How Does Fitzgerald Present Myrtle In The Great Gatsby

Myrtle is Tom Buchanan’s lover, her husband George owns a rundown garage in the valley of ashes and she possesses fierce vitality and desperately looks for ways to improve her situation. Sadly she chooses Tom who treats her as an object of his desire. She is mid-thirties, short and plump but carries her extra flesh voluptuously. She wears clothes that are stretched tight over her fairly broad hips. (Fitzgerald p.28) Myrtles personality and behavior show that she wants to climb the social status with her acute manner and vigor. Myrtle having an affair on her husband with Tom shows she dreams of having money and being a part of the upper class social group. Myrtle wants the life that Daisy has with Tom, this is clear when they are at the apartment that Tom keeps. Fitzgerald shows Myrtle as being jealous of Daisy because when Tom gives her a puppy as a gift she talks about Daisy, Tom says sternly never mention my wife again.

In New York they can appear together in public even with his acquaintances without worrying to cause a scandal. Myrtle feels that because she is having an affair with Tom she has the right to call him anytime as she wants to continue believing she is a part of the higher social class. She lets Tom bash her around as she feels better to be treated badly by a rich man than to be just cared for by a poor one. Myrtle believes that she is a part of the upper class crowd and continually tries to control the people that she is mingling with. Myrtle has no appreciation for George and often disrespects him in a way that shows she comes from a higher social status than him. Quite often Myrtle would say things like “Beat me!”, “Throw me down and beat me, you dirty little coward!” (Fitzgerald p130). This quote was used just before Myrtle runs out onto the road and gets killed by Gatsby’s