Chapter 8

Chapter 8 describes the previous night when Myrtles murder occurred. Wilson was awake all night with Michaelis discussing what had happened. Myrtle and Wilson had a conversation not long before Myrtle died about her other lover and how she could not keep it a secret from Wilson any longer. At the scene of the murder, the eyes Dr. T.J. Eckleburg were watching over the Valley of Ashes and it occurred to Wilson that whoever was driving the car must have been Myrtles lover. Although the car that had hit Myrtle was known to be Toms, Wilson realizes that Tom could not have been the one to hit Myrtle because he arrived to the crime scene in a different car with Nick and Jordan. This is when Wilson begins to falsely accuse Gatsby of killing Myrtle. He eventually goes to Gatsby's house where he finds him laying in his pool. Just then, Wilson pulls out a gun and shoots Gatsby, killing him immediately, and then Wilson turned the gun on himself.

Quotes:
1. "Until long after midnight a changing crowd lapped up against the front of the garage while George Wilson rocked himself back and forth on the couch inside" (164).
Significance: It shows that Wilson was very torn inside about the death of his wife. It seems that he did not know how to cope with it and although she did not love him, he had a great amount of love for her.

2. "...then he blurted out that a couple of months ago his wife had come from the city with her face bruised and her nose swollen" (164).
Significance: Tom was known to be abusive to Myrtle, but Wilson was not aware that it was Tom who was her lover.

3. " 'I'm one of these trusting fellas and I don't think any harm to nobody, but when I get to know a thing I know it.' " (166).
Significance: Wilson thinks that he can be sure of himself and that he would never falsely accuse someone of an incident this serious even though he does.

4. "He believed that Mrs. Wilson had been running away from her husband, rather than trying to stop any particular car" (167).
Significance: It is believed that Myrtle was more in love with Money than Wilson. This is why she has an affair with Tom because he is wealthy unlike Wilson.

Analysis
In this chapter, Fitzgerald shows an example of how the American Dream fails. Myrtle was always trying to chase the dream, but after her death it showed that it wasn't meant for her. She was too concentrated on chasing money rather than love. Myrtle believed that money would buy her happiness and in reality it really got her no where far. She did not achieve wealth, love, or even the slightest amount of joy in her life. Most characters in the novel lived this lifestyle. They put on an act to make believed by others that they were high spirited and living that dream that everyone strives for. On the inside, these people were miserable and empty just hoping for a way to push away their sadness.