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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald adapted for Readers’ Theater Chapter 7: The Plaza Hotel This script covers the beginning of chapter 7 until Daisy and Gatsby leave the Plaza Hotel. Nick’s Narration It was when curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on one Saturday night and, as obscurely as it had begun, his parties ended. Only gradually did I become aware that the automobiles which turned expectantly into his drive stayed for just a minute and then drove sulkily away. Wondering if he were sick I went over to find out an unfamiliar butler with a villainous face squinted at me suspiciously from the door. Nick Is Mr. Gatsby sick? Butler Nope. Nick I hadn’t seen him around, and I was rather worried. Tell him Mr Carraway came over Butler [Rudely] Who? Nick Carraway Butler Carraway. All right, I’ll tell him [He slammed the door] Nick’s narration I discovered that Gatsby had dismissed every servant in his house
and replaced them with half a dozen others, who kept to themselves. The grocery boy reported that the kitchen looked like a pigsty, and the general opinion in the village was that the new people weren’t servants at all. After Nick’s visit, Gatsby called on the phone. Nick Going away? Gatsby No, old sport. Nick I hear you fired all your servants. Gatsby I wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip. Daisy comes over quite often in the afternoons. They’re some people Wolfsheim wanted to do something for They’re all brothers and sisters. They used to run a small hotel Nick I see. Gatsby I’ve called up at Daisy’s request-- would you come to lunch at her house tomorrow? Miss Baker will be there. Nick’s narration Half an hour later Daisy herself telephoned and seemed relieved to find that I was coming. Something was up. And yet I couldn’t believe that they would choose this occasion for a scene especially for the rather harrowing scene that Gatsby had outlined in
the garden. Teacher’s note Take a moment to think about what this lunch might be like. The lunch will take place at the Buchanans’ house. Tom will be there and so will Gatsby Tom doesn’t know about Gatsby, but Gatsby is certainly aware that the woman he is in love with is married to Tom Buchanan. Nick and Jordan, a new couple, will also be present, perhaps to alleviate the inevitable tension. 0 The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer. Through the hall of the Buchanans’ house blew a faint wind. Nick and Gatsby, arriving together, were brought to a room, shadowed well with awnings, that was dark and cool. Daisy and Jordan lay upon an enormous couch, like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the singing breeze of the fans. Teacher’s note Notice that this scene is very reminiscent of the scene in chapter 1 when Nick first visits Daisy. Daisy and Jordan, dressed in white, are motionless on a couch while wind
swirls around them. For a second it might seems as if the past is repeating on itself, but, of course, this is the end of the summer rather than the beginning, and this time Gatsby is also present. Daisy & Jordan We can’t move! Nick And where is Mr. Thomas Buchanan, the athlete? Simultaneously, Tom’s gruff, muffled, husky voice can be heard on the telephone. Meanwhile, Gatsby stood in the center of the crimson carpet and gazed around with fascinated eyes. Daisy watched him and laughed, her sweet, exciting laugh Teacher’s note Again, there is the sense of time repeating itself. This time, too, Tom is on the phone (presumably with Myrtle). Again, the difference is that Gatsby is present Gatsby, for his part, is absolutely fascinated. He has made a great deal of money, but now that he is in the heart of East Egg society, it must be apparent to him how different old money is to the gaudy extravaganzas he has witnessed (and created) in West Egg. Jordan The rumor is that
that’s Tom’s girl on the telephone. They were silent. The voice in the hall rose high with annoyance Tom [Overheard from the other room-- and he’s not on the phone with Myrtle] Very well, then, I won’t sell you the car at all. I’m under no obligations to you at all and as for your bothering me about it at lunch time, I won’t stand that at all. Daisy [Cynically, she believes that Tom is just pretending to talk about selling a car in order to cover up the fact that he is on the phone with his mistress] Holding down the receiver. Nick No, he’s not. It’s a bona-fide deal I happen to know about it Teacher’s note Notice how Nick is part of the group. He vouches for Tom even though he also knows (and has met) Tom’s mistress. Later, Nick will try to make himself less involved in the whole group, but the truth is that he has been mixed up with them all summer. Tom flung open the door, blocking out its space for a moment with his thick-body, and hurried into the room.
Tom Mr. Gatsby! [He put out his broad, flat hand with well-concealed dislike] I’m glad to see you, sir. Nick Daisy Make us a cold drink. As he left the room again she got up and went over to Gatsby and pulled his face down, kissing him on the mouth. Daisy You know I love you. 1 Jordan You forget there’s a lady present. Daisy looked around doubtfully. Daisy You kiss Nick too. Jordan What a low, vulgar girl! Daisy I don’t care! Just then a freshly laundered nurse leading a little girl (Daisy’s daughter) came into the room. Daisy Bles-sed pre-cious! [She crooned, holding out her arms] Come to your own mother that loves you. The child, relinquished by the nurse, rushed across the room and rooted shyly into her mother’s dress. Daisy The bles-sed pre-cious! Did mother get powder on your old yellowy hair? Stand up now, and say How-de-do. Gatsby and Nick in turn leaned down and took the small, reluctant hand. Afterward Gatsby kept looking at the child
with surprise as if he had never really believed in its existence before. Daughter [Eagerly to Daisy] I got dressed before luncheon. Daisy That’s because your mother wanted to show you off. You dream, you You absolute little dream. Daughter Yes. Aunt Jordan’s got on a white dress too Daisy How do you like mother’s friends? [Daisy turned her around so that she faced Gatsby.] Do you think they’re pretty? Daughter Where’s Daddy? Daisy She doesn’t look like her father. She looks like me She’s got my hair and shape of the face. Daisy sat back upon the couch. The nurse took a step forward and held out her hand Nurse Come, Pammy. Daisy Good-by, sweetheart! With a reluctant backward glance the well-disciplined child held to her nurse’s hand and was pulled out the door, just as Tom came back, preceding four gin rickeys that clicked full of ice. Gatsby took up his drink Gatsby [with visible tension] They certainly look cool. [They drank in long, greedy swallows]
Teacher’s note The appearance of Tom and Daisy’s daughter, Pamela (Pammy), causes Gatsby visible distress. Gatsby, who doesn’t quite live in reality, had not truly considered the child’s existence. Clearly, this complicates Gatsby’s dream of starting a new life with Daisy. Tom I read somewhere that the sun’s getting hotter every year. It seems that pretty soon the earth’s going to fall into the sun or wait a minute it’s just the opposite the sun’s getting colder every year. 2 Teacher’s note This is another way in which the past is repeating itself. The last time Nick visited the Buchanans, Tom talked about a “deep” book about white supremacy; this time Tom recalls something scientific that he read (and doesn’t understand). Tom [To Gatsby] Come outside, I’d like you to have a look at the place. Nick, Tom, and Gatsby went out to the veranda. They looked at the Long Island Sound Gatsby raised his hand and pointed across the bay to his house.
Gatsby I’m right across from you. Tom [Indifferently] So you are. They move to the dining room, darkened against the heat, and proceed with an awkward meal drinking down nervous gayety with cold ale. Daisy What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon? And the day after that, and the next thirty years? Jordan Don’t be morbid. Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall Daisy [On the verge of tears] But it’s so hot and everything’s so confused. Let’s all go to town! Teacher’s note Clearly, Daisy does not know what she wants. She is worried about the future She is restless with the present. She is tempting fate by having Tom and Gatsby together in her house. She seems to want to be caught-- she kisses Gatsby in front of her guests and while Tom is just in the other room. Daisy has been presented as a rather passive character-- life happens around her. She fell in love with Gatsby, but surely Gatsby orchestrated that event. She married Tom, but
certainly her parents made that happen. She almost took action to stop the marriage (by trying to see the young Jay off before the war and by trying, half-heartedly, to protest her marriage), but she didn’t follow through in either instance. Even with this current affair, Gatsby made the affair happen, Daisy just went along with it. Daisy Who wants to go to town? [Daisy’s eyes floated toward Gatsby.] Ah, you look so cool! Their eyes met, and they stared together at each other, alone in space. With an effort Daisy glanced down at the table. Daisy You always look so cool. She had told him that she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he had just recognized her as someone he knew a long time ago. Daisy [Daisy continued addressing Gatsby, unaware that Tom now knew her secret] You resemble the advertisement of the man, you know the advertisement of the man Tom [interrupting] All right,
I’m perfectly willing to go to town. Come on we’re all going to town. Tom stood up, his eyes flashing between Gatsby and his wife. No one moved Tom [His temper cracked a little] Come on! What’s the matter, anyhow? If we’re going to town, let’s start. His hand, trembling with his effort at self-control, bore to his lips the last of his glass of ale. Daisy’s voice got everyone to their feet and out on to the blazing gravel drive 3 Daisy Are we just going to go? [She objected even though going to NYC was her idea.] Like this? Aren’t we going to let any one smoke a cigarette first? Tom Everybody smoked all through lunch. Daisy Oh, let’s have fun! [She begged him.] It’s too hot to fuss [Tom didn’t respond] Daisy and Jordan went up-stairs to get ready while the three men stood there shuffling the hot pebbles with their feet. Tom [Savagely] I don’t see the idea of going to town. Women get these notions in their heads Daisy [Calling from an upper window]
Shall we take anything to drink? Tom I’ll get some whiskey. [He went inside] Gatsby [Addressing Nick] I can’t say anything in his house, old sport. Nick She’s got an indiscreet voice. It’s full of-- Gatsby Her voice is full of money. Nick’s narration That was it. I’d never understood before It was full of money that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it. high in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl. Tom came out of the house wrapping a bottle in a towel, followed by Daisy and Jordan. Gatsby Shall we all go in my car? Tom You take my coupe and let me drive your car to town. Gatsby [Hesitating to agree; the suggestion was distasteful to him.] I don’t think there’s much gas. Tom [Boisterously] Plenty of gas. And if it runs out I can stop at a drug-store You can buy anything at a drug-store nowadays. A pause followed this apparently pointless remark because, of course, you
can’t buy gas at a drug-store. Daisy looked at Tom frowning, and an indefinable expression passed over Gatsby’s face. Tom Come on, Daisy. [Tom pressed her toward Gatsby’s car] I’ll take you in this circus wagon. He opened the door, but she moved out from the circle of his arm. Daisy You take Nick and Jordan. We’ll follow you in the coupe She walked close to Gatsby, touching his coat with her hand. Jordan, Tom, and Nick got into the front seat of Gatsby’s car, Tom pushed the unfamiliar gears tentatively, and shot off into the oppressive heat, leaving Gatsby and Daisy out of sight behind. Teacher’s This is, obviously, a terrible plan. Tom is onto Gatsby and Daisy Everyone is in a bad mood. The heat is oppressive They have all been drinking Additionally, they haven’t note made a formal plan; this is an era before cell phones, but they haven’t even set a meeting location in Manhattan. Tom Did you see that? 4 Nick See what? Tom looked at Nick keenly, realizing
that Jordan and Nick must have known all along. Tom You think I’m pretty dumb, don’t you? Perhaps I am, but I have a almost a second sight, sometimes, that tells me what to do. Maybe you don’t believe that, but science [He paused.] I’ve made a small investigation of this fellow I could have gone deeper if I’d known Jordan And you found he was an Oxford man? Tom An Oxford an! Like hell he is! He wears a pink suit! Jordan Nevertheless he’s an Oxford man. Tom [Contemptuously] Oxford, New Mexico, or something like that. Jordan [Crossly] Listen, Tom. If you’re such a snob, why did you invite him to lunch? Tom Daisy invited him; she knew him before we were married God knows where! Nick’s narration We were all irritable now with the fading ale, and aware of it we drove for a while in silence. Then as Doctor T J Eckleburg’s faded eyes came into sight down the road, I remembered Gatsby’s caution about gasoline. Tom We’ve got enough to get us to town.
Jordan [Jordan has never met the Wilsons and doesn’t realize that Tom has a special connection to this particular gas station.] But there’s a garage right here I don’t want to get stalled in this baking heat. Tom threw on the brakes impatiently, and they slid to an abrupt dusty stop under Wilson’s sign. After a moment the proprietor emerged from the interior of his establishment and gazed hollow-eyed at the car. Tom Let’s have some gas! What do you think we stopped for to admire the view? Wilson [Without moving] I’m sick. Been sick all day Tom What’s the matter? Wilson I’m all run down. Tom [Indicating that Wilson should start pumping the gas] Well, shall I help myself? You sounded well enough on the phone. With an effort Wilson left the shade and support of the doorway and, breathing hard, unscrewed the cap of the tank. In the sunlight his face was green Wilson I didn’t mean to interrupt your lunch, but I need money pretty bad, and I was wondering what
you were going to do with your old car. Tom How do you like this one? [Tom indicated Gatsby’s car] I bought it last week. Wilson It’s a nice yellow one. Tom Like to buy it? Wilson No, but I could make some money on the other. Tom What do you want money for, all of a sudden? 5 Wilson I’ve been here too long. I want to get away My wife and I want to go West Tom [Startled] Your wife does? Wilson She’s been talking about it for ten years. [He rested for a moment against the pump, shading his eyes.] And now she’s going whether she wants to or not I’m going to get her away. The coupe flashed by with a flurry of dust and the flash of a waving hand. Wilson I just got wised up to something funny the last two days. That’s why I want to get away That’s why I been bothering you about the car. Nick’s narration The relentless beating heat was beginning to confuse me and I had a bad moment there before I realized that so far his suspicions hadn’t alighted on
Tom. He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world, and the shock had made him physically sick. I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less than an hour before and it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well. Wilson was so sick that he looked guilty, unforgivably guilty as if he had just got some poor girl with child. Tom [Lying] I’ll let you have that car. I’ll send it over to-morrow afternoon Nick’s narration That area was always vaguely disquieting, even in the broad glare of afternoon, and now I turned my head as though I had been warned of something behind. Over the ashheaps the giant eyes of Doctor T. J Eckleburg kept their vigil, but I perceived, after a moment, that other eyes were regarding us with peculiar intensity from less than twenty feet away. In one of the windows over the garage the curtains
had been moved aside a little, and Myrtle Wilson was peering down at the car. So engrossed was she that she had no consciousness of being observed, and one emotion after another crept into her face. Her eyes, wide with jealous terror, were fixed not on Tom, but on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife. There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind, and as we drove away Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic. His wife and his mistress, until an hour ago secure, were slipping from his control. Instinct made him step on the accelerator with the double purpose of overtaking Daisy and leaving Wilson behind, and we sped along toward Astoria at fifty miles an hour, until, we came in sight of the easy-going blue coupe. Daisy signaled for us to draw up alongside. Daisy Where are we going? Tom How about the movies? Daisy It’s so hot! You go. We’ll ride around and meet you after Tom [Impatiently] We can’t argue about it here. You follow me to the south side of
Central Park, in front of the Plaza. Nick’s narration Several times Tom turned his head and looked back for their car, and if the traffic delayed them he slowed up until they came into sight. I think he was afraid they would dart down a side street and out of his life forever. But they didn’t And we all took the unexplainable step of engaging a suite in the Plaza Hotel. The room was larger and stifling hot, and, though it was already four o’clock, opening the 6 windows admitted only a gust of hot air. Daisy went to the mirror and stood with her back to us, fixing her hair. Jordan It’s a swell suite. Daisy Open another window. Jordan There aren’t any more. Daisy [Jokingly] Well, we’d better telephone for an axe-- Tom [Impatiently] The thing to do is to forget about the heat.You make it ten times worse by crabbing about it. He unrolled the bottle of whiskey from the towel and put it on the table. Gatsby Why not let her alone, old sport? You’re the one that
wanted to come to town. Tom [Sharply] That’s a great expression of yours, isn’t it? Gatsby What is? Tom All this ‘old sport’ business. Where’d you pick that up? Daisy Now see here, Tom, if you’re going to make personal remarks I won’t stay here a minute. Gatsby’s foot beat a short, restless tattoo and Tom eyed him suddenly. Tom By the way, Mr. Gatsby, I understand you’re an Oxford man Gatsby Not exactly. Tom Oh, yes, I understand you went to Oxford. Gatsby Yes-- I went there. [He paused, the finally] It was in nineteen-nineteen, I only stayed five months. That’s why I can’t really call myself an Oxford man Tom glanced around to see if the others mirrored his unbelief. But everyone was looking at Gatsby. Gatsby It was an opportunity they gave to some of the officers after the Armistice. We could go to any of the universities in England or France. Nick’s narration I wanted to get up and slap him on the back. I had one of those renewals of
complete faith in him that I’d experienced before. Daisy rose, smiling faintly, and went to the table. Daisy Open the whiskey, Tom, and I’ll make you a mint julep. Then you won’t seem so stupid to yourself. Tom Wait a minute. I want to ask Mr Gatsby one more question Gatsby [Politely] Go on. Tom What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow? They were out in the open at last and Gatsby was content. Daisy He isn’t causing a row. [Daisy looked desperately from one to the other] You’re causing a row. Please have a little self-control Tom [Incredulously] Self-control! I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody 7 from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white. Flushed with his impassioned gibberish, he saw himself standing
alone on the last barrier of civilization. Tom I know I’m not very popular. I don’t give big parties I suppose you’ve got to make your house into a pigsty in order to have any friends in the modern world. Nick’s narration Angry as I was, as we all were, I was tempted to laugh whenever he opened his mouth. The transition from libertine to prig was so complete. Gatsby I’ve got something to tell you, old sport Daisy [Daisy guesses at his intentions and interrupted Gatsby helplessly] Please don’t! Please let’s all go home. Why don’t we all go home? Nick That’s a good idea. [Standing up] Come on, Tom Nobody wants a drink Tom I want to know what Mr. Gatsby has to tell me Gatsby Your wife doesn’t love you. She’s never loved you She loves me Tom You must be crazy! Gatsby [Springing to his feet excitedly] She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her
heart she never loved any one except me! Tom [Trying unsuccessfully to sound paternal, Tom addressed Daisy] Sit down, Daisy. What’s been going on? I want to hear all about it. Gatsby I told you what’s been going on, going on for five years and you didn’t know. Tom [Sharply to Daisy] You’ve been seeing this fellow for five years? Gatsby Not seeing. No, we couldn’t meet But both of us loved each other all that time, old sport, and you didn’t know. I used to laugh sometimes [But there was no laughter in his eyes] to think that you didn’t know. Tom Oh-- that’s all. [Tom tapped his thick fingers together like a clergyman and leaned back in his chair. To Gatsby] You’re crazy! I can’t speak about what happened five years ago, because I didn’t know Daisy then and I’ll be damned if I see how you got within a mile of her unless you brought the groceries to the back door. But all the rest of that’s a God damned lie. Daisy loved me when she married me and she
loves me now Gatsby [Shaking his head] No. Tom She does, though. The trouble is that sometimes she gets foolish ideas in her head and doesn’t know what she’s doing. [He nodded sagely] And what’s more, I love Daisy too Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time. Daisy You’re revolting. [She turned to Nick] Do you know why we left Chicago? I’m surprised that they didn’t treat you to the story of that little spree. Gatsby walked over and stood beside her. Gatsby Daisy, that’s all over now. It doesn’t matter any more Just tell him the truth that you 8 never loved him and it’s all wiped out forever. Daisy Why how could I love him possibly? Gatsby You never loved him. Nick’s narration She hesitated. Her eyes fell on Jordan and me with a sort of appeal, as though she realized at last what she was doing and as though she had never, all along, intended doing anything at
all. But it was done now It was too late Daisy [Reluctantly] I never loved him. Tom Not at Kapiolani? Daisy No. Tom [With a husky tenderness in his tone] Not that day I carried you down from the Punch Bowl to keep your shoes dry? [A pause.] Daisy? Daisy [Her voice was cold, but the rancor was gone from it.] Please don’t [She looked at Gatsby.] There, Jay [Her hand trying to light a cigarette was trembling Suddenly she threw the cigarette and the burning match on the carpet.] Oh, you want too much! I love you now isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past. [She began to sob helplessly] I did love him once but I loved you too. Gatsby You loved me too? Tom [Savagely] Even that’s a lie. She didn’t know you were alive Why there’re things between Daisy and me that you’ll never know, things that neither of us can ever forget. The words seemed to bite physically into Gatsby. Gatsby I want to speak to Daisy alone. She’s all excited now Daisy [In a
pitiful voice] Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom. It wouldn’t be true Tom Of course it wouldn’t. Daisy [To Tom] As if it mattered to you. Tom Of course it matters. I’m going to take better care of you from now on Gatsby [With a touch of panic] You don’t understand. You’re not going to take care of her any more. Tom [With a laugh] I’m not? [He could afford to control himself now.] Why’s that? Gatsby Daisy’s leaving you. Tom Nonsense. Daisy [With visible effort] I am, though. Tom She’s not leaving me! Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger. Daisy I won’t stand this! Oh, please let’s get out. Tom Who are you, anyhow? You’re one of that bunch that hangs around with Meyer Wolfsheim that much I happen to know. I’ve made a little investigation into your affairs and I’ll carry it further to-morrow 9 Gatsby [Steadily] You can suit yourself about that, old sport. Tom I found out
what your ‘drug-stores’ were. He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of sidestreet drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong. Gatsby [Politely] What about it? I guess your friend Walter Chase wasn’t too proud to come in on it. Tom And you left him in the lurch, didn’t you? You let him go to jail for a month over in New Jersey. God! You ought to hear Walter on the subject of you Gatsby He came to us dead broke. He was very glad to pick up some money, old sport Tom Don’t you call me ‘old sport’! Walter could have you up on the betting laws too, but Wolfsheim scared him into shutting his mouth. That drug-store business was just small change, but you’ve got something on now that Walter’s afraid to tell me about. Nick’s narration I glanced at Daisy, who was staring terrified between Gatsby and her husband. Then I
turned back to Gatsby and was startled at his expression. He looked as if he had “killed a man.” The look passed, and he began to talk excitedly to Daisy, denying everything, defending his name against accusations that had not been made. But with every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away. Daisy [Begging to go] Please, Tom! I can’t stand this any more. Nick’s narration Her frightened eyes told that whatever intentions, whatever courage, she had had, were definitely gone. Tom You two start on home, Daisy, in Mr. Gatsby’s car She looked at Tom, alarmed now, but he insisted with magnanimous scorn. Tom Go on. He won’t annoy you I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over. Gatsby and Daisy were gone, without a word, snapped out, made accidental, isolated, like ghosts, even from pity. After a moment Tom got up and began wrapping the unopened
bottle of whiskey in the towel. 10