Chapter 8 Journal

Gatsby comes home and talks to Nick about what happened. They wander around his dusty musty house looking for cigarettes and finally find some. Gatsby's house is a wreck, just like his love life. Gatsby tells Nick why he loves Daisy and we learn a little more about his past. Gatsby was a young soldier and had met Daisy. He spent some time with her and realized he loved her. He knew however he could never be with her because he was not rich. He hid this from her and because of that she trusted him. After shipping off to the war he didn't want to hold on to the pain of not ever being able to be with her so he tried to die. However, his attempts to be suicidal turned against him and he became a hero. When the war was over he tried to come home but was sent to Oxford instead. He received the letter that Daisy was getting married while he was in Oxford. This perhaps increases his desire to be with her because he realizes other people want her not just him. He came home to nothing. No money, no job, nothing waiting for him. He had lost his only connection to the rest of the world, Daisy. He had searched hard for her but eventually gave up and started working hard to make his riches. Gatsby and Nick say goodnight and we move to the accident scene. Cars play a big role here as the bringers of death and the takers of the dead when they roll away with Myrtle's dead body. Catherine, her sister, is distraught and drunk and is hauled away in another car after the body. George is trapped inside his little work area and thinking about killing whoever killed his wife. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburge are brought up again and are directly said to be the eyes of god. They have watched the murder of Myrtle and will watch the George avenge her. George finds out who has the car that killed Myrtle and Kills Gatsby and himself.