The Great Gatsby Ch 8 pg 154-170

The chapter starts off when Nick goes to Gatsby’s house. He tells Gatsby that he should leave. “He wouldn’t consider it. He couldn’t possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn’t bear to shake him free.” (155) Gatsby starts to talk about Daisy. He was surprised that she loved him. He thought that she would let him go quickly, but she really did love him. Gatsby tries to convince himself that Daisy never loved Tom. Nick realizes that he has to leave during Gatsby’s story and says he will call. “’They’re a rotten crowd,’ I shouted, across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.’” (162) We find out what happened after everyone left Wilson’s garage. Michaelis, a young man who runs the coffee shop near the Wilson’s, stays with George and he revels that he knew what Myrtle was doing. He said that God was watching referring to the ad of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. Wilson went around trying to figure out who owned the car that killed Myrtle. He found out Gatsby’s name. Wilson goes to Gatsby’s house and shoots Gatsby then himself.

Michaelis

“Michaelis and several other men were with him—first four or five men, later two or three men. Still later Michaelis had to ask the last stranger to wait there fifteen minutes lover while he went back to his own place and made a pot of coffee. After that he stayed there alone with Wilson until dawm.” (164)

Michaelis is young and Greek. He runs the coffee shop near the ash heaps.

Michaelis is the main witness in Myrtle’s death. Before the car accident, he makes the discovery of a fight between Myrtle and Wilson. Michaelis witnesses the car accident. He gives the police the possible color of the car. He also stays with Wilson for awhile after Myrtle’s death to keep an eye on him. He is the only character who shows compassion in the book. He stays with Wilson and watches over him when Wilson is depressed and crazy about Myrtle’s death.

“A new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about…” (169)

This quote stood out to me because it perfectly represents the whole time period in the book. It was a new world after the war. The people in this period of time were known as the “lost generation.” They floated around, not being fully satisfied with the things in their lives. The world was also very materialistic, as portrayed through many characters in the book. However, the more stuff they have on the outside, the emptier they seem to be inside.