Question

Reread the following passage from page 137:

“Michaelis and this man reached her first, but when they had torn open her shirtwaist, still damp with perspiration, they saw that [Myrtle’s] left breast was swinging loose like a flap, and there was no need to listen for the heart beneath. The mouth was wide open and ripped a little at the corners, as though she had choked a little in giving up the tremendous vitality she had stored so long.”

How is the description of Myrtle’s dead body important to the novel as a whole?

A. It illustrates the heartbreak caused by true love.
B. It demonstrates the dishonesty of marriages in the 1920s.
C. It highlights the damage wealthy, reckless people can cause.
D. It reinforces the danger of bootlegging and criminal behavior.

Answer 1

The description of Myrtle's death in 'The Great Gatsby' emphasizes the destructive influence of the wealthy and the moral decay of the 1920s, underscoring class disparities.

Step-by-step explanation:

The description of Myrtle's dead body is critically important to The Great Gatsby as it serves to highlight the careless brutality and the destructive power of the wealthy elite, epitomized by characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan. This vivid imagery of Myrtle's death is not about love or marriage per se but rather underscores the idea that the affluent characters in the novel cause havoc in the lives of those less privileged, leaving behind a trail of chaos without facing any consequences. Through the portrayal of Myrtle's death, Fitzgerald conveys a broader commentary on the social and moral decay of the era, as well as the class disparities of the 1920s America.

Answer 2

I think it's D.......