The differences between the eastern United States and the western United States are very vast. While the west is very "laid back", the east remains the economic, and financial capital of the country. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Nick Callaway's view points are very different from the view points of Tom Buchanan. Nick is disturbed by Tom and Gatsby's actions. The differences between the adulterous relationships of Tom and Gatsby are like the differences of east and west. In the east business is the first priority. Business is put in front of family, love, and even oneself. In the west things are slower and more conventional. Marriage is made for love, not for sex and money. Nick is bothered by Tom's affair with Myrtle because Nick is not used to seeing that sort of behavior. But he is slightly less bothered by Gatsby's affaire because it is based on love. But as described by the novel everybody had a mistress of some sort. And it was not looked upon badly, at least not by the eyes of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby.
When Nick is told by Jordan that Tom has a woman in the city Nick's first probable reaction was "what". But neither Jordan nor Daisy seemed to be bothered by this fact. When Nick went with Tom to Georges car garage and Myrtle came down to greet Tom with a very sensual kiss. Nick seemed to be very bothered by this. Back in Minnesota, a mostly Catholic/Christian state, such a thing is all but unheard of. But Nick allows it to continue without telling Daisy. Nick is even in the car when they go to the apartment in the city. And he even goes to Myrtles apartment to go to the party. Nick is at the party when Tom gives Myrtle a slap across the face. And surprisingly Myrtle still comes back. Nick then sees that Tom is just using Myrtle as and object. And that Myrtle is just using tom to improve her current situation. Nick Finds out that Myrtle is really just a woman in the city.