The Great Gatsby: Chapter Two Summary & Personal Response

Summary

In chapter two, there are four points to be highlighted. One of the is "Valley of Ashes -- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grostesque gardens" (p. 26). This place signifies that there is lifelessness. The valley is covered with grey dust that comes from chimneys. There is nothing green in the valley. There is no life there except for workers, who are covered with dust, breathing the dust in. The second point is Doctor T.J. Eckleburg's sign or billboard. The sign has the picture of spectacles and there are two gigantic blue eyes, looking through them to the Valley of Ashes. The sign seems as if not regarding the people and their problems in the Valley of Ashes. The spectacles and the blue eyes look at the Valley of Ashes but it does not care aboutit. Doctor T.J. Eckleburg seems not to care about the Valley of Ashes like the oculist who "sank down himself into eternal blindness, or forgot them and moved away" (p. 26). The sign is the symbol of indifference to people's poverty and hopelessness. The third point is George Wilson's garage which is situated on the road to New York. George Wilson is a very poor man, running a gas station. His wife is beautiful. She is the mistress of Tom Buchanan. Wilson's garage shows the difference between two worlds: the rich and the poor. His wife is attracted to the rich world. She is fed up with poverty. So, she keeps on flirting with Tom Buchanan in the chapter. The forth point is the dog, which Tom buys for ten dollars to Myrtle Wilson. Since she is poor, she tries to imitate the tastes of wealthy people like Tom Buchanan. She is spoilt. She is dissatisfied with her life so she demands from Tom unnecessary things as if she is a spoiled child. Moreover she keeps on repeating Daisy's name in front of McKees. Tom becomes very angry and breaks her nose by slapping her nose. She gets all bloody. This shows that he does not love her but he exploits her and she has to obey him.

Imaginary Journal (Tom Buchanan)

I hate those people who live in the Valley of Ashes, where grey dust is everywhere. I hate poor people, especially George Wilson. I do not know how, but he married Myrtle, that beautiful woman , but she is my mistress. I can make her happy wil a dress or wil a dog that I buy for her. But, I married Daisy. If I divorce her, there would be a scandal in the whole town. So this is better. I am a wealthy man and a gentleman. I can do whatever I wish. I do not care about people's feelings, especially women's. Today I went to Tom's garageand told Myrtle secretly to come to New York with me. I bought a very nice and expensive dog, an Airedale. She thinks I love her very much. In fact, I do not and abuse her. She sometimes can be annoying especially when she repeats Daisy's name in front of other people. She did the same thing today so I smashed her nose. I believe that she will never put Daisy's name in her mouth again.