Desire and The Great Gatsby
Tom and Myrtle
The most physically abusive of the relationships is that of Tom and Myrtle. Tom goes so far as to break Myrtle’s nose with an open-handed slap when she pushes his temper. Myrtle, as Tom’s mistress, has Tom buy whatever suits her fancy. The two are involved despite being married to other people, and Tom’s relationship with Myrtle is scandalous as he brings her to restaurants and then greets everyone he recognizes, not even hiding that he is with his mistress. This publicity leads eventually to Myrtle’s husband finding out that she’s having an affair, though he never realizes the affair was with Tom. Daisy, Tom’s wife, knows he’s having an affair the entire time. -EB
Intrinsic or Extrinsic?
The love between Tom and Myrtle is extrinsic. Tom is using her for sexual gratification and a sense of power, while Myrtle uses Tom for his money and believes he will eventually marry her, elevating her status. She was also rather excited about the idea of an affair, as she dislikes her husband and was quite happy when Tom originally approached her for sex. -EB
This quote follows Tom’s discovery that his wife was cheating and his mistress was no longer going to be in town in a few days. He had been using both to feel in control, and with the loss of both, he feels like he’s losing his grip on his world. -EB
“There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind, and as we drove away Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic. His wife and mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate, were slipping precipitately from his control.”
Fitzgerald, page 125
