Am Lit Per. 2
Mrs. LaMagdeleine
The climax of Chapters 7 and 8 was entirely predictable in hindsight, but the clues themselves seem insignificant when read for the first time. For example, the scene at the hotel room was foreshadowed by what Gatsby has told us of his dreams for Daisy, as well as Tom's "investigation" of Gatsby's affairs. However, we had no idea of how deeply daisy would be affected by Tom's presence. Myrtle's death was also foreshadowed. Myrtle's energy and boisterous devotion to Tom, as well as the distressing predicament she found herself in, made it entirely possible that she would run out into the path of the car of somebody she knew, risking her life to be free of Wilson's burnt-out husk of a marriage. However, if the accident was in fact murder, then Daisy's scorn for Tom's behavior could have easily evolved into jealousy, even hate for his partner. Thus, a motive arises. Her driving in Gatsby's car and seeing Myrtle run out into the road would provide both means and opportunity (respectively), the final two ingredients for murder. Gatsby's death, in contrast to the other events of chapters 7 and 8, happens without prior warning, as no one could have guessed that the slightly stupid but pious Wilson could have ever killed by accident, let alone premeditated. Even more surprising from the standpoint of previous events is Wilson's subsequent suicide. However, these events viewed from a more recent standpoint, we can only conclude that Wilson had gone mad from grief and a goal of revenge, and had nothing else to live for once his goal was completed.
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