Write about some of the ways Fitzgerald tells the story in Chapter 2 (21 marks)

Chapter 2 sits after Nick has just moved to West Egg, and has witnessed Gatsby gazing at the green light across the bay. Fitzgerald introduces the reader to the setting of Chapter 2 immediately, “About half way between West Egg […] is a valley of ashes.” The valley of ashes description evokes images of death and desolation, which completely contrasts with the opening of Chapter 3, which describes the parties at Gatsby’s house. The death and desolation so prevalent in the opening of Chapter 2 is at a complete contrast with the music during "the summer nights" at Gatsby's lively parties. This juxtaposition allows Fitzgerald to highlight the class differences within the novel’s narrative, which is a main theme. Within the valley of ashes, Dr Eckleburg’s “blue and gigantic” eyes on a billboard “brood on over the solemn dumping ground.” The eyes could symbolise God looking over the moral decay of the world; once the characters have left the false façade of the world that is the two Eggs, the decay is revealed. This could link to Fitzgerald's own experience of Post-WW1. Fitzgerald believed the 'Jazz Age' was fake, and simply masked the decay left after the great war. It is not until a page into Chapter 2 that the reader is introduced to the reason Nick is in the valley of ashes, which is to meet Myrtle (Tom’s mistress). By allowing the reader to gain a sense of the decay of their location before revealing the nature of their visit, Fitzgerald can use Tom having a mistress as the final example of decay in the ‘lost generation’: adultery. 

The characterisation of Myrtle is particularly prominent in Chapter 2. Everything Nick has come across in the valley of ashes has been desolate and ashen, until the meeting of Myrtle, who had a "vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smoldering." Myrtle physically screams life and is vivacious due to her desire to be full of life because of her dire surroundings. Fitzgerald omits Myrtle's name until 4/5 pages after the initial introduction. The absence of her first name forces her to be labelled as either "Tom's mistress" or "Mrs Wilson." This infers that the males in her life own her; she is not her own woman. Myrtle also "want to get one of those dogs.", asking Tom to buy one for her once they arrive in the city. This shows her materialistic nature, and once again her reliance on Tom. Furthermore, Tom's purchase of the dog, along with the snide comment to the dog seller "Here's your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it." shows his decadent wealth and aim to show off in front of his current mistress. He still chooses to buy the dog despite believing it to be over priced, as he can afford to over pay. 

At Tom's apartment gathering, Nick admits that "I have been drunk just twice in my life [...] so everything that happened has a dim, hazy cast over it." This infers that for the rest of Chapter 2,  Nick's narration is unreliable and inaccurate. This makes the reader question any event after this point due to his intoxication. 

Towards the end of the chapter, Fitzgerald employs Nick's narration in a confusing manner, "People disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere". This confusion and quick pace through the lack of complete sentences increases the tension of the narrative. After the increase in tension, Nick retells the encounter between Tom and "Mrs Wilson". The regression from Myrtle to Mrs Wilson once again infers that Myrtle is under the control of Tom under this particular scene and reminds the reader that she is just Tom's mistress, not his wife. This regression and control manifests itself ultimately when "Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand." Tom physically hurting Myrtle and not having to reap the consequences shows the difference in equality between men and women and also the contempt that the upper class have for the working class; Tom hits Myrtle as soon as she steps out of line.