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CHAPTER II

Whereas Chapter 1 ended with the mysterious Gatsby reaching out to his dream in the night, Chapter 2 opens with a striking contrast. It begins with a description of the valley of ashes. Nick describes a "waste land" between West Egg and New York City where the ashes from the city are dumped (put/left). The ashes (debris/ruins) cover everything, including the men who live there. Above this bleak (depressing) "Valley of Ashes" stares out two huge spectacled eyes from a billboard (advertising board). These haunting (unforgettable), unblinking eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg (The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg on the billboard overlooking the Valley of Ashes represent many things at once: to Nick they seem to symbolize the recurring waste of the past, which lingers (stays) on though it is permanently vanished, much like Dr Eckleburg's medical practice. The eyes can also be linked to Gatsby, whose own eyes, once described as "vacant (empty/blank)," often stare out, blankly keeping "vigil (watch)" (a word Fitzgerald applies to both Dr Eckleburg's eyes and Gatsby's) over Long Island sound and the green light. To George Wilson, Dr Eckleburg's eyes are the eyes of God, which he says see everything.) watch over everything in the Valley of Ashes.

One day, as Tom and Nick ride a train from Long Island into the city, Tom gets off at a stop in the Valley of Ashes and tells Nick to come along. Tom leads Nick to George Wilson's auto garage, and Nick learns that Tom's mistress is Wilson's wife, Myrtle. Nick explains that everyone in New York knows about Tom's mistress and that Tom makes no effort at all to keep it a secret that he is cheating on his wife. Wilson is good-looking, but beaten-down and lifeless and has ashes in his hair, while Myrtle who appears to be in her mid-thirties, plump or fleshy (fat), and a bit loud strikes (make feel) Nick as vibrant (energetic/exciting) and oddly  (strangely) sensuous (lush/rich/deep). Tom talks with Wilson about selling a car. When Wilson goes to get some chairs, Tom whispers to Myrtle to meet them in a little while at the train station. After Nick and Tom leave the garage and get back on a train. Myrtle lies to her husband, telling him she is going to visit her sister and also gets on the train.


Tom, Myrtle, and Nick go to the apartment Tom keeps in New York City to conduct his affair. Myrtle calls her sister Catherine and some friends and a liquor-fuelled party develop in the apartment. Nick, Tom, Myrtle, Myrtle's sister Catherine, and Myrtle's neighbours, Mr and Mrs McKee spend the afternoon drinking alcohol and becoming intoxicated. The topic of conversation eventually turns to Nick’s neighbour Gatsby. Catherine says she’s afraid of Gatsby because she’s heard that he’s a relative of the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm (Wilhelm II (1859-1941), the German Kaiser (emperor) and king of Prussia from 1888 to 1918, was one of the most recognizable public figures of World War I), and everyone agrees that Gatsby is involved in some sort of shifty business. Meanwhile myrtle grows argumentative   (aggressive/quarrelsome) and, while arguing with Tom about his wife, begins to show "Daisy" as loud (vulgar) as she can. Tom hits her, breaking her nose. The guests’ leave, and the chapter end with Tom heading back home. 
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