Chapter Two
Summary
This chapter starts out with a description of the valley of ashes and Doctor T. J. Eckleburg because this is where Tom Buchanan's mistress, Myrtle Wilson, lives with her husband. Tom brings Nick with him to meet Myrtle, and all three go up to New York together. Tom buys a dog for Myrtle when they get to New York because she sees puppies being sold on the side of the road. They proceed to Myrtle's sister's apartment where Myrtle invites some friends over. They all get drunk and talk through the afternoon hours. It is one of the two times that Nick has ever been drunk. They discuss many topics, including the topic that neither Tom nor Myrtle is happy with whom they married. Then, Myrtle mentions Daisy's name, and the issue of whether she is allowed to say her name is discussed which ends violently. Tom gets angry at Myrtle for mentioning her name, so he hits her and breaks her nose. No one says anything to him about it because they do not think it is a big deal. She gets all cleaned up and soon after, Nick leaves the apartment and goes home.
Characters
Tom Buchanan: Daisy's husband who has a mistress and goes to spend the day with her in this chapter. We are shown evidence of his brutality in this chapter when he hits Myrtle who provokes him by saying Daisy's name over and over again.

Nick Carraway: An observer in this whole chapter who reports on the events that occur. He gets drunk for the one of two times he has ever been drunk in his life.
Myrtle Wilson: Tom's mistress who hates the man she married. She wants to be with Tom, so they go up to New York together every once in a while. She is described as having a "thickish figure," in her "middle thirties," and "stout." Her face has no "gleam of beauty" either.

Catherine: Myrtle's sister who owns the apartment they went to for the gathering. She is described as "slender," about thirty years old, with red hair and a "powdered milky white" complexion.

Chester McKee: A guest at the gathering. He is a photographer described as feminine and pale.

Mrs. McKee: A guest at the gathering. She is described as "shrill, languid, handsome, and horrible." She is very proud when it comes to her husband and his photography.

George Wilson: Myrtle's husband who owns a car repair garage.

Symbols
The major symbol in this chapter is Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. Dr. T. J. Eckleburg is actually a billboard that represents God. Times were changing and God was not, people's main concern in life anymore. This is why Dr. T. J. Eckleburg is put in the valley of the ashes. The valley of the ashes is the dumping ground. It contains forgotten items. God is forgotten in the lives of the people in this time period. The facial features are also important. The blue eyes represent purity and they are watching over everything in the area.

Significant Quotations
"Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. There were bloody towels upon the bathroom floor and women's voices scolding, and high over the confusion a long broken wail of pain" (41). After Tom hits Myrtle, she is yelled at and reprimanded, not him. It shows that it was always the woman's fault in that time.
"I have been drunk just twice in my life and the second time was that afternoon, so everything that happened has a dim hazy cast over it although until after eight o'clock the apartment was full of cheerful sun" (33). This shows one of the only times that Nick has ever been drunk.

"The eyes of Dr. 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 nonexistent nose" (27). This description shows the blue and innocence of God's eyes.

Motifs
The major motif in this chapter is that Nick gets drunk. Nick gets drunk only two times in his life, and one time is in this chapter.

Setting
The first place in the chapter is George B. Wilson's garage. Tom takes Nick there so that he might meet Tom's mistress. They then go on the train to New York. Soon after, they are in the taxi, which is where Tom buys Myrtle a dog. They go to Myrtle's sister's apartment where they have the gathering, and that is where they stay the rest of the chapter.

Page last updated on May 14, 1999.
Curator: Melissa Orme