The Great Gatsby Chapter VII

Paranoia The longest chapter Now that Gatsby has what he wants he is desperate to protect it His paranoia is communicated to his new butler Nick puts it down to Daisy’s disapproval They are all connected to Wolfshiem- the criminal world of New York has come to East Egg

Setting The heat makes things uncomfortable and brings people’s emotions to the fore Page 121: “every extra gesture was an affront to the common store of life” Daisy herself seems to blame the fact that “it’s so hot” for the fact that “everything’s confused”.

Daisy’s daughter She puts in a very brief appearance Daisy calls her a ‘dream’.

“You always look so cool” Page 125 Daisy betrays her feelings for Gatsby in saying this. She goes on to compare him to “the advertisement of the man” He fits an idealised but ultimately fictional vision.

Tom Tom notices Daisy’s feelings and acts aggressively towards Gatsby “eyes still flashing”, “trembling with effort” (page 125) He is only able to criticise Gatsby for trivial things: “He wears a pink suit” (page 128) “Oxford, New Mexico” He “feels the hot whips of panic” (p131)

Daisy’s voice Page 126: “Her voice is full of money…that was the inexhaustible charm” Cf. the previous chapter where it seems magical and enchanting. Now it is associated with consumerism and wealth.

Mr Wilson Mr Wilson feels the need to “get her away” He has realised that Myrtle is having an affair Nick notes that Wilson and Tom are in a similar situation: “there was no difference between men” Even Tom seems to feel sympathy and gives him the car

Momentum Fitzgerald portrays the way events take on their own momentum Page 132: “that ended by us”, “inexplicable”…

Tom He deliberately goes out to mock Gatsby to create a confrontation He mocks Gatsby’s habit of saying “old sport” He accuses him of being a bootlegger Gatsby stands up to him: “She never loved you” (page 137) Tom betrays his double standards and sexism He even lets Gatsby go back with Daisy alone.

Gatsby Gatsby reveals his dark side: “He looked…’as if he had killed a man’” (page 141) But Tom thinks he has been defeated as he has slandered his reputation. Gatsby needs to feel that Daisy has been as devoted to him as he has to her. “Daisy’s leaving you”

Nick Page 142 Nick realises it his thirtieth birthday He describes how “Before me stretched the portentuous, menacing road of a new decade” He hints at the disaster to come with “we drove on toward death” He then goes on to describe events at second hand.

‘The death car’ Nick tells of the crash with understatement but the event upsets him Gatsby takes the blame for Daisy He watches over the house protectively The chapter ends with no hope for Gatsby Daisy and Tom have a “natural intimacy” And Gatsby is “watching over nothing”