Page 3: Continuation of the Extract and Analysis

This page continues the extract from The Great Gatsby's final chapter, delving deeper into Nick's encounter with Tom Buchanan and his reflections on the events that transpired.

Nick confronts Tom about what he said to Wilson on the afternoon of Gatsby's death. Tom defends his actions, claiming he told Wilson the truth about the car's ownership to protect himself from Wilson's potential violence. He justifies his behavior by portraying Gatsby as a "tough one" who "ran over Myrtle like you'd run over a dog."

The narrative reveals Tom's attempt to garner sympathy by describing his emotional reaction to seeing Myrtle's belongings in their former apartment. Despite this, Nick remains unable to forgive or like Tom.

The extract concludes with Nick's final assessment of Tom and Daisy as "careless people" who "smashed up things and creatures" without taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Analysis: The conversation between Nick and Tom serves as a final confrontation, allowing the reader to see Tom's perspective and self-justification. It also reinforces Nick's role as a moral observer and judge of the other characters' actions.

Highlight: Tom's description of his emotional reaction to Myrtle's death reveals a complexity to his character, showing that he is capable of feeling grief despite his overall callousness.

Quote: "I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified."

Interpretation: This line demonstrates Nick's ability to understand Tom's perspective while still maintaining his own moral stance, illustrating the complexity of human nature and morality in The Great Gatsby.