The Great Gatsby-Chapter 2: Pg. 23-38

Summary:

• In this chapter, Nick goes with Tom to meet his mistress named Myrtle Wilson at her husband's (Mr. Wilson) garage where he repairs cars.  Tom, Myrtle, and Nick go to Myrtle's sisters house (Catherine) in West Hundreds.  At the apartment, we are introduced to Mr. and Mrs. McKee (friends of Catherine and Myrtle) and Nick gets drunk for the second time in his life.  Catherine tells Nick how Myrtle and Tom hate who they are married to and they should get divorces and marry each other right away, but Tom cannot get a divorce because Daisy is "Catholic" and Catholics cannot get divorces.  At the end of the chapter, Myrtle and Tom start fighting about whether Myrtle is allowed to say Daisy's name, and Tom gets angry and breaks Myrtle's nose with his hand.  
• Myrtle Wilson
• Quote: "I like your dress, remarked Mrs. McKee, I think it's adorable.  Mrs Wilson rejected the compliment by raising her eyebrow in disdain.  It's just a crazy old thing she said.  I just slip it on sometimes when I don't care what i look like." 
• Description:  Thick figured woman, middle thirties, faintly stout, she carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can, face contains no facet or gleam of beauty, but there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smouldering, stuck up, selfish, and always needs to be the center of attention.
• Myrtle is the type of person who ALWAYS needs to be the center of attention.  She is having an affair with Tom.  She buys everything she wants and it seems like she always gets her way.  She is basically obsessed with money.  She is selfish and does things that will only benefit herself.  Myrtle is in the story because she is the one who is causing Tom to move further away from Daisy.
• Quote That Stood Out: "Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand."
• This stood out because this adds to the description that Daisy gave of Tom in chapter one: brute of a man, great, big, hulking physical specimen..."  It illustrates how Tom is really just a brute that cannot control himself.  It also stood out because most men don't hit women in an argument unless if it is abusive.        

The Great Gatsby-Chapter 1: Pg. 1-21

Summary:

• This chapter starts off with Nick talking about his life in West Egg and how he lives next to Mr. Gatsby.  Then he describes how he was in the Great War and when he came home he wanted to move to the East.  Nick goes to Daisy (his cousin) and Tom's mansion in East Egg for dinner.  Nick meets Ms. Baker and learns that Tom has a "woman" in New York.  Later Nick and Daisy go on a walk and talk about Daisy's daughter and how Nick did not show up to Daisy and Tom's wedding because he was in the war.

• "That's what i get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a..." -Daisy
• This quote stood out because the words brute and hulking remind me of a monster like the Hulk.  The work specimen also makes me think of a biological science experiment, not a human being.  However, this quote matches Tom because he is a racist and flaunts his money while he is having an affair with another woman in New York.
• Tom:  Sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a hard mouth and a supercilious manner,two shining arrogant eyes that established dominance over his face, always looked like he was leaning forward,great pack of muscle, racist (Theory about how the white people are the "greatest" race), football player at New Haven, Flaunts his wealth, thinks he is royalty
• "It was a body capable of enormous leverage--a cruel body."
• Tom serves as the "opposite" of Nick in this story.  Nick is quiet, he listens to everyone, and he does not have to have be the center of attention.  Tom on the other hand flaunts his wealth and is ignorant.  He is also racist and has "another woman" in New York.