In Chapter 2, Tom takes Nick to meet his lover, Myrtle Wilson, at her husband's gas station. It is here where Tom tells Myrtle to take the train to meet him in New York City at their secret, shared apartment. On the way to the apartment, Myrtle asks for Tom to buy her a dog for their apartment. They stop by the side of the road and buy a dog from a man with a basket full of puppies. Tom haughtily says to the man , while handing him 10 dollars, "Here's your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it" (p.28). This display of wealth and dominance shows how highly Tom thinks of himself; he likes to be in control and superior to the others around him. The lovers and Nick then proceed to the apartment where, outside, Nick tries to depart from the couple but Tom insists that he visits awhile longer.
Once in the apartment, Myrtle and Tom decide to have a little get-together, so they invite Myrtle's sister, Catherine, and their downstairs neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. McKee. By the time the guests arrive, Myrtle changes into a new outfit that Nick describes as "an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-colored chiffon, which gave out a continual rustle as she swept about the room" (p.30). He also describes her apparent, new personality that accompanies the new outfit- "The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur...as she expanded the room grew smaller around her..." (p.31). Part of her attraction to her lover, Tom, comes from the wealthy lifestyle she is able to live when she's with him, since her husband does not provide this for her. Because of the new-found wealth, she takes on a new persona. This persona is probably her idea of the kind of woman that belongs with Tom.
Later on in the evening, Tom and Myrtle get into a fight about whether Myrtle has any right to mention Daisy's name. Myrtle exclaims, "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! I'll say it whenever I want to!" (p.37). This compels Tom to strike Myrtle, causing her nose to bleed. This leads one to infer that, although Tom is cheating on Daisy with Myrtle, he still has some feelings towards Daisy, even if they do only stem from his desire to be in control and superior. Tom probably likes the fact that he has two women whom he dominates, in his mind at least. I, for one, think that the whole affair is rather wrong and silly. I think Tom and Myrtle should both just end their marriages in order to pursue an actual relationship with each other. But, then again, Tom probably wouldn't like it if that were the case because then he wouldn't have two women in his possession.
Once in the apartment, Myrtle and Tom decide to have a little get-together, so they invite Myrtle's sister, Catherine, and their downstairs neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. McKee. By the time the guests arrive, Myrtle changes into a new outfit that Nick describes as "an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-colored chiffon, which gave out a continual rustle as she swept about the room" (p.30). He also describes her apparent, new personality that accompanies the new outfit- "The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur...as she expanded the room grew smaller around her..." (p.31). Part of her attraction to her lover, Tom, comes from the wealthy lifestyle she is able to live when she's with him, since her husband does not provide this for her. Because of the new-found wealth, she takes on a new persona. This persona is probably her idea of the kind of woman that belongs with Tom.
Later on in the evening, Tom and Myrtle get into a fight about whether Myrtle has any right to mention Daisy's name. Myrtle exclaims, "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! I'll say it whenever I want to!" (p.37). This compels Tom to strike Myrtle, causing her nose to bleed. This leads one to infer that, although Tom is cheating on Daisy with Myrtle, he still has some feelings towards Daisy, even if they do only stem from his desire to be in control and superior. Tom probably likes the fact that he has two women whom he dominates, in his mind at least. I, for one, think that the whole affair is rather wrong and silly. I think Tom and Myrtle should both just end their marriages in order to pursue an actual relationship with each other. But, then again, Tom probably wouldn't like it if that were the case because then he wouldn't have two women in his possession.