Chapter 2
Nick rides with Tom from West Egg to the desolate “valley of ashes,” passing the towering, eyes‑of‑Doctor T. J. Eckleburg billboard. Their train stops at the ash‑filled rail yard, and Tom forces Nick off the car to “meet my girl.” They cross a white‑washed fence to the small yellow‑brick garage owned by George B. Wilson. Inside, Tom greets the weary Wilson and, after a brief exchange, a stout woman in her thirties—Myrtle Wilson—enters. Myrtle is described as sensually carrying her flesh, with a vitality that contrasts the grim surroundings. She asks Wilson for chairs, then says to Tom, “I want to see you,” and arranges a meeting on the next train at a news‑stand. Later, after a few days, Tom, Myrtle, and Nick travel by train to New York, where Myrtle sits separately in another car. In New York they stop at a news‑stand; Myrtle buys magazines, cold cream, and perfume, then selects a lavender‑colored taxicab. She insists on buying a dog from a street vendor, choosing an Airedale for ten dollars, and takes it into the cab. The group proceeds to a modest apartment on the top floor of an apartment building near Fifth Avenue. The apartment contains a tiny living‑room, dining‑room, bedroom and bath, overcrowded with Versailles‑style furniture and a large photograph of a hen that resembles a bonneted lady. Inside, guests gather: Myrtle, her sister Catherine (a slender woman with red hair), Mr. and Mrs. McKee (the pale, artistic couple from the flat below), and other unnamed visitors. Drinks flow, including whiskey from Tom’s locked bureau; Tom admits to being drunk for the second time. Catherine and Myrtle discuss marriage, expressing disdain for their spouses and contemplating divorce. Myrtle recounts how she married George because she thought he was a gentleman, but now despises him. The conversation turns to gossip about Jay Gatsby and his rumored wealth. As the night progresses, tensions rise. Tom, irritated, yells for more ice and mineral water, then, after a heated argument about mentioning Daisy’s name, slaps Myrtle, breaking her nose. Bloodied towels appear on the bathroom floor, women scream, and the chaotic scene ends with Mr. McKee waking, exiting the room, and the group dispersing. The chapter concludes with Nick reflecting on the violent outburst and the disordered atmosphere of the night.