The Great Gatsby
Scene #2 · Chapter 2
At the New York apartment Tom rents for his affair, Myrtle Wilson grows increasingly drunk and animated, playing the role of a sophisticated woman. She repeatedly taunts Tom by chanting Daisy's name, ignoring his warnings to stop. Tom responds with a short, sharp movement, breaking Myrtle's nose with his open hand. Blood flows onto the apartment's wedding gift towels as guests scramble to help her.
Tom's violence exposes the brutality underlying his sense of entitlement and his need to control those he considers beneath him. The scene demonstrates how Tom views both Myrtle and Daisy as possessions rather than people. This moment foreshadows the deadly consequences of Tom's carelessness and the class barriers that Myrtle fatally tries to cross.
"Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai—"
Chapter 2 · Myrtle Wilson
Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.
Chapter 2 · Narrator
When he had gone halfway he turned around and stared at the scene—his wife and Catherine scolding and consoling as they stumbled here and there among the crowded furniture with articles of aid, and the despairing figure on the couch, bleeding fluently, and trying to spread a copy of Town Tattle over the tapestry scenes of Versailles.
Chapter 2 · Narrator
Then there were bloody towels upon the bathroom floor, and women's voices scolding, and high over the confusion a long broken wail of pain.
Chapter 2 · Narrator
People disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere, and then lost each other, searched for each other, found each other a few feet away. Some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name.
Chapter 2 · Narrator