Gatsby Notes And Thoughts; Chapter 7

• Chapter 7 is where it marks the climax of The Great Gatsby
• At first it takes place, Daisy's house where Tom, Nick, Daisy, and Gatsby have lunch
• Gatsby wants Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him
• That the whole time it was Gatsby who she loved the most
• The next Daisy insists to go to Manthanan
•  Nick rides with Jordan and Tom in Gatsby’s car, and Gatsby and Daisy ride together in Tom’s car
• Stopping for gas at Wilson’s garage, Nick, Tom, and Jordan learn that Wilson has discovered his wife’s infidelity—though not the identity of her lover—and plans to move her to the West
• Under the brooding eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, Nick perceives that Tom and Wilson are in the same position
• As soon as the group, arrives in New York City things start to heat up
• Tom mimics Gatsby on saying "old sport"
• Accuses him of lying about having attended Oxford
• Gatsby tells Tom that him and Daisy were lovers back then and that she never loved him
• Driving back to Long Island, Nick, Tom, and Jordan discover a frightening scene on the border of the valley of ashes
•  Someone has been fatally hit by an automobile
• The victim was Myrtle 
• A car coming from New York City struck her, paused, then speed away
• Nick realizes that Myrtle must have been hit by Gatsby and Daisy, driving back from the city in Gatsby’s big yellow automobile
• Tom thinks that Wilson will remember the yellow car from that afternoon. He also assumes that Gatsby was the driver
• Back at Tom’s house, Nick waits outside and finds Gatsby hiding in the bushes
• Gatsby says that he has been waiting there in order to make sure that Tom did not hurt Daisy
• He tells Nick that Daisy was driving when the car struck Myrtle, but that he himself will take the blame
•  Still worried about Daisy, Gatsby sends Nick to check on her

Both Tom and Daisy's actions at the hotel have shown just how alike they are and in a time of crisis, there is no question they will join together. Daisy is likely unaware (or at least unconcerned) with Gatsby's feelings; Tom, while perhaps sad about Myrtle's death, likely sees her as he sees everyone who isn't of his social class — an expendable object. And so Gatsby, utterly lost now that his dream has died, holds on to the last piece of all he's ever known as an adult by standing guard at Daisy's. Unfortunately for him, it will be a long night.


1. Why does Gatsby stop having parties?
2. Why does Gatsby fire his staff, and who replaces them?  How are these people different, and how do their personalities reflect what we know about Wolfsheim?
3. Describe the difference in Daisy's and Gatsby's reactions to Daisy's daughter.
4. Describe the "outing" to New York and the confrontation between Tom and Gatsby.  Who wins?
5. BAM! What happens on the way back to Long Island?  (You have to get this-- it's THE event of the book.)
6. What are Tom and Daisy doing at the end of the chapter?  What does this say to you about Daisy's character?