The Great Gatsby: Chapter 8-Page 147-162

Summary

• The chapter starts off with Nick going over to Gatsby's because he could not sleep.  Gatsby decides to tell Nick his whole life because Nick heard remarks by Tom about Gatsby's past and Gatsby wanted to clarify what his life was about.  We learn that Daisy was the first "nice" girl that Gatsby ever met and we learn about Gatsby's past when he met her and what happened between them after he left to go to war.  The chapter turns to a scene with George and Michaelis, who is trying to comfort George in his time of need, and we learn a little bit about George and Myrtle through Michaelis' questioning.  The chapter closes with Nick finding Gatsby and George dead by Gatsby's pool.  
• Michaelis 
• Quote: "After that he stayed there alone with Wilson until dawn."
• Description:  George's neighbor, cares about George by staying with him and keeping him company, he is a symbol of hope because he tries to help calm George through his rough time, he also tries to tell George that George is talking about things, like Myrtle cheating on him, that is nonsense because George is just shocked at what happened
• Michaelis is in this novel because he acts as one of the few caring people in this book.  He stays with George to comfort him and to give George someone to talk to because no one seems to try to help George.  Everyone is just talking about what happened and not trying to see if George is alright because his wife just got killed.  Michaelis is also the only witness that saw the death of Myrtle.
• Quote that stood out:  ""They're a rotten crowd," I shouted across the lawn.  "You're worth the whole damn bunch put together."  I've always been glad I said that.  It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end."
• This stood out because Nick said that he disapproved of Gatsby from the beginning to the end.  This represents how Nick knew that Gatsby was better than Tom and Daisy, but Gatsby still was not a good person.  Gatsby basically was trying to get with a married woman and tried to get her to break up with Tom.  Fitzgerald has written this book so we like Gatsby, but Nick throws out this quote making us think about what Gatsby did to deserve what Nick said.  We also believe that Nick is very honest and the person to believe because he is narrating the story.  This persuades us into thinking that Gatsby really was not all that great to begin with.