Chapter 7 1. Look up Trimalchio and decide whether that is an appropriate comparison for Gatsby. Trimalchio was the protagonist in Satyricon, by Petronius. He was a freedman who gained prestige and power through sheer tenacity and hard work. Once he attained his wealth, he enjoyed throwing lavish parties that were meant to impress his variety of guests. The comparison of Gatsby and Trimalchio is obvious. Both were newly rich, and trying to get the right attention. Fitzgerald’s early version of Gatsby was actually titled “Trimalchio in West Egg”. 2.
What has changed at Gatsby’s house? Why? Gatsby’s house becomes much quieter, and his parties come to an end because he no longer needed them to attract Daisy. 3. In chapter 1, Daisy and Jordan are lying on a couch. Find and compare the passage that this section repeats. 4. How do Gatsby and Daisy behave together? In the absence of Tom? With Tom around? While Tom is out of the room, Daisy kisses Gatsby on the lips and says she loves him. When Tom is around, Gatsby stares at Daisy with obvious passion and Daisy recklessly remarks, within earshot of Tom, that she loves Gatsby. . When is it that Tom realizes Daisy is in love with Gatsby? Why? 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. 6. How does Gatsby characterize Daisy’s voice? What does that mean? How does that make sense to Nick? Gatsby says that her voice is “full of money” (-__-). For Gatsby, Daisy represents the wealth and elegance for which he has yearned all his life.
It also shows that while Gatsby hesitates frequently, thinking before he speaks around these people because he was never really part of their world, Daisy, on the other hand, is free to do and say what she wishes, without worry, because she is so accustomed to living in this world. Nick realized that was the charm in her voice. 7. What does Tom learn about Wilson? What does Myrtle misinterpret? Tom learns that Wilson is trying to raise money to finance the move west that he has planned for him and his wife Myrtle.
Myrtle is staring down from the windows above the garage at Jordan Baker, whom she seems to have mistaken for Daisy, her rival in love. 8. What is ironic about the music below the suite? 9. Describe the behavior of Tom, Gatsby, and Daisy. What is Nick’s attitude toward them? Tom and Gatsby have an argument, with Tom accusing Gatsby of lying about being an oxford man. When Gatsby successfully answers the question, Tom then explodes and asks him about his love affair with Daisy. Daisy tries and fails to quiet Tom.
Nick remains a spectator of the scene and doesn’t say anything. 10. What is Gatsby’s insistence with Daisy? Why? How does this connect to earlier in the novel? Gatsby insists that Daisy never loved him, and not Tom, all these years. But when Daisy cannot honestly admit that never loved Tom, Gatsby declares that Daisy is leaving Tom anyway. Gatsby does this because he realized that he was losing Daisy. 11. What does Nick realize about himself? How does it make him feel? Nick realizes that he that it is his 30th birthday.
After Nick realizes it is his 30th birthday he acknowledges the fact that he has wasted too much of his time with people who do not actually care about anything other than wealth. He has spent a lot of his life on trivialities and sees that, all of a sudden, life is passing him by. His time with Nick, Jordan and the others has distracted him to the point where he loses focus of his own life and goals, thus, forgetting his own birthday. 12. Why does Myrtle Wilson die, according to Gatsby?
How does this relate to her earlier misinterpretation? Because Daisy was driving and (accidentally? ) struck Myrtle. Myrtle saw Jordan Baker in the yellow car and thought she was Tom’s wife. She recognizes the yellow car as she’s running away and tries to speak to who she thinks is Jordan but it is in fact Daisy, the actual wife of Tom, who accidentally kills her. 13. What is the status of Daisy and Tom at the end of the chapter? Tom and Daisy have reconciled and it is obvious that they are going to stay together. 14.
Compare Gatsby’s vigil at the end of the chapter with a similar moment earlier in the novel. Nick’s parting from Gatsby at the end of this chapter parallels his first sighting of Gatsby at the end of Chapter 1. In both cases, Gatsby stands alone in the moonlight pining for Daisy. In the earlier instance, he stretches his arms out toward the green light across the water, optimistic about the future. In this instance, he has made it past the green light, onto the lawn of Daisy’s house, but his dream is gone forever.