Antonio Mcgowan
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, *The Great Gatsby*, Tom Buchanan buys Myrtle Wilson a puppy on their way to his apartment in New York City. This purchase occurs in Chapter 2, illustrating Tom's attempt to indulge Myrtle's desires and maintain their affair. While the novel does not mention Tom buying perfume for Myrtle, it is mentioned that Myrtle bought herself a small flask of perfume at a drugstore.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who buys the puppy for Myrtle? | Tom |
| What does Tom buy for Myrtle? | A puppy and an apartment in the city |
| What does the puppy symbolize? | Superficial nature of their relationship, power, and materialism |
| What is the significance of the puppy episode? | It reveals Tom's arrogance and prejudice towards lower-class civilians |
| What is the puppy episode in Chapter 2? | It is a clue that confirms for George, Myrtle's husband, that his wife is having an affair |
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What You'll Learn
Tom buys Myrtle a puppy
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan buys Myrtle Wilson a puppy while they are on their way to his apartment in New York City. This moment occurs in Chapter 2, illustrating Tom's attempt to indulge Myrtle's desires and maintain their affair.
The purchase of the puppy symbolises Tom's power and the superficial nature of his relationship with Myrtle. It also highlights themes of materialism and infidelity in the novel. Myrtle, who desperately wishes to marry Tom and desires his upper-class lifestyle, sees the puppy as a significant step towards formally recognising her relationship with him. However, Tom's purchase of the puppy also reveals his arrogance and prejudice towards lower-class civilians, as he speaks to the seller with contempt.
The puppy plays a larger role later in the novel. It is the reason George Wilson, Myrtle's husband, discovers her infidelity. After Myrtle is killed, George finds a new dog collar among her things, which confirms his suspicions that she was cheating on him. This sets in motion the chain of events that lead to the murder of Gatsby.
Overall, the purchase of the puppy deepens the reader's understanding of the characters' motivations and the societal norms concerning relationships and materialism during the 1920s. It also underscores the turbulent and adulterous nature of Tom and Myrtle's relationship.
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The puppy symbolises Tom's power
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, *The Great Gatsby*, Tom Buchanan buys a puppy for his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, on their way to his apartment in New York City. This moment occurs in Chapter 2, illustrating Tom's attempt to indulge Myrtle's desires and maintain their affair. The puppy is the last of several purchases that Tom makes for Myrtle, including a magazine, cold cream, and perfume.
The purchase of the puppy symbolises Tom's power and control in the relationship. It represents his superficial commitment to Myrtle and his casual attitude towards their affair. Tom uses material possessions as a means of expressing his feelings, and the puppy is a token of his affection for Myrtle. The act of buying the puppy also reveals Tom's arrogance and prejudice towards lower-class civilians, as he speaks to the seller with contempt.
Myrtle, on the other hand, sees the puppy as a way to solidify and domesticate her adulterous relationship with Tom. She desperately wishes to marry Tom and desires his upper-class, luxurious lifestyle. In Myrtle's eyes, purchasing a dog is a significant step towards formally recognising their relationship. However, Tom does not share the same commitment to Myrtle as he views her as a commodity for his entertainment.
The puppy also serves a larger purpose in the novel. It is the reason George Wilson, Myrtle's husband, discovers her infidelity. After Myrtle is killed, George finds a new dog collar among her things, which confirms his suspicions of her affair. This sets in motion the chain of events that lead to the murder of Gatsby.
Overall, the puppy episode in *The Great Gatsby* is significant as it provides insight into the characters' motivations and societal norms concerning relationships and materialism during the 1920s. It symbolises Tom's power and control in his relationship with Myrtle, as well as the superficial nature of their affair.
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Myrtle's attempt to solidify their relationship
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, *The Great Gatsby*, Myrtle Wilson attempts to solidify her relationship with Tom Buchanan by buying a puppy and using the apartment that he rents for her in the city. Myrtle's purchase of the puppy is an attempt to embrace her relationship with Tom and solidify their turbulent affair. Myrtle desperately wishes to marry Tom and desires his upper-class, luxurious lifestyle. She sees the puppy as a significant step toward formally recognizing her relationship with Tom.
Myrtle's attempts to solidify her relationship with Tom are also reflected in the themes of materialism and infidelity in the novel. Tom indulges Myrtle's desires by giving her luxurious gifts, such as an apartment in the city and hosting extravagant parties. The puppy, in particular, symbolizes Tom's power and the superficial nature of their relationship. It represents Myrtle's attempt to domesticate herself and their relationship, as well as Tom's casual attitude toward commitments and his desire to placate Myrtle.
The puppy also plays a significant role in the plot of the novel. It is kept at the apartment where Myrtle and Tom have their illicit meetings, and its presence there becomes a clue that confirms to Myrtle's husband, George Wilson, that his wife is having an affair. This discovery sets in motion a chain of tragic events, including Myrtle's death and the subsequent murder of Gatsby.
Overall, Myrtle's attempts to solidify her relationship with Tom through the purchase of the puppy and the use of the apartment highlight the complex dynamics of their adulterous relationship and the societal norms concerning materialism and relationships during the 1920s.
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The purchase reveals Tom's arrogance
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, *The Great Gatsby*, Tom Buchanan purchases a puppy for his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, while they are on their way to his apartment in New York City. This moment occurs in Chapter 2 and illustrates Tom's attempt to indulge Myrtle's desires and maintain their affair. While the purchase of the puppy symbolises Tom's power and superficial affection for Myrtle, it also reveals his arrogance and prejudice towards lower-class civilians.
During the purchase, Tom speaks to the seller with contempt and continually disagrees with him. His treatment of the dog seller portrays him as a haughty, disrespectful man who refuses to be corrected. This episode highlights Tom's sense of superiority and his belief that he is above those of a lower social status. Tom's arrogance is further evident in the way he views Myrtle. He sees her as someone to be used for his entertainment and believes that she is beneath him. This is evident in the way he treats her, even breaking her nose at one point, demonstrating his blatant disregard for her.
The purchase of the puppy also symbolises Myrtle's attempt to solidify and domesticate her adulterous relationship with Tom. She desperately wishes to marry him and desires his upper-class, luxurious lifestyle. In Myrtle's eyes, buying a dog is a significant step towards formally recognising their relationship. However, Tom's purchase of the puppy is more of a superficial gesture, as he uses material possessions to express his feelings. The puppy serves as a symbol of adultery, representing Myrtle's attempt to embrace their relationship, while also foreshadowing later events in the story regarding Myrtle's affair.
The act of buying the puppy highlights themes of materialism and infidelity in the novel. Tom's indulgence in purchasing the puppy for Myrtle and his provision of the apartment for their meetings reflect his willingness to use his wealth to maintain their affair. This purchase also deepens the reader's understanding of the characters' motivations and the societal norms concerning relationships and materialism during the 1920s. It reveals Tom's casual attitude towards commitments and his desire to placate Myrtle, further emphasising the power dynamics and superficial nature of their relationship.
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The puppy foreshadows Myrtle's affair
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby*, a puppy plays a significant role in foreshadowing Myrtle's affair with Tom Buchanan. This affair is a pivotal element in the novel, adding complexity to the relationships between the characters and contributing to the overall tragedy of the story.
The puppy first appears in Chapter 2, when Nick Carraway visits Tom and his wife, Daisy, in their New York apartment. During this scene, the puppy is described as "a small, fluffy dog, with an absurd name," which is later revealed to be "Beauvoir." The puppy is presented as a gift from Tom to Myrtle, his mistress, who lives in the valley of ashes. This gesture of giving a gift to a lover is often associated with affection and a desire to please, indicating the existence of a deeper relationship between Tom and Myrtle.
The puppy serves as a symbol of Tom's possessiveness and his desire to mark Myrtle as his own. By giving her a living creature that requires care and attention, Tom is, in a sense, imposing a responsibility on Myrtle that will tie her to him. The puppy becomes a physical reminder of their relationship and a way for Tom to exert control over Myrtle, even when he is not physically present. This dynamic foreshadows the power imbalance in their affair, where Tom holds the upper hand, and Myrtle is often left waiting for his attention and affection.
Furthermore, the choice of a puppy as a gift is intriguing. Puppies are typically associated with innocence and playfulness, but in this context, it takes on a different connotation. The puppy's dependence and vulnerability mirror Myrtle's position in her affair with Tom. She is dependent on his financial support and the illusion of love and attention he provides. The puppy, then, becomes a symbol of the fragile and transitory nature of their relationship. Just as a puppy eventually grows up and moves on, so too could Myrtle's affair with Tom end, leaving her vulnerable and in need of a new source of support.
The act of giving a puppy as a gift also hints at a level of impulsivity and a lack of long-term commitment on Tom's part. Puppies are often given on a whim, and while they may bring temporary joy, they also require a significant amount of responsibility and care. This parallels Tom's approach to his affair with Myrtle. He is drawn to her, and in a moment of passion or impulse, he initiates the affair. However, he fails to fully consider the long-term consequences and the potential damage to Myrtle's life and emotions.
Finally, the puppy can be seen as a physical representation of the secret relationship between Tom and Myrtle. It is a tangible link between them, a living reminder of their hidden connection. The puppy becomes a symbol of the affair, and its presence in Myrtle's life hints at the underlying tension and complexities that will eventually lead to tragedy.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Tom does not buy Myrtle perfume.
Tom buys Myrtle a puppy.
Tom buys the puppy to indulge Myrtle's desires and maintain their affair. The purchase is an attempt to solidify their relationship.
Tom pays for the apartment in the city where he and Myrtle meet for their affair.
