The Tragedy of Myrtle Wilson

751 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Myrtle and social class the great gatsby

Myrtle’s ambition proves to be her fatal flaw in being the tragic hero. The goal of her ambition is to lead her to a higher social status. In pursuit of her ambition she expresses that her husband, George Wilson, serves as an obstacle since he is in the opposite direction of where she wishes to be. She expresses disgust in George for committing actions that are considered lowly by her standards. She was particularly unenthused with her husband after it is revealed that “he borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married” without telling her. (35) She expresses her marriage as regretful, which illustrates her ambition to strive for better, being Tom. Essentially it illustrates that she would rather be treated with little respect to achieve status, rather than to be treated with respect without status. Myrtle not only exudes her ambition through her pompous attitude, but also in the manner in which she carries herself. She is a young woman in her “middle thirties, and faintly stout, but (carries) her surplus flesh sensuously,” and although she is not attributed with beauty she is somewhat charismatic. (25) The way in which she carries herself may be considered sexual, and her persona is alluring for men such as Tom. Her seducing persona illustrates her ambition in being a temptress in order to move up the social ladder. Myrtle’s perception of reality is blurred. She fails to recognize her social standing as someone of the lower class, and instead brings upon a self lead pretentious charade that she is of the upper class. She has an acquired habit of stating that various aspect in her life are under her expectations. She insists that she only “married him because (she) thought he was a gentleman”, and that he “fit to lick ... ... middle of paper ... ...y. When Daisy states that he is a brute, he expresses his dissatisfaction, however he remains calm. This illustrates that her perception is blurred since she does not recognize the fact that Tom has very little respect for her. Her trust for Tom is at a highly excessive level, ultimately resulting in the cost of her life. This occurs as “she (rushes) out (onto the road), into the dusk waving her hands and shouting” at the car in which she believes Tom to be driving. (7. 5-6. 137) As she sees the approaching vehicle she anticipates that it will stop for her since Tom is driving it. When she realizes that Tom is not in the car, and that the car is not stopping, it is too late and Myrtle is killed instantly. The poor sense of judgement that Myrle carries in her affair with Tom best illustrates her as the tragic hero. Works Cited Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby

Show More
Related

  • Who Is Myrtle's Power In The Great Gatsby

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    Myrtle Wilson came from a working class family with a low social standing. Due to her family’s lack of money, Myrtle’s options were limited to marrying men of equal or lower economic status than herself. As a result, Myrtle married George Wilson, a poor car mechanic. In her relationship with George, Myrtle lacked control due to her status as a woman and was thus forced to listen to her husband. However, because of her lower status, Myrtle did learn to use her physical attributes to her own advantage. In other words, Myrtle knew how to exaggerate her physical beauty in order to attract men such as Tom Buchanan; who would pay her with money and expensive gifts in return. Thus, “there is a clear connection between the material disadvantages” Myrtle faced and her lack of morals; given “the paucity of her allotment of the fundamental decencies” (Voegeli). In other words, because of her lack of economic backing, Myrtle Wilson grew up as a woman of lower class with less options in life; which limited her social power and drove her to act unlike any high class lady. Thus, Myrtle’s only option for increasing her status was through material services such as her relationship with Tom Buchanan. All in all, Myrtle Wilson’s economic status limited her to the life of a low class woman and her power others in her

    Read More

  • Fitzgerald's Presentation Of Myrtle In The Great Gatsby

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first time that the reader catches an insight of Myrtle, Fitzgerald develops Myrtle to be a mere object of Tom's’ desire. Fitzgerald does this to extenuate the fact that Tom will not move on past Daisy to be with her. Tom “got some women” that supposedly is a secret but there is a lack of secretism on Myrtles end seeing as she is now calling during evening meals from “New York” just to talk to Tom. This further proves that she is in need of attention, something her husband can not fully give her at any random moment of the day. Myrtle is willing to express herself even when she’s already married. It reveals that she is deceiving her own husband, who is later mentioned in the novel. This allows for Myrtle to be looked down upon by the reader, it also entails her to be seen as an attention seeker. Again, Fitzgerald appeals to present-day behaviors by allowing Myrtle to be viewed as someone who wants to be showcased. Almost everyone can relate that they’ve wanted attention in their life at some point. This connects Myrtle to the reader's past or current feelings. Fitzgerald uses this to let readers feel compassion for Myrtle which emphasizes all she needs is for someone to properly love her, treat her, and show her what she needs to do to become successful in her

    Read More

  • Tom's Infidelity In The Great Gatsby

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Myrtle appears as the total opposite character to the Daisy. She is ‘thick, faintly stout” (Fitzgerald 29), but “sensuously” and “immediately perceptible about her vitality” (Fitzgerald 29). She is the woman from “the bottom” who wants to be acceptable as a lady from the upper class. She is terribly vulgar, but she is more alive and natural than Daisy is. The unpleasant scene in their apartments, where Carraway appeared because of Myrtle’s invitation, is full of the philistine contentment and boasting.

    Read More

  • Women’s Rights in the 1920’s and Examples in F. Scott Fitzgerald´s The Great Gatsby

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...aughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment and as she expanded the room grew smaller around her until she seemed to be revolving on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air” (Fitzgerald 35). Myrtle represents the “need” of women to be known for having money and wealth so that she is much more popular. Myrtle wears the dress to disguise her current status and act as if she is a part of the rich, but in reality she is poor and naive, but the transformation of the dress changes her to rich and conceited.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Reinvention In The Great Gatsby

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    Myrtle Wilson did not have a lot in the beginning, but she gained a new life with Tom when she tried to reinvent herself for him. Things like new dresses, a big apartment, and fancy outings with Tom became the new “normal” for Myrtle. On the other hand, Myrtle lost the respect of her husband and friends when everyone found out about her affair. In addition to losing respect, Myrtle also lost herself, both mentally and physically, when she tried to keep secrets and live a double life. She became someone she did not recognize, and although her end in the novel was tragic, it was a cost that she had to

    Read More

  • Importance of Myrtle in The Great Gatsby

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tom knew Myrtle better than any of the main characters.  He had met her on a train headed for New York.  When the train reached the city, she went with him in a taxi, and their affair began.  Tom never made much of an effort to keep their relationship secret.  In fact, he almost paraded her around in the presence of his acquaintances.  They made frequent trips into New York so that they could be together.  Myrtle was Tom's escape from his own life in East Egg.  While Daisy provided him with a wealthy, acceptable social image, she was not much more to him than a mere possession.  His affair with Myrtle offered him a chance to defy his social expectations.  Their relationship was important to him because of this opportunity to escape.  When Myrtle died, it shook him deeply, especially because he believed Gatsby had been driving the yellow car.  After leaving George Wilson's garage the night of the accident, he managed to drive slowly until he and Nick were out of sight.  Then he slammed his foot down on the accelerator, driving much faster.  He began quietly sobbing, privately mourning her death.  He immediately blamed Gatsby for bringing their relationship to an abrupt halt.  "That God damned coward!" he cried.  "He didn't even stop his car."  His feelings of anger and hurt were greatly intensified by the day spent in New York....

    Read More

  • The American Dream In The Great Gatsby And Of Mice And Men

    1438 Words  | 3 Pages

    Myrtle Wilson takes on the task of gaining social status and wealth in a corrupt way. Myrtle Wilson betrays her husband to climb the ladder of wealth. Tom Buchanan becomes used by Myrtle to acquire glistening mounds of wealth. “Myrtle Wilson does not have many material items. She has a loyal husband, but Myrtle wants everything else… She feels she deserves more; she feels that she deserves more; she feels she deserves Tom, his money, power, and influence” (Dawson). Myrtle Wilson’s intentions become obvious during The Great Gatsby. If Myrtle Wilson wanted love, she could have looked to her husband, George Wilson, who truly loved her. Her dream of wealth, however, dominated her desire of love. Myrtle could have easily ended her relationship with Tom due to his frequent violence if it was simply about love. Myrtle could endure the violence if it meant she could achieve her American

    Read More

  • Examples Of Chase The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    She wants someone who has a lot of wealth in order for her to live a luxiours life. She begins to have an affair with Tom and it causes harm to her marriage which she has with George. She says to herself when meeting Tom the first time, "You can 't live forever; you can 't live forever" (38). Myrtle realizes Tom is a wealthy individual and having an affair with him will help her climb out of the social class in which she is trapped in. She sees him as the perfect man representing the American Dream. She lives in the Valley of the Ashes with her husband, George, who is the owner of a garage. She married him because she thought he was a gentlemen and he knew something about breeding. But it turned out he was not financially stable and it causes Myrtle not to love him. This shows how Myrtle is acquisitive and she does not appreciate George for who he is. She realizes life is fading away from her along with her youth and in order to live the life she always desires, she must become Tom’s mistress. She wants to live the rich and famous life style which George could not provide. This shows how Myrtle is morally corrupt because she does not see the harm in having an extramarital affair and just looks to pursue wealth. This eventually leads to her own death. The chase for the American Dream causes corruption and destruction within

    Read More

  • Theme Of Childhood In The Great Gatsby

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    At Wilson’s garage, Tom tells Myrtle “I want to see you . . . Get on the next train” (Fitzgerald 26). At this point in the novel, Myrtle’s presence serves as an irresistible necessity to Tom. Her presence regresses him to act as though he never grew up. Myrtle recalls how Tom and she met by explaining “When we came into the station he was next to me, and his white shirt-front pressed against my arm, and so I told him I’d have to call a policeman, but he knew I lied” (Fitzgerald 36). Myrtle’s young and flirtatious behavior compels Tom to take advantage of her in a way that helps him escape from reality; but by doing so, he cheats on his wife. On their way to New York, Myrtle tells Nick “Come on . . . I’ll telephone my sister Catherine. She’s said to be very beautiful by people who ought to know” (Fitzgerald 28). In her persuasive tone, Myrtle entices Nick to join in on her and Tom’s festivities, with some hesitation he eventually succumbs to the pressure, just like Tom gives in to her desires. Myrtle manages to get her way by ignoring the adult morals and makes that act appealing to others, therefore persuading them to join

    Read More

  • Women In The Great Gatsby

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    Firstly, how the character Myrtle Wilson is constructed reveals new, sensuous attitudes females of the early 20th century were adopting. In the text, narrator Nick Carraway describes that Myrtle “carried her flesh sensuously as some women can” (page 28), therefore implying that Myrtle Wilson is very in touch with her sexuality and knows

    Read More

  • Money In The Great Gatsby Analysis

    835 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first time she makes an appearance is in the “unprosperous and bare” setting that is her husband’s garage (29). Her walking straight towards Tom Buchanan and ignoring her husband (30) symbolizes what she is doing in her marriage: shunning moneyless George Wilson in favor of well-to-do Tom. It is obvious that she is not a woman of wealth; however, that is exactly what she wants to be. In order to be an elite, she “must cross a vast social divide to reach the territory of the upper class” (Donaldson 192). In addition, Myrtle likely acquires knowledge of the rich and famous from Town Tattle (Little 12). Through the magazine, she is presented with a glorified version of money, a glossed over image of elegant parties with women in fashionable dresses. She tries to emulate this image at her party by changing into a dress and exuding contempt (35), “pitifully [attempting] to put on airs” (Little 192). She later blatantly reveals her disdain for her lack of money through her complaint about her husband’s borrowed suit, saying that she “lay down and cried to beat the band all afternoon” after returning her husband’s suit to its owner (39). However, it is her death that money impacts the most. When she dies, she is running towards Gatsby’s car. Gatsby informs Nick that “it [seems] that she… [thinks] we were somebody she [knows]” (151). Given that, she is running towards Tom, the person she believes would

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in The Great Gatsby

    1299 Words  | 3 Pages

     Why is the novel so intrigued by Myrtle Wilson’s “immediately perceptible vitality” (30), on the one hand, yet almost viciously cruel in its mockery of her upper class pretension on the other hand? (see for example, pp.29-35 where Nick contrasts Myrtle’s “intense vitality” with her and her sister Catherine’s laughable attempts to posture themselves as modern society women. Indeed, Nick twice remarks Catherine’s plucked and redrawn eyebrows as affronts to her “nature” (see p.34, and again at the very end on pp.171-172). What’s up with that?)

    Read More

  • Examples Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s a Catholic, and they don’t believe in divorce’. Daisy was not a Catholic, and I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie” (Fitzgerald 33). While Tom is being corrupt for lying to Myrtle about his wife being a Catholic, Myrtle seems to be desperate to marry Tom. So much so that Tom had to make such a lie so that she won’t want to marry him. The quote implies that Myrtle has asked Tom to divorce Daisy. “The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake…” (Fitzgerald 35). Myrtle couldn’t care less about her husband. In the American Dream, the typical married couple treat each other with love and respect. In the quote, though, it is clear that she doesn't love him. After all, she cheats on him with Tom Buchanan. She strives to become rich through Tom, achieving the American Dream but also destroying it by being unfaithful. “For Myrtle Wilson, the truth gets in the way of her personal goal: to become a woman of class. She hides her affair with Tom Buchanan because the truth would prevent her from living life in the city as the well-kept mistress of a wealthy man. As Tom's lover, she can live a better life than George can provide” (Gale 271). Myrtle shows corruption of the American Dream by cheating on her husband for her own

    Read More

  • The Significance Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

    754 Words  | 2 Pages

    “I married him because I thought he was a gentleman... I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe”(page 34). Myrtle wanted the American Dream of having money and in this quote it shows she thought that George would be able to give her that. However, George was actually poor. When Myrtle is was how she met Tom she says that “he had on a dress suit and patent leather shoes” and that she couldn't keep her “eyes off of him”(36). Of course Myrtle goes for a man who is dressed nice because she desires wealth. Lastly, Gatsby says “it seemed to me that she wanted to speak to us, thought we were somebody she knew”(143). This explains that Myrtle thought the yellow car was owned by Tom most likely because Tom, Nick, and Daisy all stopped for gas there earlier in the day. Myrtle died for her strong desire for wealth, she wanted the American Dream.

    Read More

  • The American Nightmare Essay

    698 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...sm of how women relied on men during the 20’s socio-economically. She also is attacked by Fitzgerald by her materialistic ways. She married a so called George Wilson hoping his “well-bred” qualities will lead him to be successful and wealthy. Wilson did not succumb to wealth and corruption and ended up living an honest and moderate life. He was hard-working, respectable and unfortunately had a rather poor life. Myrtle, on the other hand, could not put up with this. Although she is married to George, she cheats on him with Tom Buchanan to climb up the social ladder and attain more materialistic goods. Her amoral actions and the dishonest wealthy people led George to finally blow up. A once decent mad ended up killing Jay Gatsby. Although Myrtle and George are small characters within the novel, Fitzgerald portrays very strong messages through their presence.

    Read More

More about The Tragedy of Myrtle Wilson

Open Document