tom's house

• Tom is talking to his mistress on the phone - Nick tries to pretend it isn't her but everyone knows its her. Is he ashamed because he knows and he hasn't said anything.
• Daisy and Jordon wearing white again (symbol of purity)
• Gatsby is there
• Daisy sends Tom into the other room to make a drink and kisses him, declaring that she loves him.

Daisy's daughter is brought in. Gatsby does not like this.

"What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? and the day after that, and the next thirty years" - Daisy

Daisy says "you always look so cool." - everyone knows she just admitted to loving Gatsby

They then decide to go into town.
While everyone is getting ready, Nick and Gatsby are alone to discuss Daisy’s voice, which Gatsby decides is "full of money." Nick agrees.
     - shows the extent of Gatsby's desire to be rich and how much he associates money with Daisy

Daisy and Gatsby go in the Buchanans’ car (blue) and Tom drives Gatsby’s car (yellow) with Nick and Jordan as passengers.
Tom realises two things: First, his wife is having an affair with Gatsby. Second, Jordan and Nick know about the whole thing.


They stop for gas at Wilson's gas station
Myrtle see's Tom with Gatsby's car and Jordon - she thinks Jordon is his wife, thinks Tom is driving
                                                                               the yellow car.
Wilson, who now knows about his wife’s affair but doesn’t know it’s with Tom, reveals that he needs money because he and his wife are going to move out West.

Tom realises he’s losing control – of his wife and of his mistress.

They end up at a suite in the Plaza hotel in an attempt to cool off.
Tensions increases between Gatsby and Tom. Tom accuses him of lying about his being an Oxford man.
- find out he was but only for a few months
Tom finally confronts then about the affair.
Gatsby tells Tom that "Daisy never loved you."
Tom says that she does love him, and that in fact he loves her too (very fake - does he really love her just saying it)

have an argument and Daisy admits that she did at one point love Tom but not anymore.
Gatsby then insists to Tom that Daisy is leaving him.
Tom reveals that Gatsby is a bootlegger but Gatsby gets excited and tries to deny it.


Daisy begs to go, and they head home with Daisy and Gatsby together in Gatsby’s car.

Nick realises it is his birthday – he is thirty. ( what an odd thing to remember and comment on.

 Nick narrates, "So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight." - very sinister and could be foreshadowing Myrtles death

Tom, Jordan, and Nick stop at the Wilson’s place again because their is a crowd gathered

 - obvious something bad has happened

Michaelis, Wilson’s neighbour, reveals that Myrtle came running out when she saw a yellow car. The car struck and killed her, and then sped off without stopping.

It is obvious to Nick and company that the car was Gatsby’s.

Tom converses with a policeman at the scene of the crime about how the guilty car is YELLOW, but his own car is BLUE. makes sure her gets Gatsby in trouble and at the same time save his own back

As they drive away, Tom starts to cry - sad (did he actually love Myrtle?)

When they get back to Tom's house Nick finds Gatsby waiting outside there house in a bush ( not odd at all) says he is there to make sure Tom doesn’t get violent with Daisy.

Gatsby reveals that Daisy was driving the car when it struck Myrtle – but says he will say he did it so as not to get Daisy in trouble.

Nick sneaks round to the back of the house and sees Tom and Daisy together - very intimate it is obvious the two have reconciled

leaves Gatsby "watching over nothing."