A white ashen dust veiled his dark suit and his pale hair as it veiled everything in the vicinity—except his wife, who moved close to Tom.
Chapter 2 · Narrator
Context
After Myrtle tells Wilson to get chairs, he retreats to his office, merging with the grey walls. Nick observes that the ash dust covers everything—except Myrtle.
Analysis
This sentence crystallizes the power dynamics of the chapter: Wilson is absorbed into the deathly environment of the valley, becoming indistinguishable from it, while Myrtle resists assimilation through her alliance with Tom and the wealth he represents. The ash 'veiling' Wilson suggests both concealment and funeral shrouding, while Myrtle's exemption from it implies her attempt to transcend her class—an attempt the novel will ultimately show to be fatal. The dash before 'except' creates a dramatic pause that emphasizes her separateness.
How to Use in Essay
Use in essays on the symbolic function of the valley of ashes, the dehumanization of the lower class, or the illusory nature of class mobility in the novel.