The Great Gatsby - Chap 2

Question 1

Who are the main characters of this chapter?

Answer 1

Nick Carraway
Tom Buchanan
George Wilson
Myrtle Wilson
Mr & Mrs Mckee
Myrtle’s sister, Catherine

Question 2

What are the key themes for this chapter?

Answer 2

Old Money Vs New Money Vs No Money (Class)
Roaring Twenties

Question 3

How did Nick describe the Valley of Ashes?

Answer 3

“A desolate area of land” (bleak)
The entire place is a deadland, endless negativity

Question 4

How are the men of the Valley of Ashes described? And what does this suggest?

Answer 4

“Ash grey men who move dimly and already crumbling”
This suggest the men are walking dead people, no use in life

Question 5

Whose eyes are seen on a billboard? And how are they described?

Answer 5

Doctor T.J Eckleburg
“blue and gigantic” with “a pair of enormous yellow spectacles”

Question 6

What does Nick claim the eyes do?

Answer 6

“Brood on over the solemn dumping ground”

Question 7

Who was Nick meeting in the Valley of Ashes?

Answer 7

Tom Buchanan’s mistress

Question 8

What did Nick say about his desire for meeting Tom’s mistress?

Answer 8

He “was curious to see her” though he “had no desire to meet her”

Question 9

Whose shop did Nick meet Tom’s mistress at?

Answer 9

George B. Wilson’s garage repairs shop

Question 10

How did Nick describe George Wilson? And what does this suggest about him?

Answer 10

As “A blonde, spiritless man, anaemic, and faintly handsome”
That he is a man of no hope, nothing special about him

Question 11

What business did George believe he had with Tom?

Answer 11

That Tom is selling him a car, and that he is feeling a tad impatient

Question 12

How did Nick describe Tom’s mistress, Myrtle?

Answer 12

That her face “contained no facet or gleam of beauty”
She is not that impressive, nothing special just like her husband

Question 13

How did Nick describe the way Myrtle walked through her husband?

Answer 13

“as if he were a ghost”
As if he were invisible, nothing of importance

Question 14

What does Wilson (George) believe Myrtle is doing when she goes to see Tom?

Answer 14

“He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York.”

Question 15

What did Myrtle make Tom buy for her? And why?

Answer 15

A dog as “they’re nice to have”
She is attempting to appear upper class

Question 16

How does Tom give Myrtle the money to buy a dog? What does tis say about him?

Answer 16

Almost in a rush, “Here’s your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it”
He has money to give away without it bothering him

Question 17

Where does Nick go with Tom and Myrtle?

Answer 17

Their apartment in the city

Question 18

Who does Myrtle say she’s going to call up to the apartment?

Answer 18

The McKees & her sister

Question 19

What did Nick state about being drunk?

Answer 19

“I have been drunk just twice in my life and the second time was that afternoon”

Question 20

How does Nick describe Myrtle’s sister?

Answer 20

“A slender, worldly girl of about thirty”

Question 21

How does Nick describe Mr Mckee?

Answer 21

As “a pale feminine man”

Question 22

How does Nick describe Mrs Mckee? Also what does Nick description of her suggest?

Answer 22

“Shrill, languid, handsome and horrible”
Suggests she is obsessed with appearance, reflects society of the time

Question 23

Why did Myrtle change her outfit multiple times?

Answer 23

She pretends to someone she isn’t, a woman of wealth and glamour

Question 24

What does Nick say changed about Myrtle alongside her outfit?

Answer 24

“With the influence of the dress her personality had also undergone a change”

Question 25

What does Myrtle tell her sister about “fellas”? And wat does this suggest about her?

Answer 25

“Most of these fellas will cheat you every time, All they think of is money”
She is hypocritical, she is also a cheat & obsessed with money

Question 26

How did Myrtle react to the compliment of her dress?

Answer 26

She “rejected the compliment by raising her eyebrow is disdain”

Question 27

What does Myrtle’s sister say about Gatsby?

Answer 27

That “he’s a nephew or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm’s. That’s where all his money come from”

Question 28

What does Myrtle’s sister say about Tom and Myrtle’s feelings about their spouses?

Answer 28

That “Neither of them can stand the person they’re married to”

Question 29

What does Myrtle’s sister say about Daisy’s religion in regards to divorce? And how does Nick feel about this revelation?

Answer 29

That “She’s catholic and they don’t believe in divorce”
he was “a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie”

Question 30

What does Myrtle say about her decision in marrying Wilson?

Answer 30

“I married him because I thought he was a gentleman”

Question 31

Where did Myrtle meet Tom?

Answer 31

At the train station when she was on her way to visit her sister in New York

Question 32

What did Tom do to Myrtle after she chanted Daisy’s name?

Answer 32

“Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand”