He wants someone who has a lot of wealth so he can live a luxurious life. She begins to have an affair with Tom and this causes damage to her marriage which she has with George. She says to herself when she first meets Tom, “You can't live forever; Myrtle realizes that Tom is a wealthy individual and having a relationship with him will help her break out of the social class she is trapped in. She sees him as the perfect man who represents the American dream. She lives in the Valley of Ashes with her husband George, a garage owner. She married him because she thought he was a gentleman and knew something about ranching. But it turned out that he was not financially stable and this causes Myrtle to not love him. This shows how Myrtle is acquisitive and does not appreciate George for who he is. She realizes that life is fading along with her youth and to live the life she has always wanted, she must become Tom's lover. He wants to live the rich and famous lifestyle that George couldn't offer. This shows how Myrtle is morally corrupt because she does not see the harm in having an extramarital affair and only seeks to pursue wealth. This ultimately leads to his own death. The pursuit of the American dream causes corruption and destruction within itself