They lack knowledge or information which leaves them believing false thoughts. The most innocent ignorance can be shown through Mr. Wilson. Tom states that Mr. Wilson believes that Myrtle leaves so often to visit her sister in New York. His lack of knowledge or intelligence keeps him from noticing his wife’s suspicious actions. Then comes Catherine, who shows ignorance about her sister’s affairs, but also through other subjects as well. Catherine mentions she has been to one of Gatsby’s parties, and she already has believed some of the rumors she heard. She did not get information directly from Gatsby, but yet she believes that he is the nephew of Kaiser Wilhelm’s who was the ruler of Germany during World War I. Another example of ignorance in chapter two comes from Myrtle. Myrtle tells Nick how she first met Tom. She first fell for him on a train because of how well dressed he was. At the party in chapter two, Tom breaks Myrtle’s nose with a punch because she mentioned Daisy’s name. Myrtle’s ignorance of relating a well-dressed man with a well-behaved man got her into an abusive affair. The second part of the title, “The Bystanders and the Ignorant” is shown through the guests at the party and their belief in false …show more content…
The guests are aware that Tom and Myrtle are both married, but they do not speak out against this wrongdoing. They do not inform Mr. Wilson, or Daisy of their spouse’s affairs, and do not even let Myrtle and Tom know that cheating is wrong. Along with the bystanders in this chapter comes a high level of ignorance. In all the titleless chapters, the second chapter can be named, “The Bystanders and the Ignorant” for its relation to how the characters in this chapter act and think. Nick Carraway quotes in the novel that he is “one of the few honest people” that he has ever known, but chapter two outlines a suspicion to the reader that this is false. As the guests at the party, including Nick, all stand at an event of wrongdoing, they fail to stand up for what is right or discover the truth of certain situations on their