- Nick describes the land that lies in between the Eggs and New York as a "valley of ashes" (2.1), which sounds really unpleasant.
- Above this dead land—er, "Waste Land," perhaps?—are the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, or rather, a billboard that features the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg.
- No, it's not socialite graffiti, just an advertisement for an eye doctor. But we get the feeling it's meaningful.
- In case you're interested in colors (and in this book, we recommend it), the eyes are blue and the spectacles yellow.
- Anyway, the whole reason we hear about these ashes and eyes is that Nick is traveling to the city with Tom, who insists on stopping to show Nick his mistress.
- We love show and tell!
- The mistress is the wife of an auto mechanic named George B. Wilson.
(Click the summary infographic to download.)
- Tom acts like a jerk towards the husband (who is doing some sort of car work for him) and then sends the wife (Myrtle) a not-so-covert message to come with him to the city.
- George (Myrtle's husband) is blissfully ignorant. He thinks Myrtle just goes to the city to visit her sister.
- On the train to the city, Myrtle wants a puppy.
- So Tom buys her a puppy. Obviously.
- This whole situation is so wrong that Nick tries to jump ship. But the happy couple doesn't let him.
- In the city, they head to the adulterous sex apartment and meet up with others, including a Mr. McKee and Myrtle's sister, Catherine.
- They drink a lot of Tom's whiskey, and Nick gets drunk for the second time in his life.
- When Nick reveals that he lives in West Egg, one of the drunken revelers goes on and on about the fabulous parties that this guy Gatsby throws.
- Myrtle's sister whispers to Nick that Myrtle and Tom both hate their spouses. So, apparently, Tom has told Myrtle some lies to string her along without having to divorce Daisy.
- There is some discussion of not marrying below your social caste, which apparently Myrtle did.
- Tom tells Myrtle to stop saying Daisy's name.
- Myrtle, of course, says "Daisy, Daisy, Daisy."
- ... and then Tom breaks her nose.
- Nick gets too drunk to remember how he got into bed.