The Role Of Myrtle In The Great Gatsby

Money enables the worst qualities in human beings. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, as Nick’s opinion of Tom and Daisy Buchanan evolves Nick begins to view them as careless because of their money. Due to Tom and Daisy being rich, their money protects them from having to deal with any of their consequences. Throughout the novel, Tom has a mistress, Myrtle Wilson. He takes her out in public and leads her into believing that “it’s his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s Catholic, and they don't believe in divorce” (Fitzgerald 37). However, Daisy is not a Catholic. Tom’s meddling in Myrtle’s life, ultimately leads to her death because Myrtle runs away from her husband towards, what she thought was, Tom’s car to speak with Tom, thinking he cares for her. However, Daisy is the one who actually ran over Myrtle, but Gatsby protects her. By Daisy having an affair with Gatsby, she gives him the false reality of her leaving Tom for him, declaring to Tom how she “never loved him” (132) and agreeing to leave Tom; only furthering to toy with Gatsby’s emotions for her own pleasure. Yet, she knows she will never leave Tom for Gatsby because only Tom gives her social status she desires. Also, after Tom leads grieving Wilson to Gatsby, telling Wilson it was Gatsby’s car that killed Myrtle. Even though Daisy was the one that killed Myrtle and Tom was the reason for her death, Tom and …show more content…
After Gatsby’s death, Tom and Daisy flee from the aftermath they created, receiving no consequences for their actions. Leading to the final formation of Nick’s opinion of them: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they