Analysis of Chapter Seven

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Chapter Seven - Analysis (Part One)

In the first half of Chapter Seven, the group have a tense lunch at Daisy's before journeying to New York City.

When Daisy tells Gatsby that he always looks 'so cool', this confirms to Tom that they are having an affair.
- This is a crucial moment in the narrative as Tom has now uncovered the affair between Gatsby and his wife. Rather than confronting them immediately, he starts acting erratically, foreshadowing future trouble.

Gatsby mysteriously comments that he thinks Daisy’s voice is 'full of money'.
- This comment could be seen as a slightly unexpected criticism of Daisy: perhaps he means she has a particular way of talking which identifies her as part of the 'old money' class, but it also could be about her obsession with riches and her sense of entitlement and privilege. This becomes increasingly important later on in the story as Daisy is incapable of accepting responsibility for her actions.

George Wilson says he is trying to 'go west'.
- The idea of moving 'west' is a significant part of the American Dream at the time.
- While the east coast of America was well-established by the 1920s, the west coast was far less developed and there was a large movement of Americans heading westward to find opportunities.
- For Tom, this move could signify the end of everything: his wife is having an affair with Gatsby, and his mistress is moving to the other side of the country.

Nick notices the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg on the advertising board and Myrtle Wilson looking at them from the window of the garage.
- Myrtle has seen Tom driving Gatsby’s car, which is another key point in the plot because it is this car which kills her later that day.
- Nick links the ominous eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg to the moment when Myrtle thinks she sees Tom’s wife, and this is significant because the eyes seem to be casting judgement over the scene.

In the second half of Chapter Seven, Tom reveals that he knows about Daisy's affair with Gatsby and the car crash happens.

Tom reveals that he has uncovered Gatsby’s associations with criminals and tells Daisy to travel back in Gatsby's car.
- Gatsby involved himself in all sorts of corrupt and criminal activities in order to accumulate the necessary wealth to win Daisy’s heart, but now it is this corruption which scares her and threatens to destroy their relationship.
- Daisy travelling back in Gatsby’s car is another crucial plot point because, earlier that day, Myrtle saw Jordan with Tom in the same car and assumed it was Daisy.

When Nick realises it is his 30th birthday, he says before him 'stretched the portentous, menacing road of a new decade'.
- This philosophical thought from Nick could foreshadow both the imminent car accident (the 'menacing road'), but also the end of the Roaring Twenties.

The narrative shifts to show Michaelis acting as a witness to the car accident.
- This shift in the narrative is interesting as it contextualises the accident which is about to happen and gives the impression that Nick is reading Michaelis’ testimony.

Myrtle’s death is very important because, with the car accident, the dreams of many other characters are also killed.

Daisy is responsible for killing Myrtle, but she is able to use Gatsby, who is willing to take responsibility for the accident, to avoid culpability.
Gatsby, meanwhile, is seemingly not interested in the fate of Myrtle and is instead deeply concerned about Daisy’s wellbeing in the house alone with Tom.

When Nick sees Daisy and Tom not 'unhappy' together, it's clear that Daisy seems to have made a decision to choose Tom over Gatsby.
In light of the events of that day, including the revelations about Gatsby’s links to the criminal underworld, Daisy is choosing the stability of life with Tom over the Gatsby’s unpredictability.