The Great Gatsby: Chapter Seven Analysis & Summary

Plot

This is the main chapter in the book, in this chapter it’s about Daisy inviting over Gatsby, and writing other people there so it won’t look suspicious. Daisy also invites Nick Carraway, and Jordan Baker over for lunch too. Everyone finds the weather unbearably hot, and they decide to go into town.

They stay in a hotel room, and that’s when Tom Buchanan confronts Gatsby about his affair with Daisy, his wife. “She’s not leaving me!” Tom’s words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby, “Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger.” Tom knows by hiring an investigator that Gatsby had come into money, and not really worked hard for it.

He also doubts that daisy would leave him for someone that doesn’t have a lot of money, and couldn’t support her lavish lifestyle. Gatsby and Daisy drive back home, and run over Myrtle Wilson on the way home, and leaves Mr. Wilson trembling. Tom and Daisy return to their normal life.

Symbols

The yellow car is a symbol of Gatsby’s free self. It’s a symbol for Daisy, who has blonde hair. It represents him having a lot of money and wanting to show it off in a way that will stand out.

Daisy is a symbol for a golden girl. “Daisy watched him and laughed her sweet exciting laugh.” Daisy is the type of person that can charm anyone with her laugh. She is the girl all the boys want but cant have. Just like the type of girl F. Scott Fitzgerald went for in college.

The heat is a symbol that the day is over, and the sun, the heat, and all the controversy are over. Gatsby hides in the moonlight after Daisy and Tom go inside their house.

Themes

There is confusion when Gatsby keeps saying that Daisy loves only him. Daisy says she never loved Tom, but admits to having loved him once. “I never loved him,” she said, with perceptible reluctance” (Gatsby 139), and then Daisy says “Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom,” she admitted in a pitiful voice. “It wouldn’t be true” (Gatsby 140). Daisy was sure she wanted to be with Gatsby, but the more he tries to defend himself, she gives up.

There is anger when Tom confronts Gatsby; he wants to know the truth, and why it’s happening. Nick also becomes fed up with all the drama going on, and doesn’t want to wait inside the Buchanans for his taxi. Gatsby also gets angry when Daisy says she loved Tom, and tries not to lose his cool.

Another theme is sorrow; Daisy realizes that there has never been a future with Gatsby. Mr. Wilson is also full of sorrow and sickness when he realizes Myrtle has a life apart from him.

Development of Characters

Daisy is pretty mindless. She doesn’t really think, and is excited about leaving Tom and going for Gatsby. Once Tom starts confronting Gatsby about his past Daisy gives up on her dream of living with Gatsby, when it becomes clear to her, she cant be with Gatsby. “But with every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer tangible, struggling unhappily” (Gatsby 142). Daisy doesn’t believe there is a real future with Gatsby.

Gatsby is cool and confident at the beginning of the chapter, but when Daisy says she once did love Tom, and not only Gatsby, he begins to doubt himself. Especially when Tom is confronting him about his past, like being an “Oxford man,” and the drug stores.

Nick becomes sick from watching all the drama and refuses to go into Buchanan’s house, even when Jordan asks him to come in. Usually, Nick is very passive, but he can’t take any more drama especially on his 30^th birthday.

Tom at the beginning of the chapter is suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy. He doesn’t know what Daisy will do. Once Tom starts questioning Gatsby, he knows that Daisy won’t leave him, and they go back to the way they once were.

Mr. Wilson changes, at the beginning, he is sick of the fact that Myrtle has a life without him, and he is eager to leave town and take Myrtle with him. When Myrtle dies he became very sad, angry, and can hardly talk.

Prominent Quotations

“What kind of row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?” (Gatsby 136). This is when Tom is putting out Gatsby’s and Daisy’s affair, and confronting Gatsby in a cool, calm way.

“Your wife Doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby quietly. “She’s never loved you. She loves me” (Gatsby 137). This is when Gatsby is trying to make Tom feel bad, and make him believe Daisy has only ever loved Gatsby, and that she only married Tom for his money.

“It was a yellow car,” he said. “Big yellow car, new.” (Gatsby 147). This is when the person who watched the accident is identifying the vehicle that ran over Myrtle Wilson.

“Well, I tried to swing the wheel,” he broke off, and suddenly guessed at the truth. “Was Daisy driving?” “Yes,” he said after a moment, “But of course I’ll say I was” (Gatsby 151). While Nick is waiting for his taxi, he sees Gatsby hiding outside the Buchanan’s, and Nick realizes Daisy killed Myrtle. Gatsby loves Daisy and wants to protect her, so he’ll tell everyone he killed Myrtle.