Chapter 2: Summary

Chapter 2 begins with a description of the Valley of Ashes, a desolate and grey land that marks the city’s intersection with the suburbs. It is here that the ashes of New York are dumped. This area is also home to a billboard, which features two huge, blue eyes, framed by glasses. This, as readers find out, is an advertising gimmick by an eye doctor who left long ago. It is in the Valley of Ashes that Nick first meets Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson.

Tom takes Nick to George Wilson’s garage; George is Myrtle’s husband, and he is described as a “spiritless man.” Myrtle, on the other hand, is a sensuous, fleshy woman. Tom, Nick, and Myrtle then head to Tom’s apartment in New York City, where he often takes Myrtle. Once at the apartment, Myrtle phones her sister, Catherine, and her friends, the McKees, and asks them to join the party. The people are gaudy and spend the day in drunkenness, which repulses Nick. Myrtle is loud, and she gets louder and more obnoxious with each drink. Upon hearing Daisy’s name, Myrtle becomes enraged, shouting “Daisy” at the top of her lungs. Tom then hits her and breaks her nose, which ends the party. Nick, too, heads home.

Chapter 2: Analysis

The Valley of Ashes is a desolate, poverty-stricken place. In this regard, it is in sharp contrast to other places seen throughout the novel, such as West Egg, East Egg, and even New York City. Unlike the other places, the Valley of Ashes is not glamorous. It is a symbol of the decay that is easily hidden in the posh areas by all the money and materialism. Industrial dumping of ashes makes the place look bleak and depressing. New York City, on the other hand, is thrilling and fascinating.

While in the valley Tom is discreet about his affair, he talks about it quite openly in New York. The party introduces us to more characters and sheds light on the nature of Tom’s affair. Notably, everyone at the party seems very comfortable with the knowledge of this affair. Even though Nick is repulsed by their behavior, he does not leave the party. The scene at the party continues to build mystery around Gatsby; there are many rumors about who he really is and it is unclear if what is known about him is indeed the truth.