CHAPTER VII

Gatsby's house becomes much quieter, and his party's come to an end. Nick visits, and learns that Gatsby ended the parties because he no longer needed them to attract Daisy. He also learns that Gatsby also fired all of his servants because Daisy thought they might gossip about their relationship (she now visits often during the afternoon). Gatsby was concerned that the old servants were gossiping in town about Daisy’s visits to his mansion. The new servants may not actually be servants. They are rude, and the house is in disarray (chaos/disorder). He replaced the servants with some of Wolfsheim's men.

As soon as he gets Daisy, Gatsby no longer needs "new money" parties. But Gatsby can't escape the way he corrupted himself in his quest to become rich enough to win Daisy, as the presence of Wolfsheim's men shows.

Gatsby calls Nick to invite him to Daisy's house for lunch. Jordan Baker and Gatsby will be there, as well as Daisy and Tom. Nick agrees. On the hottest day of the summer, Daisy invites Nick and Gatsby to lunch with her, Tom and Jordan. Gatsby arrives at Daisy's to the sound of the phone ringing and Tom talking to who is obviously Myrtle. Daisy and Jordan are stretched out on the sofa, both dressed in white. Tom claims the phone call was a business deal and Nick, strangely, confirms this as fact. At one point, while Tom is out of the room, Daisy kisses Gatsby on the lips and says she loves him. But the next instant the nurse leads in her young daughter, Pammy. Daisy basically ignores the child, but Gatsby keeps glancing at the little girl in surprise.

When Daisy kisses Gatsby it seems that he's won. But even Gatsby senses that Daisy's daughter symbolizes a shared past between Daisy and Tom that Gatsby can't touch.

When Tom and Gatsby take a tour around the house, Gatsby points out that his house is directly across the sound from Tom's house. The lunch is awkward, at least in part because of the intense heat. After making conversation about the terrible heat, and briefly introducing her daughter to the group, Daisy proposes that they all go into town, meaning that they should go to Manhattan. After she makes the suggestion, she exchanges a few words with Gatsby, and Tom, watching the couple, realizes they are having an affair. Tom can see in Daisy's eyes that Daisy and Gatsby are in love. Tom becomes angry, but hides it by agreeing (approving) that they should all go to New York.

Tom discovers Daisy and Gatsby's affair. Daisy's comparing Gatsby to a man in an advertisement is her way of saying she loves him. For Daisy, corrupted by the consumer culture of the Roaring Twenties, love is just another material thing that can be advertised.

Before they leave for the city, Nick and Gatsby have a moment alone, in which they agree that Daisy is indiscreet (careless/reckless). Gatsby comments that Daisy's voice is "full of money."

Tom insists on driving Gatsby's big yellow car. Gatsby and Daisy drive Tom's car. Tom, Nick, and Jordan take Gatsby's bright yellow car. It's clear Tom now knows about the affair between Gatsby and Daisy. Gatsby's car is low on gas, though, and Tom pulls in to Wilson's Garage in the Valley of Ashes.

While selling him the gas, Wilson inquires about buying Tom's other car to resell it. He says he's trying to raise money to finance to move west that he has planned for him and his wife Myrtle. Tom is startled (surprised) at the imminent (forthcoming) loss of his mistress. Wilson adds that he has "wised up" recently and became physically ill upon discovering that his wife has been living a double life. Nick realizes that Wilson has figured out his wife is having an affair but doesn't know that Tom is the other man. He also thinks that Wilson and Tom are identical, except that Tom is healthy and Wilson sick. As Tom is talking to George, Nick notices the haunting eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg then spots Myrtle Wilson staring down from the windows above the garage she sees Jordan waiting in the car and assumes Jordan is Daisy, her rival in love, which makes her angry and jealous.

Finally everyone arrives in the city, where the group have taken a suite at the Plaza Hotel near Central Park. Soon after arriving, Tom begins challenging Gatsby. First he suggests that Gatsby has lied about attending Oxford. Gatsby successfully defends himself. When Gatsby successfully answers the question, Tom then asks Gatsby what is going on between him and Daisy. Gatsby replies that Daisy loves him, has never loved Tom, and that she plans to leave Tom and marry Gatsby.  Tom protests, but Daisy says it's true. Yet when Tom asks her to think about their history together, Daisy admits that she did love Tom in the past, she just loved Gatsby too. Gatsby is stunned (shocked). Tom, buoyed (sustained) by Daisy's uncertainty, tells Gatsby that Daisy would never leave him for a "bootlegger." Tom reveals that Gatsby really is involved with organized crime, such as bootlegging (Someone who makes or sells illegal liquor). All this terrifies Daisy, who begs that they leave and go home. Tom, realizing he's won, tells her to go back with Gatsby, who won't "annoy" her anymore.

Nick remembers at that moment that the day is his thirtieth birthday. He says that a "menacing (threatening/scary)" new decade stretched (pushed) before him. In Tom's car heading back toward Long Island (Gatsby and Daisy took Gatsby's car), Nick observes that unlike Daisy, people like Jordan Baker know better than to hold onto irretrievable (permanent/lasting) dreams. As Gatsby and Daisy drive by Wilson's garage, Myrtle runs out to the car. Daisy and Gatsby do not stop. Tom, Jordan, and Nick come on the scene next, and stop to see what is going on. Tom is distraught (worried/hysterical/upset) to learn that Myrtle has been killed, and when George describes the yellow car, he is certain Gatsby has killed her.

The point of view shifts to that of Michaelis, a Greek man who runs the coffee shop next to George Wilson's garage, and who, Nick, says, was the chief witness in the police investigation: that afternoon, Michaelis saw Wilson sick in his office and heard Myrtle struggling (aggressive) upstairs. Wilson told him he had locked her up until they moved west the following day. That evening, though, Michaelis saw Myrtle shout at Wilson downstairs and then run into the street where she was struck and killed by a passing car that may have been light green.

Tom, Jordan, and Nick drive to the Buchanan's house. Tom calls a taxi for Nick. As Nick waits for it outside, he sees Gatsby hiding in the bushes. Gatsby tells him that Daisy was driving the car and that he tried to stop the accident, but was too late. He says he'll take responsibility for it. He's less interested in what happened to Myrtle though, than in his fear that Tom will harm Daisy.

Nick goes and checks on Daisy through the window, and sees Tom and Daisy sitting, reconciled. They are not exactly happy, Nick thinks, but not exactly unhappy either. Nick tells Gatsby everything is quiet, but Gatsby still refuses to leave. Nick leaves Gatsby outside of the Buchanan's house, where he is standing by, in case Daisy needs him.