What Does Myrtle Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby “Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;...Till she cry Lover, Gold-hatted, High-bouncing lover, I must have you!” (Epigraph Fitzgerald). Nick Carraway and Gatsby live in the West Egg symbolizing new money. While, Tom and Daisy Buchanan live in the East Egg symbolizing old money from ancient decent. Myrtle and George Wilson live in the Valley of Ashes with all the poor people who have almost nothing. The Great Gatsby is a book in which old and new money is the center of many characters lives, however, it symbolizes the loss of happiness that money couldn't buy. Nick Carraway was the cousin of Daisy Buchanan, and a close friend of Gatsby. Gatsby and Nick were neighbors in the West Egg where new money had began appearing from hard work. Nick worked as a bond salesman, while Gatsby sold moonshine during prohibition. Gatsby drives a nice fancy yellow

Myrtle is a very outgoing girl who is happy and content with her life. She is married to George who sells used cars to make money. ¨George Wilson’s neglect of his “dust-covered wreck of a Ford...” (Little 4). Georges car symbolizes how poor they are, that they cannot drive or fix their car. Myrtle attends all of Gatsby's parties, and is always enjoying herself no matter what. She poses as the opposite of Daisy who both bring out the good and bad qualities in one another. Although, Tom is rich from ancient decent and lives in the east egg with his wife Daisy and daughter he begins an affair with Myrtle. As they continue a long time affair never getting caught, all Myrtle ever wanted from Tom was a dog and a nice apartment in which they had. Myrtle is soon killed on the night they all go to town when Daisy accidentally hits Myrtle and Tom is devastated. Therefore, the reader realizes that even though Tom had all this money he was never truly happy, he was cheating on his wife, with his mistress Myrtle who ironically died because of