Which Statement Best Describes the House That Nick Is Renting

In virtually books and movies, the "other woman"—the adult female having an affair with a married man—is often painted as a villain. Only what near in The Groovy Gatsby, a novel in which both married women (Myrtle Wilson and Daisy Buchanan) are having affairs? Especially given that ane (Daisy) ends upward killing the other (Myrtle), is Myrtle merely a one-annotation "other adult female," or is there more to her?

Myrtle's role in the story isn't as large every bit Daisy's, Gatsby's, or Tom's. However, she is crucial to the plot of the story, and especially to its tragic decision. Discover out more about Myrtle's role in Gatsby in this guide!

Commodity Roadmap

1. Myrtle as a character
   • Concrete description
   • Myrtle's history before the novel begins
   • Actions in the novel
2. Graphic symbol Analysis
   • Myrtle quotes
   • Mutual discussion topics and essay ideas

Quick Note on Our Citations

Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since at that place are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would simply work for students with our re-create of the volume. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your volume, yous can either eyeball information technology (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; l-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search part if you're using an online or eReader version of the text.

Myrtle Wilson's Physical Description

And so I heard footsteps on the stairs and in a moment the thickish figure of a woman blocked out the lite from the role door. She was in the eye thirties, and faintly stout, simply she carried her surplus mankind sensuously as some women can. Her face, above a spotted dress of dark blue crepe-de-chine, contained no facet or gleam of beauty merely at that place was an immediately perceptible vitality about her equally if the nerves of her torso were continually smouldering. She smiled slowly and walking through her husband as if he were a ghost shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the middle. (2.15)

Unlike Nick's description of Daisy, which focuses on her phonation, mannerisms, and charm, and unlike his description of Jordan, which focuses on her posture and athleticism, Nick's clarification of Myrtle focuses almost entirely on her body itself. Perhaps this fits with her role equally Tom'southward mistress, but it besides indicates Nick sees little in Myrtle in terms of intellect or personality.

This description also speaks to the strong concrete allure betwixt Tom and Myrtle that undergirds their affair. This attraction serves as a foil to the more deep-seated emotional attraction between Gatsby and Daisy, the novel's central affair.

Myrtle Before the Novel Begins

We don't know a ton about Myrtle Wilson's background except what we can gather from the passing comments from other characters. For case, we get the sense Myrtle loved her hubby when they got married, only has since been disappointed past his lack of cash and social status, and now feels stifled by her twelve-year marriage:

"I married him considering I thought he was a gentleman," she said finally. "I thought he knew something about convenance, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe."

"You were crazy about him for a while," said Catherine.

"Crazy about him!" cried Myrtle incredulously. "Who said I was crazy about him? I never was any more crazy nearly him than I was about that man at that place."

She pointed suddenly at me, and every one looked at me accusingly. I tried to show by my expression that I had played no part in her past.

"The but crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I fabricated a error. He borrowed somebody'south all-time accommodate to get married in and never fifty-fifty told me virtually it, and the man came after information technology one solar day when he was out. She looked around to see who was listening: " 'Oh, is that your accommodate?' I said. 'This is the first I e'er heard about it.' But I gave it to him so I lay downwardly and cried to crush the ring all afternoon."

"She really ought to get abroad from him," resumed Catherine to me. "They've been living over that garage for xi years. And Tom's the outset sweetie she ever had." (ii.112-7)

She begins her affair with Tom Buchanan subsequently he sees her on the train and later presses against her in the station:

I was going up to New York to see my sis and spend the night. He had on a wearing apparel adapt and patent leather shoes and I couldn't keep my optics off him merely every fourth dimension he looked at me I had to pretend to be looking at the advertisement over his caput. When nosotros came into the station he was next to me and his white shirt-front pressed against my arm--and and then I told him I'd have to call a policeman, just he knew I lied. I was so excited that when I got into a taxi with him I didn't hardly know I wasn't getting into a subway railroad train" (2.120).

Myrtle badly wants to come off as sophisticated and wealthy despite her humble roots. Nick finds her efforts tacky and vulgar, and he spends a lot of time commenting on her clothes, mannerisms, and conversational manner.

She is oblivious most upper-class life: she tells her sister at ane signal Tom doesn't divorce Daisy because Daisy is Cosmic. This is a small inside joke on Fitzgerald's part—since Tom and Daisy are part of the customs of uber-WASPy residents of East Egg, in that location's almost no chance that Daisy could be Cosmic. That Myrtle thinks accepts Tom's prevarication shows that she is not a well-schooled equally she thinks she is nearly the life and customs of the elite form she wants to be a part of.

Still, before the novel begins, Tom has gotten comfy showing Myrtle around in popular restaurants and doesn't hide the affair. Possibly this causes Myrtle to misunderstand what she means to Tom: she doesn't seem to realize she'south but one in a cord of mistresses.

To meet Myrtle's life events aslope those of the other characters, check out our timeline of The Great Gatsby.

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Summary of Myrtle's Action in the Novel

The idea of Myrtle Wilson is introduced in Chapter one, when she calls the Buchanans' house to speak to Tom.

We become our first look at Myrtle in Chapter two, when Nick goes with Tom to George Wilson'south garage to run into her, then to Myrtle's apartment in Manhattan for a party. On that twenty-four hour period, she buys a dog, has sexual practice with Tom (with Nick in the adjacent room), throws a party, and is fawned on by her friends, and then ends up with a broken olfactory organ when Tom punches her after she brings up Daisy. This doesn't prevent her from continuing the affair.

After on, in Chapter 7, George starts to suspect she'south having an affair when he finds her dog's ternion in a drawer at the house. He locks her upstairs in their house, determined to motility out west once he gets the coin from the machine auction he'south waiting on from Tom. Myrtle glimpses Tom, along with Nick and Jordan, as they drive up to Manhattan in Gatsby's yellow car.

Myrtle and George fight later that evening, and Myrtle manages to run out of the firm afterward yelling at George to beat her and calling him a coward. Simply so, she spots the yellow car heading back for Long Island. Thinking it's Tom, she runs toward and so out in front of the car, waving her artillery. Merely Daisy is driving the motorcar, and she decides to run over Myrtle rather than go into a caput-on standoff with an oncoming car. She hits Myrtle, who dies instantly.

Myrtle'due south death emotionally and mentally devastates George, which prompts him to murder Gatsby (who he mistakes for both his wife's killer and lover), then impale himself.

The expiry car.

Key Myrtle Wilson Quotes

Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume some time before and was at present attired in an elaborate afternoon apparel of foam colored chiffon, which gave out a continual rustle every bit she swept about the room. With the influence of the wearing apparel her personality had also undergone a change. The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur. Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more than violently afflicted moment by moment and as she expanded the room grew smaller around her until she seemed to be revolving on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air. (2.56)

Here, we encounter Myrtle transformed from her more sensuous, physical persona into that of someone drastic to come off as richer than she actually is. Wielding ability over her group of friends, she seems to revel in her own prototype.

Unlike Gatsby, who projects an elaborately rich and worldly character, Myrtle's persona is much more simplistic and transparent. (Notably Tom, who immediately sees Gatsby as a faux, doesn't seem to heed Myrtle'due south pretensions—possibly considering they are of no outcome to him, or any kind of a threat to his lifestyle.)

"Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai----"

Making a curt deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open up mitt. (2.125-126)

Here nosotros run into Myrtle pushing her limits with Tom—and realizing that he is both vehement and completely unwilling to be honest about his marriage.

While both characters are willful, impulsive, and driven by their desires, Tom is violently asserting here that his needs are more important than Myrtle's. Afterwards all, to Tom, Myrtle is just some other mistress, and just every bit disposable every bit all the rest.

Besides, this injury foreshadows Myrtle's death at the hands of Daisy, herself. While invoking Daisy's name hither causes Tom to hurt Myrtle, Myrtle'southward bodily encounter with Daisy later in the novel turns out to be deadly.

"Shell me!" he heard her cry. "Throw me down and beat me, y'all dirty little coward!" (7.314)

When George confronts his married woman about her matter, Myrtle is furious and needles at her hubby—already insecure since he's been cheated on—by insinuating he'southward weak and less of a man than Tom. Also, their fight centers around her body and its handling, while Tom and Daisy fought before in the same chapter most their feelings.

In this moment, we meet that despite how dangerous and damaging Myrtle's human relationship with Tom is, she seems to be asking George to treat her in the aforementioned way that Tom has been doing. Myrtle'south disturbing acceptance of her office every bit a just a body—a piece of meat, basically—foreshadows the gruesome physicality of her death.

Michaelis and this man reached her start merely when they had torn open her shirtwaist still damp with perspiration, they saw that her left breast was swinging loose like a flap and there was no need to listen for the center below. The oral cavity was wide open and ripped at the corners every bit though she had choked a little in giving up the tremendous vitality she had stored and then long. (seven.317)

Even in death, Myrtle'due south physicality and vitality are emphasized. In fact, the image is pretty overtly sexual—detect how it'southward Myrtle's breast that's torn open and swinging loose, and her mouth ripped open at the corners. This echoes Nick'due south view of Myrtle equally a adult female and mistress, nothing more—even in death she'south objectified.

This moment is also much more violent than her earlier broken nose. While that moment cemented Tom every bit abusive in the eyes of the reader, this one truly shows the damage that Tom and Daisy leave in their wake, and shapes the tragic tone of the residuum of the novel.

The graphic and bloody nature of Myrtle's expiry really sticks with you.

Common Essay Topics/ Areas of Discussion

Yous volition virtually likely be asked to write about Myrtle in relation to other characters (especially Daisy), or in prompts that ask y'all to compare the "strivers" in the book (including also Gatsby, George Wilson) with the old money gear up (Tom, Daisy, Hashemite kingdom of jordan). To larn how best to approach this kind of compare and contrast essay, read our article on common character pairings and how to clarify them.

It's less probable, only not impossible, that yous will be assigned a Myrtle-specific essay.

In either case, Myrtle's most of import chapters are 2 and seven, so close read those advisedly. When writing about her, pay close attending to Myrtle'south interactions with other characters. And if y'all're writing an essay that discusses Myrtle equally someone trying to live out the American Dream, make sure to address her larger influences and motivations. We'll take a wait at some of these strategies in action below.

Why Practise Tom and Myrtle Gather? What Practice They See in Each Other?

For readers new to Gatsby, Tom and Myrtle's relationship can seem a chip odd. There is obvious concrete chemistry, but it can be hard to see why the classist, misogynist Tom puts up with Myrtle—or why Myrtle accepts Tom's mistreatment.

For Tom, the affair—simply i in a cord he's had since his honeymoon—is about taking and being able to become whatever he wants. Having an thing is a show of ability. Especially since he's been taking her effectually popular restaurants in Manhattan (ii.4), it's clear he's not exactly hiding the relationship—instead, he'south flaunting information technology. He's so bodacious of his identify in society equally a wealthy man, that he'south gratis to engage in some risky and socially inappropriate behavior—because he knows no one can actually touch his wealth or social position.

For Myrtle, the affair (her get-go) is well-nigh escape from her life with George, and a gustatory modality of a earth—Manhattan, money, nice things—she wouldn't otherwise have admission to. It's articulate from how Myrtle moves and speaks that she'due south confident and self-assured, and assumes that her relationship with Tom is a permanent ticket into the world of the wealthy—not but a fleeting glimpse.

The fact that Tom sees Myrtle as disposable simply Myrtle hopes for more in their relationship is painfully apparent at the end of Affiliate 2, when she insists on bringing up Daisy, and Tom responds by breaking Myrtle'due south nose. But despite this nasty meet, the two go on their relationship, suggesting that this kind of corruption is the norm for Tom'due south affairs, and Myrtle is too eager to stay in the new world she'south plant—or fifty-fifty believes that Tom will still leave Daisy for her—that she stays as well.

By the terminate of the novel, Myrtle doesn't seem to have been completely mistaken about Tom's affection for her. Later all, Tom says he that he "cried like a babe" (nine.145) when he found canis familiaris food for the dog he's bought her in Myrtle's apartment. Of course, since it's Tom, his grief is probably self-pitying than selfless. Either fashion, their human relationship is indicative of both their values: Myrtle'southward ambition and Tom'south callousness.

What Does Myrtle's Life (and Tragic Ending) Say About the American Dream?

Myrtle, similar George and Gatsby, was apparently non born into money, and instead is relying on her own wits to make it in 1920s America. In a way quite similar to Gatsby'southward, she consciously adopts a unlike persona to try and get access to a richer circle (while George seems to exist the only i relying on honest work—his store—and honest relationships, through his loyalty to Myrtle, to better his lot in life).

But Myrtle aims too high, and ends up killed when she mistakes Gatsby's yellow car for Tom'due south, and runs out in the road bold the car volition stop for her.

In the same manner that Gatsby overestimates his value to Daisy, Myrtle overestimates her value to Tom. Even if Tom had been driving the car, and even if he had stopped for her, he would never accept whisked her away from George, divorced Daisy, and married her. Furthermore, the fact she assumed the garish yellowish car was Tom's shows how little she understands the potent, old money globe Tom comes from.

Myrtle's complete misunderstanding of Tom, as well as her trigger-happy decease, fit the overall cynical message in the volume that the American Dream is a false promise to those born outside of the wealthy grade in America. Every bit hard every bit anyone tries, they don't stand a run a risk of competing with those in America born into the old money class. They volition never empathize the foreign internal rules that govern the onetime money set up, and will never stand a adventure of being their equal.

How Does Myrtle'south Habitation Reflect Her Character, Attitudes, Behavior, and Values?

This is a prompt that you can obviously use for any of the characters, merely information technology'south especially interesting in Myrtle'due south case, since she has ii residences: the house above the auto store that George owns, and the apartment that Tom Buchanan rents for her in the urban center.

Myrtle'southward dwelling house with George is a night, hopeless image of working class life in America: it's an apartment higher up a bare garage, nestled in the dreadful Valley of Ashes. George is utterly mired in this home, fifty-fifty coated with a sparse layer of ash from the factories outside. In dissimilarity, Myrtle is vivacious and free of the ash, which gives her a layer of separation from her actual dwelling.

Myrtle's flat with Tom is overstuffed and gaudy, and she seems much happier and more at domicile there. The mix of high-forehead pretension in the decor with her depression-brow entertainment speaks to how Myrtle values the appearance of wealth and composure, just doesn't really understand what upper-form taste looks similar the way Tom and Daisy Buchanan do.

So while the Wilson'due south garage is a testament to the struggle of the working grade in American in the 1920s, Myrtle and Tom'due south apartment is a physical representation of the arrogance Myrtle puts on and the appearances of wealth she values.

Myrtle'due south taste in decor overlaps quite a bit with Rex Louis Fourteen's.

Why Exactly Does Myrtle Run Into the Route?

I of the novel'southward most important events is also ane that can be confusing for students: namely, Myrtle's death at the end of Chapter 7. How exactly does she end up in the road? What does it have to do with her strange encounter with Tom, Nick, and Jordan in the garage earlier in the day?

The incident is confusing because we come at it from many narrative angles:

• Setup from Nick'southward point of view
• Michaelis's inquest testimony about the accident
• Nick's description of the blow scene right after Myrtle's decease
• Gatsby'south explanation of the accident to Nick after the fact
• Boosted data from Michaelis in Chapter 8 nigh George'due south actions both earlier and after Myrtle'south death
• A final revelatory confession from Tom virtually his role in George'due south violence in Chapter 9

Piecing together these iii takes on the incident, this is what happens, in society:

1. Earlier the accident, George has begun to suspect Myrtle'due south affair.
2. George locks Myrtle upwards higher up the garage, saying "She's going to stay in that location till the day later to-morrow, and and then we're going to movement away" (7.311).
3. Michaelis, uncomfortable, finds an alibi to leave.
4. Tom, Jordan, and Nick drive upwardly to the gas station in the yellow automobile. Tom brags that the automobile is his. Myrtle looks downstairs and concludes two things: offset, that Jordan is Tom'southward wife, and second, that Tom owns the yellow car.
5. Subsequently that evening, Myrtle fights with George about being locked upward. We don't meet much of this fight. All we know is that she cries "throw me down and beat me!" (7.314) to George.
6. Meanwhile, Gatsby and Daisy are driving back from Manhattan to East Egg later on the Plaza Hotel showdown.
7. Myrtle runs outside.
8. Outside, Myrtle sees the yellowish motorcar and assumes it's Tom on his way back to Long Island.
9. Myrtle runs out to the car, waving her arms, probable because she thinks Tom will cease for her and rescue her from George.
10. At the same fourth dimension, some other car is driving in the opposite direction towards Manhattan.
11. When Daisy sees Myrtle in the route, she has to make a quick decision: either run over Myrtle, or swerve into the oncoming car to avert Myrtle.
12. Daisy first drives toward the oncoming machine, but at the last second, turns back into her ain lane and hits and kills Myrtle instead.

What's Next?

Still a scrap confused well-nigh the climax of the novel? Become a detailed recap of Chapters 7, 8 and 9 to sympathize exactly how the three deaths play out.

Learn more about Myrtle's marriage and her relationship with Tom over at our mail service well-nigh beloved and relationships.

Still a bit confused nigh the old money/new money/working grade themes? Read about social form in the novel in our post on the function of social classes in this novel.

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About the Author

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in loftier school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/myrtle-wilson-great-gatsby-character-analysis-quotes

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