Chapter Seven
Characterization
Gatsby, Daisy,
Tom, Nick
Style
Theme
American Upper
Class, Importance
of Time and the
Past
Structure
Turning Point, End
Symbolism
Weather, Gatsby
Characterization - Gatsby


“They’re some people Wolfshiem wanted to
do something for” - this again adds doubt in
our minds about Gatsby’s judgement and
wisdom.
Wolfshiem is a shady character. What does it
suggest about Gatsby that he is prepared to
surround himself by people like this?
Characterization - Gatsby


It is in this chapter that Gatsby’s fortune is
revealed as illegally acquired “I found out what your drug stores were.’
He turned to us and spoke rapidly. ‘He and
this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street
drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold
grain alcohol over the counter...I picked him
for a bootlegger the first time I saw him.”
Characterization - Gatsby




“He spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only
thing that mattered”
conveys another negative aspect
He is only worried about Daisy and
completely ignores the fact that Myrtle was
killed
“Of course I’ll say I was” – shows how much
he is in love with Daisy. He is prepared to
take the blame for Myrtle’s death—WHY!!??
Characterization - Nick



Again this chapter calls into question Nick’s
reliability as a narrator.
Discuss the way in which the following
quote is significant in arousing the
reader’s suspicions regarding his
reliability:
“ I had one of those renewals of complete
faith in him that I’d experienced before”
Characterization - Daisy

“Her voice is full of money,” he said
suddenly”

Gatsby’s description of Daisy again adds to
our negative connotations. This description
once again suggests a materialistic nature
and a lack of emotion and spirit.
Characterization - Daisy




Daisy’s negative portrayal continues when Gatsby’s
past is revealed:
“ With every word she was drawing further and
further into herself”
It is further reinforced at the end of the chapter- “I
walked away and left him standing there in the
moonlight – watching over nothing”
Daisy has chosen to ignore the fact that Gatsby is
prepared to take the blame for Myrtle’s death
Characterization - Tom

“Your wife does,” exclaimed Tom, startled”.

Tom has just heard that his lover is leaving
him. In addition, his wife is having an affair.
His world has crashed around him in one
afternoon
Discuss - why the reader feels very little
sympathy for Tom

Characterization - Tom

“I’ll be damned if I see how you got within a
mile of her unless you brought the groceries
to the back door”

This is a clear example of class distinction.
Tom tries to assert his superiority over
Gatsby and emphasises how unsuitable a
suitor he is for Daisy
Characterization - Tom

Tom’s hypocrisy shines through in the
following quote:

“And what’s more, I love Daisy too. Once in
a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of
myself, but I always come back, and in my
heart I love her all the time”
Characterization - Tom

This is totally hypocritical of Tom. He has no
qualms about his extra marital affairs, but
feels a victim when Daisy’s affair is revealed
Symbolism – Hot Weather
“The next day was broiling, almost the last,
certainly the warmest of the summer”
In this chapter, the hot weather reflects the
climax of Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship
Symbolism - Hot Weather



“In this heat every extra gesture was an
affront to the common store of life”
The oppressive heat adds to the
uncomfortable atmosphere and contributes
to what happens in the chapter – not just
Myrtle’s accident, but also the confrontation
between Tom and Gatsby
The fiery and intense sun symbolises Tom’s
fiery confrontation with Gatsby
Symbolism - Gatsby in the bushes

“I hadn’t gone twenty yards when I heard my
name and Gatsby stepped from between two
bushes into the path”

This signifies the reality of his love for Daisy.
She is not concerned about him, but he is still
keeping watch. This makes the reader feel
sorry for Gatsby and almost forget his
criminal past
Theme: Shallowness of the American
Upper Classes

“I’ve heard of making a garage out of a stable,’ Tom
was saying to Gatsby, ‘ but I’m the first man who
ever made a stable out of a garage.”

This symbolises his shallowness. The stables will
be for his polo ponies as he does not need to work.
Wilson depends on his garage for survival.
Theme: Importance of Time and the Past

“You loved me too?” he repeated.

Gatsby’s obsession with having a “blissful
past” continue into the present makes him
want Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved
him.
Theme: Importance of Time and the Past

However, Tom reminding Daisy of their past,
is clever. He is using their personal history to
remind Daisy that she had feelings for him.

BY CONTROLLING THE PAST, TOM
ERADICATES GATSBY’S VISION OF THE
FUTURE
Structure/ Style

One of the most important moments in the
chapter is when Tom becomes certain of
Gatsby and Daisy’s feelings for each other –

“She had told him that she loved him, and
Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His
mouth opened a little, and he looked at
Gatsby, and then back at Daisy”
Structure/ Style


The climax of the novel occurs with the line,
“But with every word she was drawing further
and further into herself”
This is the climax, the most critical part of the
novel as it is now clear that Gatsby has lost
Daisy for good
Structure/ Style

This is reinforced by Tom’s words “I think he
realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation
is over”

Here, Tom feels secure enough to send
Daisy back to East Egg with Gatsby. This
confirms Nick’s observation that Gatsby’s
dream is dead.
Structure/Style


The ending of the chapter with Gatsby hiding
in the bushes clearly parallels Gatsby pining
for Daisy at the end of Chapter One.
In Chapter One he was optimistic about their
future, but now he has made it past the
green light onto the lawn of Daisy’s house.
However, now his dream is gone for ever as
Daisy and Tom have reconciled their
differences – “His hand had fallen upon and
covered her own”
Characterization - Daisy

This chapter again conveys Daisy’s lack of
maternalistic qualities and again reinforces
our impression of her being non-maternal
“The child, relinquished by the nurse, rushed
across the room and rooted shyly into her
mother’s dress”
Characterization - Daisy

Consider the following quote. In what way
does it convey negative connotations
regarding Daisy’s characterization:
“That’s because your mother wanted to show
you off”
Characterization - Daisy


“Daisy sat back upon the couch. The nurse took a
step forward and held out her hand....”Good-bye,
sweetheart!”
Her daughter’s “reluctant backward glance” suggests
she would like to stay with her mother. However,
Daisy simply dismisses her and does not even refer
to her by her name. This again adds to our negative
impression of Daisy.