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.