From the desolate Valley of Ashes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson emerges with a striking, almost desperate, vitality.
Trapped in a lifeless marriage, her affair with the wealthy Tom Buchanan becomes a perceived pathway to a glamorous existence—a dream that ultimately shatters in a brutal, tragic end.
Our Myrtle Wilson character analysis argues that her raw, irrepressible energy was tragically misplaced. Her attempts to perform a higher social status, her materialism, and her crude self-assertions poignantly manifest a yearning for life and recognition in a society that ultimately denies her both.
Myrtle’s story culminates in a death that brutally underscores the novel’s rigid class barriers and the elite’s moral indifference. By meticulously examining her words, actions, and Nick Carraway’s often critical portrayal, we illuminate her complexities and thematic significance.
For a chronological overview, consult our comprehensive summary of The Great Gatsby.
Note: This analysis delves into Myrtle Wilson’s complete journey in The Great Gatsby and will necessarily discuss significant plot developments, character revelations, and the novel’s tragic conclusion. Reader discretion is advised if you have not yet completed the book.
The Smouldering Vitality of the Valley of Ashes: Myrtle’s Entrapment and Desire
Myrtle Wilson bursts into the narrative with a “perceptible vitality,” contrasting with her desolate surroundings and listless husband. In this section, we explore her defining energy, profound dissatisfaction, and the desperate yearning for escape that fuels her actions.
“An Immediately Perceptible Vitality”: Myrtle’s Defining Energy
Fitzgerald, through Nick Carraway’s narration, introduces Myrtle Wilson not with conventional beauty, but with a striking portrayal of her raw life force. Nick notes that although “faintly stout,” she “carried her surplus flesh sensuously.”
Crucially, he observes, “Her face… contained no facet or gleam of beauty but there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smouldering” [Chapter 2, Pages 25, 26]. This “perceptible vitality” and “smouldering” energy define Myrtle, setting her apart from the “ashen” figures of the Valley and her “spiritless” husband George [Chapter 2, Page 20].
Her “soft, coarse voice” [Chapter 2, Page 26] further contributes to this image of unrefined but potent energy. This vitality allures Tom Buchanan, who perhaps seeks an excitement absent in Daisy’s ethereal sophistication.
However, Nick’s description, while acknowledging her energy, might also carry a class bias, framing her vitality in terms leaning towards the physical and unrefined.
“I thought he was a gentleman”: Marriage, Disillusionment, and the Desire for More
Myrtle Wilson’s intense desire for a different life is rooted in her disillusionment with her marriage to George and their bleak existence. She confides at the New York apartment party, “‘I married him because I thought he was a gentleman… but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe’” [Chapter 2, Page 34]. This bitter pronouncement reveals her feeling of having been deceived.
The reality of George—his poverty, his lack of spirit—is a constant frustration. Discovering he borrowed his wedding suit was a particularly galling memory: “‘The only CRAZY I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake… I lay down and cried to beat the band all afternoon’” [Chapter 2, Page 35].
This deep-seated resentment fuels her desperate affair with Tom, whom she sees as embodying the wealth and sophistication she craves. Her sister Catherine reinforces this, telling Nick that Tom is “‘the first sweetie she ever had’” [Chapter 2, Page 35], suggesting a life devoid of the excitement Myrtle yearns for.
Performing Class: Myrtle’s Illusory Escape in the New York Apartment
The New York apartment Tom Buchanan keeps for Myrtle becomes her stage, a cramped space where she attempts to shed her Valley of Ashes identity and perform the role of a sophisticated, upper-class woman. In this section, we analyze Myrtle’s attempts to transform and the inherent artificiality of her efforts.
A Change of Costume, A Change of Persona: The Significance of Dress
Myrtle Wilson’s costume changes vividly symbolize her attempts to transcend her class. At the garage, she wears a practical, “spotted dress of dark blue crepe-de-chine” [Chapter 2, Page 25].
In the New York apartment, however, she transforms. Nick observes: “Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume… and was now attired in an elaborate afternoon dress of cream colored chiffon… With the influence of the dress, her personality had changed. The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur” [Chapter 2, Page 30].
This shift from a “spotted dress” to “elaborate… chiffon” and from “vitality” to “hauteur” is a conscious performance. The expensive dress becomes a costume, allowing her to enact a fantasy of sophistication.
However, Nick’s use of “costume” and “hauteur” subtly suggests the artificiality of this transformation, hinting that it’s merely a borrowed persona.
Material Desires and Affected Manners: The Cracks in the Facade
Myrtle’s performance of upper-class sensibilities is further characterized by her enthusiastic embrace of material possessions and attempts at sophisticated social deportment, which often betray her unfamiliarity with that world.
Her insistence on Tom buying an Airedale puppy—”‘I want to get one of those dogs… They’re nice to have—a dog’” [Chapter 2, Page 27]—seems less about affection for the animal and more about acquiring trappings of a leisurely lifestyle.
In the apartment, her focus shifts to a list of desired items: “‘A massage and a wave and a collar for the dog… a wreath with a black silk bow for mother’s grave’” [Chapter 2, Page 36]. This eclectic list highlights her naive understanding of luxurious living.
Her social interactions during the party are similarly affected. Her laughter becomes “artificial,” her gestures “violently affected,” and her pronouncements delivered with a “high mincing shout” [Chapter 2, Page 31]. These attempts at sophistication, filtered through Nick’s judgmental narration, frequently appear crude, revealing cracks in her constructed facade.
“Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!”: The Violent Collision with Tom’s Reality
The illusion of Myrtle’s elevated status is brutally shattered when she oversteps the unspoken boundaries of her affair. As the party wears on, Myrtle’s assertions become bolder.
When she defiantly chants Daisy’s name—”‘Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!’ shouted Mrs. Wilson. ‘I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai——‘”—Tom’s reaction is immediate: “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” [Chapter 2, Page 37]. This shocking brutality is a visceral reminder of Tom’s ultimate power and Myrtle’s subordinate position. In that moment, her performed “hauteur” crumbles.
Tom’s violence instantly reasserts the rigid class lines and the rules of their unequal relationship: Myrtle may be his mistress, but she will not challenge the primacy of his marriage to Daisy, a woman of his class. The incident exposes the precariousness of Myrtle’s borrowed world.
The Tragic Trajectory: Misplaced Hope and Fatal Consequences
Myrtle Wilson’s desperate pursuit of a life beyond the Valley of Ashes ultimately leads her to a violent and ironic end. In this section, we examine the choices and misperceptions that propel her towards tragedy, and the symbolic weight of her death.
Misplaced Faith in Tom: The Illusion of Escape
Myrtle Wilson’s tragedy is deeply rooted in her misplaced faith in Tom Buchanan as her savior. She appears to genuinely believe their affair could lead to a more lasting union. Her sister Catherine fuels this illusion, telling Nick that Daisy’s Catholicism prevents Tom from divorcing [Chapter 2, Page 33].
Myrtle clings to the symbols of Tom’s world—the apartment, clothes, and dog—as evidence of his commitment. She recounts her first meeting with Tom with breathless excitement—”All I kept thinking about, over and over, was ‘You can’t live forever; you can’t live forever’” [Chapter 2, Page 36]—suggesting she saw him as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
However, she fails to recognize Tom’s selfishness and adherence to class boundaries. Her hope in Tom is a profound misjudgment, an illusion blinding her to her exploitation.
The Final, Fatal Rush: A Case of Mistaken Identity and Desperate Hope
Myrtle Wilson’s death directly results from her desperate aspirations and a tragic mistake. Earlier in Chapter 7, Myrtle sees Tom driving Gatsby’s yellow car and, as Nick observes, her eyes, “wide with jealous terror, were fixed not on Tom, but on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife.”
Later that evening, after a fight with George, Myrtle sees the same yellow car. Believing it to be Tom, perhaps returning for her or to be confronted, she runs out “waving her hands and shouting” [Chapter 7, Page 137, Michaelis’s account].
Instead, Daisy is driving, with Gatsby as passenger. Daisy, distraught, does not stop and fatally strikes Myrtle. Her final act is a rush towards what she believes is her connection to a better life, ironically leading to her obliteration by a symbol of that world.
“Thick, dark blood with the dust”: The Symbolism of Myrtle’s Death
The imagery surrounding Myrtle Wilson’s death underscores its brutal symbolism. Nick finds her life “violently extinguished,” her mouth “wide open and ripped at the corners as though she had choked a little in giving up the tremendous vitality she had stored so long” [Chapter 7, Page 137].
Her “left breast… swinging loose like a flap” [Chapter 7] is grotesque, stripping away her defining sensuality. Crucially, her “thick, dark blood with the dust” of the Valley of Ashes [Chapter 7, Page 137] signifies her inescapable connection to the bleak environment she so desperately tried to flee.
Despite her attempts to wash away her origins, she dies amidst the industrial wasteland. Her death, caused by the “careless” actions of the wealthy elite, symbolically represents the crushing of lower-class aspirations by an indifferent upper class. She becomes a sacrifice to their whims, her vibrant life tragically reduced to a casualty.
Myrtle Wilson’s Thematic and Narrative Significance
Beyond her tragedy, Myrtle Wilson serves crucial thematic and narrative functions in The Great Gatsby. In this section, we analyze her role as a foil, her embodiment of a distorted American Dream, and how her character illuminates Fitzgerald’s broader social critique.
Foil to Daisy Buchanan: A Contrast in Class, Vitality, and Fate
Myrtle Wilson is a vital foil to Daisy Buchanan, their contrasting characters highlighting Fitzgerald’s exploration of class and gender. While Daisy is ethereal and protected by “old money,” Myrtle is earthy, overtly sensual, and clawing her way from working-class obscurity.
Daisy’s voice is “full of money”; Myrtle’s is “coarse.” Daisy’s “carelessness” is insulated by wealth; Myrtle’s aspirations lead to her brutal death. Both women are, in their own ways, trapped by their circumstances and the men in their lives.
However, the nature of their “cages” and responses differ vastly. Daisy’s tragedy is one of ennui within privilege; Myrtle’s is one of raw, thwarted ambition and the fatal illusion that class lines can be easily erased. Their juxtaposition harshly illustrates the rigid social hierarchy and the different forms of destruction it inflicted upon women.
A Perversion of the American Dream: Materialism and Illusion
Myrtle Wilson’s desperate pursuit of Tom Buchanan embodies a tragically distorted version of the American Dream. Unlike Gatsby’s grand romantic idealism, Myrtle’s dream is overtly materialistic.
She’s captivated by Tom’s wealth and the access it provides to “nice things”—the apartment, clothes, dog. Her attempts to adopt upper-class airs in the New York apartment are a performance based on a superficial understanding, focusing on outward appearances rather than substance. Her dream is not about self-improvement, but about achieving success through association.
Ultimately, her story critiques the American Dream reduced to consumerism and social climbing, revealing its illusory nature and potential for destruction for those, like Myrtle, who lack resources or genuine understanding.
The Voice of the Voiceless: Representing the Trapped Lower Class
Through Myrtle Wilson, and to a lesser extent, George, Fitzgerald gives a poignant voice to the inhabitants of the Valley of Ashes.
This “fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat” [Chapter 2, Page 23] symbolizes the industrial wasteland created by the wealthy Eggs. Myrtle’s fierce desire to escape this “solemn dumping ground” represents the aspirations of those trapped by economic hardship. Her affair is a desperate gamble.
While Nick Carraway often describes Myrtle with distaste for her perceived vulgarity, her raw energy and tragic end nevertheless highlight the human cost of the era’s stark class divisions. Her story underscores the brutal reality that for those at the bottom, the glittering promise of the American Dream is often a cruel mirage. Any attempt to reach for it can be met with devastating indifference by the established elite.
Conclusion: The Unquenchable Fire in the Ashes
Myrtle Wilson, with her “smouldering” vitality and tragic aspirations, is a crucial, unsettling character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. She’s a raw embodiment of thwarted desire, a woman whose fierce energy is consumed by the very world she so desperately sought to join.
Her attempts to perform a higher social status, fueled by her affair with Tom Buchanan, are portrayed by Nick Carraway with a mixture of fascination and class-tinged disdain, revealing the profound societal prejudices of the era.
More than a vulgar mistress, Myrtle represents the realities facing the lower classes in a society obsessed with wealth and status. Her pursuit of a materialistic American Dream, built on illusion and a fatal misjudgment of Tom’s character, leads her to a brutal end in the Valley of Ashes, which she yearned to escape.
Her death powerfully underscores the novel’s critique of social inequality, a direct consequence of the careless actions and moral indifference of the wealthy elite. Myrtle Wilson’s story is a poignant reminder of the human cost when dreams, however flawed, collide with unyielding class barriers, and when vibrant life is carelessly extinguished in the dust.
To explore Myrtle’s own words and the world she inhabited, see our collection of Myrtle Wilson quotes with analysis.
A Note on Page Numbers & Edition:
We carefully sourced textual references for this analysis from The Great Gatsby: The Only Authorized Edition (Scribner, November 17, 2020), ISBN-13: 978-1982149482. Just as Myrtle Wilson’s dreams were built on the shifting sands of Tom’s affections, page numbers for specific events can differ across various printings. Always double-check against your copy to ensure accuracy for essays or citations.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.