Answer: Myrtle's perception of herself and her actual circumstances differ significantly. In "The Great Gatsby," Myrtle Wilson sees herself as deserving of a higher social status than she actually occupies. She perceives herself as sophisticated and refined, aspiring to be part of the wealthy elite. However, in reality, she is trapped in a loveless marriage to George Wilson, who owns a shabby garage in the Valley of Ashes, a desolate industrial area. Despite her efforts to escape her modest circumstances by having an affair with Tom Buchanan, a wealthy married man, Myrtle remains tethered to her lower-class existence. Her longing for a life of luxury and glamour contrasts sharply with her bleak reality, ultimately leading to her tragic demise.
