Summary: The Chapter begins with Nick going to visit Gatsby in the early morning hours a day after the accident. Gatsby recounts to the Nick the story between himself and Daisy, as well as his refusal to leave Long Island.
Following the conversation, Nick goes to work and Gatsby goes for a swim in his pool. In vengeance of losing his wife, George Wilson tracks down the man who owns the yellow car, being Gatsby. Wilson travels to Gatsby’s home, finds him floating on his pool and shoots him. Wilson then kills himself. Nick rushes home and he and Gatsby’s servants discover the gruesome scene.
Chapter Quote: “It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete.” With this quote, the reader immediately knows that Gatsby’s life, and story, have come to an end. The main significance of this quote lies in the fact that Gatsby, the focus of the novel, has been killed. However, there are many interesting things to examine regarding his death and the circumstances surrounding it.
Note that it is primarily Gatsby’s refusal to let the past be the past that contributes to his death. Earlier in the day, Gatsby refused to let his servant empty the pool, insisting that it was still summer, despite the coldness in the air. It seems as though Gatsby could not acknowledge that summer, and along with it, his relationship with Daisy, is over. Had Gatsby consented to let time pass, it is likely that he may not have been killed. However, he refused to accept the idea that things pass on in time, and, as a result, was shot in his pool.
Character Role: Chapter Eight provides the reader with an excellent time to analyze the character of Wilson, the mechanic. Obviously, Wilson is distressed about what happened to his wife, however, nothing can justify his taking the life of Gatsby. Wilson makes many statements throughout the chapter that contribute to the understanding of his character. Among them, “‘God knows what you’ve been doing, everything you’ve been doing. You may fool me, but you can’t fool God!'”
From his conversation with Michaelis, one can infer that Wilson was somewhat of a religious man, or at least believes in the elements of divine justice. We can also infer that Wilson was a vengeful man, based upon the way that he took the life of Gatsby. However, one cannot help but to find some sympathy for Wilson, having lost his wife and quite possibly his sanity at the same time.
In addition to his overall beliefs, analyzing Wilson’s role in the novel is an interesting thing. Throughout the earlier portions of the novel, Wilson appears to be a one dimensional character, without a lot of thought or analysis to his actions. He even allows his wife to go with Tom into the city, without thinking twice about it.
For that reason, it seems as though Wilson was primarily placed into the novel only to fill the role of the person who must kill Gatsby. And, indeed, all of the novel points to the conclusion that Gatsby must have to die in order to “justify” the life that he has led and the lies that he has told. All in all, Wilson’s role in the novel is simply to close the circle by murdering Gatsby.
Symbolism: Chapter Eight is rich with important symbolism. However, perhaps the most important thing to analyze within the novel is more of an idea than an actual symbol. One can gain much insight from analyzing both the weather present in the chapter and the statements and actions of Gatsby. Gatsby’s refusal to acknowledge the passage of time is the primary contribution to his eventual downfall.
Had Gatsby not refused to accept that summer was over and that Daisy was gone from his life, it is likely that he would not have been killed by George or even been in the same circumstance of having Daisy run over Myrtle with his car. In addition to the symbolism over the passage of time, Nick also says some very interesting things regarding symbolism itself within the chapter.
He mentions that all symbols are created by the mind and don’t necessarily posses meaning on there own, they are simply given meaning by those who attach it. Nick points out Daisy as an excellent example of this. From his conversation with Gatsby regarding Daisy, Nick comes to realize that Daisy only really stands out in Gatsby’s mind because of the values he associates with her. If it had not been for those associated values, Gatsby would not have felt the same deep attachment to her.
Perhaps one can also applies the eyes of the doctor to this scenario. The eyes, though they rest above everything else, are not symbols of something divine or god like, in fact, they are relatively meaningless, only representing failure. It is those who look at the eyes that give them meaning, they do not represent anything that somebody else does not attach to them. In the same way, neither do Gatsby’s possessions and actions, as well what his life means have any particular meaning unless one is given to it.
