How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby?Particularly in terms of language, form & structure.

Chapter 2 begins with a description of the Valley of the
Ashes.  The language here is reminiscent of Eliot's The
Wasteland:

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. . .ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys
and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and
already crumbling through the powdery
air.

This is a place that is
occupied by "ash-grey men" with "leaden spades."  Above the "bleak dust" is the
billboard with the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg.  It is the ultimate god of
consumerism, the idol of not only those who have but also those who have
not.

Against this backdrop, Tom introduces Myrtle, his
mistress, to Nick.  Here at Wison's garage we see two characters who are attempting to
rise above their miserable surroundings:  George, who is almost already defeated, and
Myrtle, who still aspires to bigger and better things.  She alone seems to possess a
certain vitality--perhaps because her dreams are still
alive.

The second part of this chapter is the dinner party
at Myrtle's apartment in the city.  It is juxtaposed to the description of the Gatsby's
party in the following chapter.  We see contrasts between the two, but also surprising
similarities.  In both parties, we see artificiality, callousness, superficiality,
drunkenness, and chaos.  Myrtle's party is a more intimate scene, full of disparaging
talk about her husband George and her meeting with Tom.  Her pretentiousness is blatant
in her remarks about her dress and the help.  It corresponds nicely to Gatsby's own
pretentious language and dress, described in the following chapter.  We see that Myrtle
is only being used by Tom, and the possibility of her rising from her current status is
bleak.

The chapter is told from Nick's perspective, and
 Nick narrates Tom's infidelity seemingly without judgment  Yet, through his
description, we see the party as a tawdry affair, full of trivial conversation and with
no true connections among the guests. And, Nick, seems to
be

enchanted
and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of
life.

This seems to be Nick's
tone throughout the chapter.  As each guest is described, each seems somewhat ludicrous:
 Catherine with her eyebrows; McKee and his wife inspecting guests for possible photo
shots. The party at Myrtle's is narrated as Nick proceeds to get drunker and drunker.
 Events become cloudy and confused, finally descending into a fight between Tom and
Myrtle, in which Myrtle's nose is broken, and Nick wakes up beside Mr. McKee.  The
chapter ends with Nick alone at the train station.

The two
sections of this chapter relate well--the first shows the motivation of those living in
the Valley of the Ashes to change their status; the second shows the improbability of
that occurring.  Alcohol temporarily eases the pain of the fact that time is passing and
everyone is at a stalemate.