Gatsby stops holding parties.
He replaces the servants with people hired by Wolfsheim Gatsby feared that his original servants would spread rumours about him and Daisy.
The characters feel uncomfortable, because of the heat. The heat is referred to multiple times because Fitzgerald is signifying that the heat rises as the tension in the Buchanan household rises. This tells us that Fitzgerald is hooking the reader, preparing them for the climax of what is going to happen in the rest of the chapter.
Gatsby and Tom are put side-by-side. Tom had denied that Gatsby and Daisy were having an affair in the past few chapters but now can no longer deny the facts. Fitzgerald describes Tom’s actions and features which also increases the tension and uneasiness of the situation.
"my underwear kept climbing like a damp snake around my legs" this is a grotesque image which accompanies the increasing intolerable temperature.
Myrtle is leaving. Tom is going to lose his wife and his mistress. Realising this he lashes out in anger at Gatsby, who is none other than a cheating, bootlegger who is unable to let go of the past. Fitzgerald reminds us that Gatsby is wealthy due to negative actions in his life. This makes Tom look more like an honourable, honest man.
The beginning of the chapter presents Gatsby as his normal self, but is fully expose by the end of the chapter. There are no rumours any more, because the real Gatsby is exposed.
When faced with the powerful character of Tom, Gatsby looks ‘small and weak’. Gatsby has spent his life dreaming therefore he has never suspected anyone to stand in his way, and the very nature of dreaming is that they go your way.
Gatsby tries his best to hold onto his dream.
Gatsby begs Daisy to tell him that she hadn't ever loved Tom. This is a desperate attempt of him holding onto his dream of being with Daisy.
When she admits to having actually loved Tom, Gatsby, unwilling to give up, pushes the situation forward, abruptly telling Tom "Daisy's leaving you." but