The Great The Great GatsbyGatsby

Chapter 2Chapter 2

The Valley of AshesThe Valley of Ashes

• A desolate area of land between A desolate area of land between West Egg and New York City West Egg and New York City

• In this industrial wasteland, through In this industrial wasteland, through which the commuter train must pass, which the commuter train must pass, everything is covered with dust, everything is covered with dust, smoke, and ashes. smoke, and ashes.

Dr. T.J. EckelbergDr. T.J. Eckelberg

• The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic - their irises are blue and gigantic - their irises are one yard high. one yard high.

• They look out of no face, but, They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. nonexistent nose.

George WilsonGeorge Wilson• Nick followed Tom over a low whitewashed Nick followed Tom over a low whitewashed

railroad fence, and back a hundred yards along railroad fence, and back a hundred yards along the road under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent the road under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent stare. stare.

• The only building in sight was a small block of The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land

• One of the three shops it contained was…One of the three shops it contained was…• Repairs. Repairs. GEORGE B. WILSON.GEORGE B. WILSON. Cars bought and sold. Cars bought and sold.

• A blond, spiritless man, A blond, spiritless man, anemic, and faintly anemic, and faintly handsome.handsome.

Myrtle WilsonMyrtle Wilson•A thickish woman, in the middle A thickish woman, in the middle

thirties, and faintly stout, but thirties, and faintly stout, but carried her surplus flesh carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can. sensuously as some women can.

•sensuous, with an sensuous, with an air of vitality air of vitality

Catherine Catherine • Myrtle’s sisterMyrtle’s sister

• A slender, worldly girl of about thirty, A slender, worldly girl of about thirty, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, and a complexion powdered milky and a complexion powdered milky white. white.

• When she moved about there was an When she moved about there was an incessant clicking as innumerable incessant clicking as innumerable pottery bracelets jingled up and pottery bracelets jingled up and down upon her arms. down upon her arms.

The McKeesThe McKees• Neighbors from downstairs Neighbors from downstairs

• Mr. McKee was a pale, feminine man Mr. McKee was a pale, feminine man

• He was a photographer He was a photographer

• She was shrill, languid, handsome She was shrill, languid, handsome and horrible. and horrible.

• She loudly complained to everyone She loudly complained to everyone present about her husband George present about her husband George

Whiskey & GossipWhiskey & Gossip• ““They say Gatsby’s a nephew or a They say Gatsby’s a nephew or a

cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's where all his money comes from.”where all his money comes from.”

• ““Neither of them can stand the Neither of them can stand the person they're married to.” person they're married to.”

Kaiser Wilhelm: the last German Kaiser Wilhelm: the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling both the German ruling both the German Empire and Prussia from June Empire and Prussia from June 1888 to November 1918.1888 to November 1918.

More Whiskey & More Whiskey & GossipGossip• Catherine leaned close to me and Catherine leaned close to me and whispered in my ear: "Neither of whispered in my ear: "Neither of them can stand the person they're them can stand the person they're married to." married to."

• "When they do get married," "When they do get married," continued Catherine, "they're going continued Catherine, "they're going West to live for a while until it blows West to live for a while until it blows over." over."

• "She really ought to get away from "She really ought to get away from him," resumed Catherine to me. him," resumed Catherine to me. "They've been living over that garage "They've been living over that garage for eleven years. And tom's the first for eleven years. And tom's the first sweetie she ever had." sweetie she ever had."

The Party’s OverThe Party’s Over• Nick describes himself at the party as being Nick describes himself at the party as being

"within and without, simultaneously enchanted "within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life."

• The spell of the party, however, is broken around The spell of the party, however, is broken around midnight when Tom and Myrtle argue loudly over midnight when Tom and Myrtle argue loudly over her talking about Daisy. her talking about Daisy.

• Tom insists that she not even mention his wife's Tom insists that she not even mention his wife's name. name.

• When Myrtle taunts him by shouting, "Daisy! When Myrtle taunts him by shouting, "Daisy! Daisy!...I'll say it whenever I want to," Tom Daisy!...I'll say it whenever I want to," Tom answers by striking her face and breaking her answers by striking her face and breaking her nose. nose.

• Nick's sense of moral order is repulsed by the Nick's sense of moral order is repulsed by the violence, and he leaves in an alcoholic stupor, violence, and he leaves in an alcoholic stupor, finally catching the 4:00 a.m. train back to West finally catching the 4:00 a.m. train back to West Egg. Egg.