Myrtle and Gatsby both shared similar traits and characteristics about themselves throughout the whole novel. These two people were both striving for the same thing from the beginning of the novel to the end, and that was the “American Dream”. Nick described Gatsby’s home as “a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden” which is exactly what people think of when they hear the words “American Dream” (5). Gatsby had everything that he could ever want, except for Daisy; so Daisy was the one thing that was holding Gatsby back from having his full “American Dream”. Gatsby strived to win over
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Myrtle was having an affair with Tom and during that affair Tom symbolized many different things to her. Tom symbolized the “American Dream” which included money, wealth, and freedom which she did not have in her marriage with Wilson. Wilson stated the night before Myrtle’s murder that he had his wife locked up in a room and “she’s going to stay there till the day after to-morrow” (136). This shows that Myrtle had very little freedom in her relationship and it also showed why she was searching for someone else to give her freedom, and she found that Freedom in Tom. One night Tom took Myrtle out and while they were out she told Tom that “[she] want[ed] to get one of those dogs” so Tom went and bought her one (27). This shows that when Myrtle was out with Tom she did not consider herself a poor person she considers herself a person of higher class and expects Tom to get her the things that she wants because he has money. Like Gatsby the desire to obtain the “American Dream” also ultimately caused Myrtle’s death. Just before Myrtle’s death she had ran outside to get away from Wilson because he had locked her up in a room and was not going to let her out for two days or so, and while she was running away she saw “Tom’s” yellow car that he had been driving earlier so she ran to the road to stop him and talk to him. But what Myrtle did not know was that it was not Tom’s car it was Gatsby’s, and the
Myrtle was having an affair with Tom and during that affair Tom symbolized many different things to her. Tom symbolized the “American Dream” which included money, wealth, and freedom which she did not have in her marriage with Wilson. Wilson stated the night before Myrtle’s murder that he had his wife locked up in a room and “she’s going to stay there till the day after to-morrow” (136). This shows that Myrtle had very little freedom in her relationship and it also showed why she was searching for someone else to give her freedom, and she found that Freedom in Tom. One night Tom took Myrtle out and while they were out she told Tom that “[she] want[ed] to get one of those dogs” so Tom went and bought her one (27). This shows that when Myrtle was out with Tom she did not consider herself a poor person she considers herself a person of higher class and expects Tom to get her the things that she wants because he has money. Like Gatsby the desire to obtain the “American Dream” also ultimately caused Myrtle’s death. Just before Myrtle’s death she had ran outside to get away from Wilson because he had locked her up in a room and was not going to let her out for two days or so, and while she was running away she saw “Tom’s” yellow car that he had been driving earlier so she ran to the road to stop him and talk to him. But what Myrtle did not know was that it was not Tom’s car it was Gatsby’s, and the