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The Great Gatsby - Chapter 7: Fitzgerald

The document summarizes key events and characters from Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby. It first draws a parallel between the character Trimalchio from another novel and Gatsby, noting they both came from poor backgrounds but were able to gain wealth. Second, it discusses how the intense heat in the chapter relates to rising tensions between the characters and their affairs. Finally, it describes how Gatsby's dream begins to unravel as he sees Daisy's daughter, realizing her life continued without him, before the chapter ends with Daisy killing Myrtle with Gatsby's car in a chaotic accident.

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katelyn rose
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273 views

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 7: Fitzgerald

The document summarizes key events and characters from Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby. It first draws a parallel between the character Trimalchio from another novel and Gatsby, noting they both came from poor backgrounds but were able to gain wealth. Second, it discusses how the intense heat in the chapter relates to rising tensions between the characters and their affairs. Finally, it describes how Gatsby's dream begins to unravel as he sees Daisy's daughter, realizing her life continued without him, before the chapter ends with Daisy killing Myrtle with Gatsby's car in a chaotic accident.

Uploaded by

katelyn rose
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Katelyn Decker 2/24/2020

AP English period 1 Yacovacci


The Great Gatsby – Chapter 7
1. Trimalchio is a freedman - former slave - character in the novel, The Satyricon by
Gaius Petronius. Due to the status of slaves throughout history, they continue to
struggle after being freed because of their lack of accumulated wealth and
education. However, Trimalchio perseveres and is able to gain wealth and power,
throwing large, lavish parties to feel accepted by people. This is parallel to Gatsby’s
story as he is from a poor background and does not receive as high an education as
his counterparts in the novel, but is able to work and become a symbol of “new”
money, also throwing extravagant parties solely for someone else, Daisy.
Citation: https://www.quora.com/Who-is-Trimalchio-in-The-Great-Gatsby-by-F-Scott-
Fitzgerald
2. At the beginning of and throughout chapter 7, the weather can be understood to be
unbearably and uncomfortably hot. Nick describes the day as “broiling” and
“simmering” (Fitzgerald 114) and goes into great detail about how it is affecting his
fellow characters, increasing the tension between all to the point of being
completely overwhelming. The heat relates to the sexual tendencies, affairs, and
eventually expositions of the characters, specifically Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and
Myrtle, which will ultimately lead to passionate arguments and Myrtle’s death.
3. Pammy is Tom and Daisy’s daughter and her presence in chapter 7 represents the
beginning of the loss of Gatsby’s dream. Nick reflects that when they meet, “(H)e
(Gatsby) kept looking at the child with surprise. I don’t think he had ever really
believed in its existence before” (Fitzgerald 117). Pammy is a product of Tom and
Daisy’s love, something Gatsby is in complete denial of having ever occurred. While
he lived for Daisy in the hopes of meeting her again, Daisy’s life went on. This
therefore continues to emphasize how Gatsby’s fantasy will never be reality as
Daisy can’t leave the life and family she has built.
4. At the end of chapter 7, Daisy kills Myrtle by hitting her with Gatsby’s car. Myrtle
had been locked in Wilson’s garage earlier in the day, as a result of her affair
coming to light, and at this time Tom had suggested he take Gatsby’s car to New
York and Gatsby take his, causing him to stop by Wilson’s shop to get gas. Myrtle
sees Tom from the window in Gatsby’s car, unbeknownst to her, so when she sees
it later, she associates it with Tom, explaining why she was running towards it. The
chaos escalates when Tom finds out about Myrtle’s death as he believes Gatsby has
killed her. However, Daisy was driving, though she didn’t stop or seem to be greatly
impacted. Gatsby reveals, “’Daisy stepped on it. I tried to make her stop, but she
couldn’t...’” (Fitzgerald 144). She can later be seen through her home’s window
eating “cold fried chicken” with Tom, obviously unphased. Jordan has a similar
reaction, asking Nick to stay with her for a little longer and stating that “’It’s only
half-past nine’” (Fitzgerald 142), as if she had not just seen a dead body.

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