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Great gatsby thematic essay
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Wealthy individuals are sometimes described as conceited and corrupted. The Great Gatsby, a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, presents a couple named Tom and Daisy Buchanan that perfectly fits the description. Nick, the narrator of the story, describes them as “careless people, Tom and Daisy -they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they made…”. (Fitzgerald 187-188). Tom and Daisy are careless of their actions and hurt others without knowing it. Tom had an affair with Myrtle Wilson that would eventually lead to her death. Likewise, Daisy had an affair with Jay Gatsby that too would lead to his death. These two events would eventually destroy …show more content…
the relationship between Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker.
Tom Buchanan is a man from the upper class of society that believes he is better than everyone and is described by Nick as a man with “Two shining arrogant eyes had established of always leaning aggressively forward.” (Fitzgerald 11) . He is a man with no morals and has an affair with a mistress named Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is part of the lower class and her morals are just as low as Tom. Myrtle attempts to use Tom to move up in society. Myrtle puts on her best dress and tries to entertain the guests when she goes out with Tom. Myrtle attempts to entertain the guest by acting like a superior because she thinks she will sound fancier. This only makes her seem more foolish and seem like the low class person she truly is. Tom sees Myrtle as an inferior human being and treats her with disrespect. Myrtle knows about Tom’s wife Daisy and uses her name to tease him. With no remorse “Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.” (Fitzgerald 41) when Myrtle disrespected Tom by repeating Daisy’s name. Myrtle is an easy target for Tom and finds satisfaction in feeling superior to Myrtle. Myrtle knows she's not as
pretty as Daisy and knows that her level in society is not close to Tom's. However, Tom shows some level of pity when he apologizes to her for breaking her nose.Tom again shows his immoral values by lying to Myrtle by saying that he would marry her if Daisy wasn't catholic. Myrtle believes Tom and sees Tom as a way for her to move up society. Myrtle knows that her husband, George, isn’t able to provide her with her needs and wants. Myrtle's sister, Catherine, tells Nick the reason Tom and Myrtle can't get married is because "It's really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic, and they don't believe in divorce." (Fitzgerald 38). Tom is using this as an excuse for Myrtle and we know that Tom will never leave Daisy. Daisy is in the same class as Tom and a large part of his life. Tom just uses Myrtle and this eventually leads to her death.
Myrtle Wilson came from a working class family with a low social standing. Due to her family’s lack of money, Myrtle’s options were limited to marrying men of equal or lower economic status than herself. As a result, Myrtle married George Wilson, a poor car mechanic. In her relationship with George, Myrtle lacked control due to her status as a woman and was thus forced to listen to her husband. However, because of her lower status, Myrtle did learn to use her physical attributes to her own advantage. In other words, Myrtle knew how to exaggerate her physical beauty in order to attract men such as Tom Buchanan; who would pay her with money and expensive gifts in return. Thus, “there is a clear connection between the material disadvantages” Myrtle faced and her lack of morals; given “the paucity of her allotment of the fundamental decencies” (Voegeli). In other words, because of her lack of economic backing, Myrtle Wilson grew up as a woman of lower class with less options in life; which limited her social power and drove her to act unlike any high class lady. Thus, Myrtle’s only option for increasing her status was through material services such as her relationship with Tom Buchanan. All in all, Myrtle Wilson’s economic status limited her to the life of a low class woman and her power others in her
The dinner party scene also introduces the theme of societal expectation by contrasting two very different characters: Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker. Daisy is portrayed as an almost angelic or fairy-like figure, first seen lounging on the couch: “buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon” (12). One could infer that the phrase ‘anchored balloon’ symbolizes the constraints and expectations placed upon women during the 1920’s. In this way, Daisy represents the life led by traditional women during this era. Expectations were as such; women were to marry young, have children, devote their lives to raising families and were completely dependent on their husbands. Daisy’s dependence on Tom is represented by her childlike characteristics: “She
While comparing and contrasting Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson, I will be focusing on all aspects of the characters. Physically they are very different, but by demonstrating their distinct physical differences, Fitzgerald is allowing us to pick favorites early on. Daisy and Myrtle share a number of similarities and many differences in their daily lives, such as how they look, act, and handle conflict.
Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson of The Great Gatsby. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, the two central women presented are Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson. These two women, although different, have similar personalities. Throughout the novel, there are instances in which the reader feels bad for and dislikes both Daisy and Myrtle.
Tom realizes her desperate situation and takes total advantage of her. The clearest example of this is when Myrtle shouts Daisy’s name and Tom warns her not to say it again but Myrtle says Daisy's name anyway. Tom Buchanan in a “A short deft movement..., breaks her nose with his open hand.” Tom views her as not even being allowed to lick the dirt of his shoe. She is just another one of Tom’s possessions. Myrtle isn’t even allowed to say Daisy's name. He knows that she's in desperate situation. Tom is all she has and he knows this, he could do whatever he wants. He realizes that without her she will have to go back to George’s measly garage and she doesn't want that. Therefore Tom takes control of her desperation. Additionally, at the party, Catherine tells Nick that neither of them can stand the person they’re married to. They don't divorce and marry one another because Daisy is a Catholic. Nick knows that Tom is lying indicating to the reader, yet again, that Tom uses Myrtle for his own pleasure. She is nothing to him and he could do this because of Myrtle’s desperation. Another example in the novel is Mr. McKee asks Tom for a reference to be able to work in West Egg and Tom replies “Ask Myrtle,” said Tom, breaking into a short shout of laughter as Mrs. Wilson entered with a tray. “She’ll give you a letter of introduction, won’t you Myrtle?” She answers in confusion “Do what?” Tom is mocking her in front of
When Myrtle and Tom get into an argument, Tom unleashes his violent side by slapping his mistress in the face, causing her to break her nose. (Fitzgerald 39) This does not negatively influence their relationship and the two continue to openly see each other. Tom happens to also be the one who investigates Gatsby’s past once he begins the relationship with Daisy: his education and the source of his money. The reason for Tom’s inspection is to expose Gatsby’s past and illegal life, and inform Daisy of his negative thoughts on Gatsby. Additionally, Tom makes his dominance noticeable through his wealth and social status, with the use of racism: "I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that's the idea you can count me out […] Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white." (229), believing that he is better than everybody else, coming from a rich aristocratic background; he believes superiority is in his blood. This fuels his main source of power that he exudes within society. Tom is very honest about his affair with Myrtle to his own wife. But, he doesn’t grasp the concept of morality; he is hypocritical, accusing his wife for her affair with Gatsby, but still proceeding with his
The author wants the reader to dislike Myrtle for her loud, obnoxious nature, her unfaithfulness, and her overall unpleasant temperament. She is portrayed in a negative light, and any reader would describe her in a negative way. In spite of their varying social statuses, both Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson alike seem to be unhappily married. Daisy is aware of Tom’s mistress, but she chooses to ignore it and to avoid showing her emotions.
Throughout the novel, one of Tom 's biggest careless acts was when he cheated on Daisy. Tom is a cocky, confident man shown many times throughout the novel like when Nick arrived at his house and "Tom Buchanan in riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch" (Fitzgerald 6). His stance showed his arrogance, and how highly he thought of himself because of his wealth. Tom was a man who often acted without thinking things through, like having an affair with Myrtle. Despite both Tom and Myrtle being married, they both had affairs. Tom doesn 't hide his affair from Nick and introduces him to his mistress Myrtle at Wilson 's garage. Tom doesn 't seem to care if anyone finds out because he feels as though nothing would change due to his wealth. While at Myrtle 's husbands garage, Tom tells Myrtle to meet him at the train station. They end up going to their apartment in New York City that they keep for their affair. While at the Morningside Height 's apartment Myrtle starts to talk about Tom 's wife Daisy, ""Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I 'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai-"" (Fitzgerald 37). Tom didn 't like Myrtle overstepping her boundaries and to show
Tom is proud of his affairs, and has had many since his marriage. For the esteemed Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson is simply the woman for the time. Due to Tom being consumed by wealth, people that recently came to fortune or individuals with less money hold no stake in Tom’s world. To Tom they are nobodies. He commands attention through his boisterous and outspoken behavior. If Tom has a problem, he will let that person know immediately while being as degrading as possible. Overall, Tom Buchanan proves high-class does not classy with respectable
Daisy also exhibits her shallowness when she is too restless to wait for her 'love', Gatsby, to return from he war, and she marries Tom. Her most drastic immoral action is committed when she runs over Myrtle and does not even bother to stop and help a person that is 'below' her. Daisy's husband, Tom shows his ridiculous morality in different ways. One way is his search for power, which is shown most through his affair with Myrtle and his possessiveness. He evidently feels further domination and masculinity when he has her, a woman of lower class, as his mistress. Secondly, Tom Buchanan is shallow enough to think that everything and everyone he has in his life are part of his property. This increases his 'power' and makes him feel as if he is truly successful. This couple, Tom and Daisy certainly contain serious corruptness due to their shallowness and self-indulgence.
Myrtle’s ambition proves to be her fatal flaw in being the tragic hero. The goal of her ambition is to lead her to a higher social status. In pursuit of her ambition she expresses that her husband, George Wilson, serves as an obstacle since he is in the opposite direction of where she wishes to be. She expresses disgust in George for committing actions that are considered lowly by her standards. She was particularly unenthused with her husband after it is revealed that “he borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married” without telling her. (35) She expresses her marriage as regretful, which illustrates her ambition to strive for better, being Tom. Essentially it illustrates that she would rather be treated with little respect to achieve status, rather than to be treated with respect without status. Myrtle not only exudes her ambition through her pompous attitude, but also in the manner in which she carries herself. She is a young woman in her “middle thirties, and faintly stout, but (carries) her surplus flesh sensuously,” and although she is not attributed with beauty she is somewhat charismatic. (25) The way in which she carries herself may be considered sexual, and her persona is alluring for men such as Tom. Her seducing persona illustrates her ambition in being a temptress in order to move up the social ladder.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby was born into a life of poverty and as he grew up he became more aware of the possibility of a better life. He created fantasies that he was too good for his modest life and that his parents weren’t his own. When he met Daisy, a pretty upper class girl, his life revolved around her and he became obsessed with her carefree lifestyle. Gatsby’s desire to become good enough for Daisy and her parents is what motivates him to become a wealthy, immoral person who is perceived as being sophisticated.
The characters' search of their own identities and the struggle that ensues is the most suffusive theme throughout The Great Gatsby . The fact that we never really know the characters, and the corrupt immoral things they do, directly represent the 20's high society lifestyle. The characters continued to cheat on their spouses, let money become their obsession, and debated the American dream for the hopes of one day obtaining happiness. But the fact remains that they have no true morals or ideals of themselves as individuals. These are a group of people who --no matter how cocky and self- confident they seem-- have absolutely no idea of what they are doing (as many men and women of the 20's do not). Tom and Daisy are two examples.
Daisy and Edmond are different now because Edmond is scared because the stuff he has seen in the war people dying and more. He can barely talk to her, there relationship is different now. They don't talk much, but it is getting better. They are talking more, but not a lot, It will probably take a long time to fix their relationship. One of the quotes Edmond says is “There were thousands of stories just like this, one and mostly they didn't end happily” When Daisy got pick up from and went back to the Usa and she was there for along time. (Like 3-4 years) When she was in the Usa, Edmond was captured by the enemies and he seen kids starve and die. He was a lot of scars on his body and in his mental mind. Edmond seen kids and adults die and seen
Male characters and their relationships with the females is demonstrated by female absence with Tom and Daisy. Daisy’s absence is shown through submissive to Tom, she doesn't even think about arguing with him she simply just follows his commands. Tom and Daisy are referred to as “Tom Buchanan's” “I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans” (Fitzgerald, 5). Daisy’s identification was lost and she falls under the property of Tom Buchanan. Another common example is Tom and Myrtle Wilson. Tom expects that Myrtle obeys every one of his commands. Myrtle is viewed as Tom’s property and Tom does not accept her expressing her own opinions. When Myrtle did he siliened her by breaking her nose. “Sometimes toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs.Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, weather Mrs. Wilcon has any right to mention Daisy’s name. “Daisy!Daisy!Daisy!” shouted Mrs.Wilson.”I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai-”Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand (Fitzgerald,