Chapter 7: Summary

Wanting to spend more time with Daisy, Gatsby stops throwing his routine Saturday parties. He fires all his servants to avoid spreading rumors about the two of them. He replaces them with people connected to Meyer. On the hottest summer day, Nick goes over to Daisy’s house for lunch. On reaching there, Nick realizes that Jordan and Gatsby have also been invited. Daisy’s infant daughter is brought into the room, whom Daisy is not interested in. When Tom takes leave to speak to his mistress, Daisy kisses Gatsby, declaring her love for him. Tom observes the glances exchanged between Daisy and Gatsby and is convinced that they are having an affair.

Enraged by what he has just learned, Tom agrees they should go to the city. Tom, Jordan, and Nick drive in Gatsby’s car, whereas Gatsby and Daisy leave in Tom’s car. They stop by Wilson’s garage to buy fuel, and the group learns that Wilson is now in the know about Myrtle’s affair. However, he does not know who the lover is. They leave the gas station and go to New York City, where they all get a suite at the Plaza Hotel. There, Tom confronts Gatsby about his love for Daisy. Gatsby responds that Daisy has “never” loved Tom. At this, Tom looks at Daisy for confirmation, who does not admit that she never loved Tom. Since Tom is confident that Daisy will not leave him, he lets her return home in Gatsby’s car.

Tom, Nick, and Jordan head back to Long Island, and, on their way, notice that there has been an accident in the Valley of Ashes. They realize that Myrtle is the victim; she’d been killed by a car. The description of the car that hit Myrtle matches Gatsby’s, further enraging Tom.

When they get back to Tom’s house, Nick stays outside. Gatsby is hiding in some bushes. After asking a few questions, Nick learns that Daisy, not Gatsby, was driving at the time. Gatsby, however, says he’ll take the blame.

Chapter 7: Analysis

The characters’ paths, once loosely related, now intersect. The oppressiveness of the weather seems to go hand in hand with the mood of the chapter. Enraged by the thought that he might lose both his wife and mistress, Tom strikes violently at Gatsby. In Tom’s elitist mind, Gatsby is common and, therefore, his existence is meaningless. Tom then lists the various illegal activities Gatsby was involved in. Aware that public image is very important in West Egg circles, and for Daisy, he uses this knowledge about Gatsby to disgrace him.

The moral decay Fitzgerald had been discussing becomes very clear in this chapter. While Tom has no qualms cheating on his wife, he cannot accept her doing the same. Daisy is aware that Tom is unfaithful to her and that Gatsby is truly committed to her, yet she chooses to be with Tom due to his social standing.

By the end of the chapter, Gatsby has been fully exposed. Stripped of all his aura and mystery, he stands outside Daisy’s house, vulnerable and tragically alone.