Greed is a very presumptuous topic in the novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, let's see how the characters Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan embody this trait. In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, both characters Tom and Gatsby are driven by greed in order to have love and wealth. Even going as far as the expense of other people. These two characters serve as an embodiment of greed and its destructive nature. The definition of greed is, to have an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or love. Greed is known to be the destruction of people's lives. It’s a parasite that lives in people’s hearts. According to the National Library of Medicine, “It makes people focus on their personal fulfillment …show more content…
He’s being unfair to both Daisy and the other women by messing with both of their feelings. The greed he has for love takes a destructive turn in his behavior. In the novel “The Great Gatsby” it states,“ There was no confusion of a simple mind, and as we drove away Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic. His wife and mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate, were slipping precipitately from his control. Instinct made him step on the accelerator with the double purpose of overtaking Daisy and leaving Wilson behind.” Greed has a root and most of the time that root is caused by fear for others it may be money but in the case of Tom Buchanan it was the fear of him losing both his wife and his mistress at the same time. For Tom, greed can be viewed as something that's good because he’s getting what he wants. A statement from the journey “Adam Smith and Greed” states, “Greed is good.... Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit." Greed can be seen as success to Tom, especially being born from wealth, so to him being greedy may be seen as a positive sign for