The Great Gatsby How did George Wilson know it was Gatsby’s car that killed Myrtle? Tom told him. Daisy told him. Wolfsheim’s underworld informant. He had earlier tried to buy Gatsby’s car. Myrtle told him just before she died.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
George Wilson knew it was Gatsby’s car that killed Myrtle primarily because Tom Buchanan told him. This moment occurs in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby when Tom, after discovering that Myrtle was dead, becomes aware of the vehicle involved in the accident.
Tom, who had been having an affair with Myrtle, learns from Jordan Baker about the accident and the car’s identity. During a tense conversation, Tom tells George that Gatsby owns the yellow car that struck Myrtle. Although Tom doesn’t know the full details of the accident, he uses this information to manipulate George’s grief and rage. This revelation serves Tom’s purpose by diverting suspicion away from himself and Daisy, who was actually driving Gatsby’s car at the time of the accident.
Moreover, George is already in a vulnerable state due to Myrtle’s death, and Tom’s assertion leads him to focus his anger on Gatsby. George’s desperation is palpable, and Tom’s misinformation drives him to seek revenge. The idea that Gatsby’s car was involved aligns with George’s growing belief that he must confront the owner of the car that killed his wife.
In the broader context of the novel, this incident underscores themes of deception, the American Dream’s corruption, and the moral decay of the characters. It highlights Tom’s manipulative nature, showing how he uses others for his benefit while remaining unscathed himself. George Wilson’s subsequent actions culminate in tragic consequences, illustrating the profound impact of misinformation and the fragility of human relationships in the pursuit of truth and justice.
Ultimately, it is Tom’s revelation that leads George to the mistaken belief that Gatsby is responsible, sealing both Gatsby’s fate and illustrating the novel’s themes of loss and disillusionment.