The Great Gatsby: Chapter VI (pages 125-145)

In the second section of Chapter VI in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby there is a great deal of drama and arguing. Gatsby and Daisy finally inform Tom about the truth of their love for each other. After Tom is informed of this he becomes enraged and tries to deny the situation. Once Tom has realised that Daisy and Gatsby truly love each other, Tom begins to blackmail Gatsby by revealing, "'He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter'" (Fitzgerald, 133). Tom turned an argument about who Daisy truly loved into an ad hominen argument. Quickly realising he was losing the argument, Tom brought up events in the past in order to scare Daisy. These facts about Gatsby's past not only tarnished Gatsby's character, but caused Daisy more confusion on which man she should pick. By attacking Gatsby's character during this situation made matters worse. Tom is weak with arguing so he had to resort to the last measure he had. Judging by the end of the chapter, it looks as thought Tom may have unfortunately won Daisy back.