Gastby Chapter 8 Journal

Summary: The next day, Gatsby gets home at dawn. Nick can't sleep and goes over to see him. Gatsby reports that nothing happened, and they start looking around the house until they find cigarettes. Nick advises Gatsby to leave town because they can trace his car, but Gatsby doesn't want to leave Daisy. Nick narrates more about Gatsby's past. He talks about Gatsby's old days with Daisy at her house, and how Gatsby had made Daisy think he could give her security in life. gatsby realized that he couldn't just drop Daisy like any other fling, he realized that she was like a quest for the Holy Grail. Gatsby then tells Nick that he was surprised to find that he loved Daisy and recalls their last day together before Gatsby went to war, sitting tranquilly together by a fire. Gatsby continues speaking to Nick about his past, how well he did in the war, how he got sent to Oxford, and how Daisy didn't understand why he couldn't return. Daisy started dating a bunch of other men, and then finally married Tom. Gatsby got the letter announcing their marriage while he was at Oxford. As morning breaks, Nick and Gatsby go around opening up the windows. Gatsby says Diasy still never loved Tom more than him. Nick then tells us about Gatsby returning to Louisville while Tom and Daisy were on their honeymoon. Gatsby walked the cold, Novermber streets wistfully, remembering his time with Daisy before the war, and wishing he could go back. Nick and Gatsby finished eating breakfast, and one of Gatsby's servants asks if he should drain the pool. Gatsby tells him no. Nick then sits with Gatsby, but finally has to leave, and is late to work. Nick tells Gatsby he'll call him later and tells Gatsby that he's worth more than the whole rotten crowd put together. nick recalls when he first met Gatsby, and they say their goodbyes. Later at work, Jordan calls Nick saying she left Daisy's and wants to see him that afternoon. Nick says he can't and eventually they stop talking and hang up. Nick tries calling Gatsby, but the line is being kept open for a call from Detroit. Nick travels past the Valley of Ashes on his way home and remembers what happened after the night of the accident. Myrtle's sister, Catherine, was drunk and arrived after the ambulance had already left. Someone took her after the ambulance in their car. Crowds of people were gathered around the garage. George kept rocking himself on the couch. Michaelis stayed with Wilson until dawn. George Wilson went a little crazy over the course of the night. He told Michaelis he could find out who the car belonged to. Michaelis keeps getting him to talk so that he can keep his mind off his looming insanity, asking him about his marriage and church. Wilson shows Michaelis a dog leash he found on Myrtle's dresser. It was the dog leash Tom had bought her. Wilson then goes off again about how "he" murdered her and how he can find out who her killer is. Wilson believes that the man in the car was Myrtle's lover. The morning light grows, and Wilson walks over to the window. He speaks about how you can't hide from God, as he looks at the eyes of Eckleberg. Michaelis tells him that it is just a billboard and goes home ot get some sleep. He returns shortly thereafter to find that Wilson has left the garage. Wilson has gone in search of Gatsby, and learns from someone in West Egg (either Tom or Daisy) who Gatsby is and where he lives. Around that time, Gatsby makes his way to his pool, and has finally acknowledged the death and hopelessness of his dream. The butler hears gun shots, and being one of Wolfsheim's men, makes no notice of it. Nick goes to Gatbsy's house when he gets back from work, and can feel something is wrong. The butler, chaffeur, and gardener rush to the pool. There they find Gatsby's body lying in the pool, and Wilson's body in the bushes. The month is now Septmeber.

Symbols: Myrtle's dog leash. Doctor T.J. Eckleberg. Gatsby's yellow car. The Valley fo Ashes.