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Compare And Contrast Tom Buchanan And Jay Gatsby

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, the two main male characters, Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, represent two vastly different social classes and attitudes towards life. Tom represents the old money aristocracy, while Gatsby represents the nouveau riche. The two men are also competing for the affections of Daisy, Tom's wife and Gatsby's former lover. In this essay, I will compare and contrast Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, highlighting their differences in personality, social class, and attitude towards life, while providing evidence and commentary from the novel.

Tom Buchanan, a former college football star, comes from a wealthy, established family and is a member of the elite social class. He is physically imposing, with "a cruel body" (Fitzgerald 11) and an "arrogant" (Fitzgerald 7) demeanor. He is also racist and misogynistic, believing that "the white race will be utterly submerged" (Fitzgerald 18) if interracial marriage is allowed. Tom is emotionally abusive towards Daisy, cheating on her openly and treating her like a possession. He represents the old money aristocracy, who value tradition and social status above all else. …show more content…

Gatsby is described as "gorgeous" (Fitzgerald 2), with a "rare smile" (Fitzgerald 48) and a "romantic readiness" (Fitzgerald 6). He is obsessed with the idea of winning back Daisy's love and uses his wealth to create a lavish lifestyle in the hopes of impressing her. However, Gatsby's motivations are not purely selfish; he genuinely loves Daisy and wants to provide for her. Gatsby represents the nouveau riche, who value ambition and individualism over tradition and social

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