How Does Myrtle Change In The Great Gatsby

In this passage from The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick describes Myrtle’s outfit change and her personality change that comes along with it in Tom and Myrtle’s apartment. This is mentioned while the party is taking place, although it occurred before the party began. One of the first words included in the passage is “costume,” representing Myrtle’s outfit change for the party. “Costume” causes readers to imagine something fake or temporary, emphasizing the facade Myrtle wears around Tom as if she is playing a part pretending to be something she’s not. Her “costume” is described as “elaborate,” illustrating a large amount of planning and detail that went into her choice of dress. The excessive amount of care that went into her

Her dress is also made of “chiffon,” which is an expensive, fancy fabric worn to important events, further displaying the significance of the party. Myrtle’s dress is described as being “swept” across the room, further connecting to her “costume.” “Swept” causes one to assume cleanliness, something a wife of Tom would be expected to uphold, suggesting her “costume” to be the role of Tom’s wife. Continuing with the idea of change, Myrtle’s personality is described to change from an “intense vitality” to an “impressive hauteur.” Her “vitality” is representative of her lively, animated self. She is vital, essential to her husband and his life, which is when she is described this way by Nick. But, when her life shifts to that of Tom, her importance disappears because she is not indispensable to Tom. Instead, her personality is described as “hauteur.” She becomes arrogant and self-centered, and has a sense of superiority, much like Tom. This, again, connects to the “costume” that she puts on. She masks her personality depending on the circumstances and morphs to suit those