Analysis Of Tom Buchanan In The Great Gatsby

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In the case of the characters Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan, in the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, love is not the glue that holds their marriage together. Tom and Daisy’s marriage is solidified by wealth, social class, and carelessness. Through Nick Carraway’s narration, Tom Buchanan is portrayed as a smug man who has little regard for the feelings of others. His character traits appear to be shaped by the excess and entitlement that accompanies his social class and wealth. Tom is careless. As information is revealed regarding the affair Tom is not - so - secretly having behind his wife 's back, readers form a judgement on his character. Tom has the decency to not be seen with his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, in his
Not only does Tom treat women poorly, he treats anyone that is not upper class below par. Since Tom is immensely wealthy, and because he comes from “old” money, he believes that he is superior. Tom hides behind the dollar signs that are associated with his name and, uses them as a license to treat others harshly. This is evident in how he treats George Wilson, his mistress’s husband, and how he treats his wife 's admirer, Jay Gatsby. Wilson 's characteristics do not matter to Tom. It does not matter if George Wilson is kind, handsome, or humble. In Tom 's eyes, Myrtles husband is "so dumb he doesn 't know he 's alive" (26). It is not wicked enough that Tom "fools around" with George Wilson 's wife, he also has the nerve to belittle the man just because they do not share the same privileges in life. The way Tom treats George Wilson is much similar to the way he treats Jay Gatsby. From the beginning, Tom looks down on Gatsby and suspects that Gatsby 's wealth comes from illegal origins. In Tom’s eyes, it does not matter if Gatsby is wealthy, due to the fact that the “old” rich and the “new” are on different levels of social class and grace. Thus, when Tom finds out about the connection his wife and Gatsby share, his attitude about Gatsby sours. Hence, Gatsby becomes the ideal scapegoat when someone is needed to blame for Myrtle 's
Throughout the course of the novel F. Scott Fitzgerald and Nick Carraway give us numerous insights on these characters, but it is the passage that blatantly states the exact traits that craft their personalities as well as their marriage. The examples and characteristics discussed in this essay help us in understanding the contents of the passage, in addition to the characters themselves. On one hand, when referring to love, it appears as if Tom and Daisy are not well suited for one another. On the other hand, when referring to wealth, social class, and carelessness, this couple is a better fit than two pieces of a

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