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How Does Tom Buchanan Maintain Morality In The Great Gatsby

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In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the difficulty to maintain a moral code while surrounded by corrupt people making immoral decisions. The modern idea of mans humanity towards others is also represented in the character Tom Buchanan and in many people that live in the East Egg. Buchanan is a example of the ignorance of the upper crust of society and their explanation for not following societies set rules. People like Tom Buchanan were raised on the foundation of an affluent lifestyle and the thought that they had superiority over others. Morality was not the main concern for Tom through his whole life. He was more focused on money and not his choices. Because social status is static at the upper-end of the socio-economic scale, the people of East Egg, like the Buchanan's, are exempt from moral codes, …show more content…

Buchanan is shown as a racist, power hungry socialite who has no filter and speaks his mind. At the Buchanan's dinner party Tom begins to discuss his views on the positions of races and power. In front of Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker, Tom abruptly disrupts the conversation by saying, "It's up to us, the dominant race, to watch out or the other races will have control of things" (Fitzgerald 13). Because of how Tom was raised and how much money he has acquired, he told himself that he is entitled to do or say what he wants no matter what others deem unquestionable. In the article Social Class in The Great Gatsby Carla Verderame also sees the racism of Buchanan and says, "Tom Buchanan's racist musings will also demonstrate the complicated link between race and social class and the way these categories of analysis play out in the novel" (Verderame 2). Tom's need for dominance and power destroys his regard for damaging others truths. Tom's preeminence over everyone fuels his ego and boosts his racist

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In Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, there are two characters by the names of Tom Buchanan and George Wilson. Throughout the book, these two particular characters seem to be very different from each other in nearly every way. However, it becomes clear as the story continues that they share some ideas and attitudes in common. Specifically, Tom and George were noteworthy in the way they felt about women, the methods by which they conveyed violence, and how they responded to their wives cheating on them.

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby,” Daisy Buchanan struggles to free herself from the power of both Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, whom both use their wealth and high standings as a way to dictate power over and impress others. Fitzgerald purposely develops Daisy as selfish and “money hungry” character when she chooses Tom, a rich man, over Gatsby, a poor man (who she was in love with), which establishes her desire for power that she never achieves.

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As individuals get caught up in the chase, moral and ethical integrity take a backseat — as demonstrated through Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. By virtue of his Machiavellian outlook of the world, Buchanan’s persona is even now reflected in American culture. His nature is still buried deep within modern affairs — specifically in American politics with former President Trump. The pair share an exorbitant amount of respect for socioeconomic status, and care not about who they hurt to maintain this power. In this world of demagoguery that Buchanan and Trump have so meticulously designed, no relationship is tantamount to the taste of power.

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First, all the people in The Great Gatsby thought that the money they had could bring them the true happiness they wanted. Tom Buchanan was the worst of all though and always thought his money could get them out of any problem. He shows this when he says, "And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time"(Fitzgerald 140). When he says this, he thinks the cheating he does is fine.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald has a way of applying indirect characterization into his novels in order to enhance how he would like a character to be interpreted, especially in his 1925 novel The Great Gatsby. Take for example, two major characters in the story, Nick Carraway of Minnesota who moved to New York in order to get into the bond business and Tom Buchanan a wealthy man living in East Egg with his wife Daisy. It is evident that Fitzgerald would want readers to look at Nick as an honest man and a bystander or observer of the world going on around him. On the other hand, Fitzgerald wants readers to see Tom as an arrogant, hypocritical brute with no morals whatsoever.

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Tom Buchanan is Fitzgerald’s masterpiece of creating a character who portrays the life, and characteristics as an alpha male. Through the vision of character’s surrounding Tom we began to see how his loftier masculinity characterizes him in the story. I begin with a quote from Tom’s wife Daisy that embodies the intimidating masculine characteristics of Tom, “I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it. That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a-----” (Fitzgerald 12). In this quote from Daisy we view a list of characteristics that are associated with Tom’s masculinity.

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, there are many important characters, some alike and some different. Two characters who are both different and alike at the same time are Tom Buchanan and George Wilson. Fitzgerald gives the reader a lot of information about how Tom and George are very different from each other. One can interpret many different things that Fitzgerald may be trying to convey about the nature of men. Based on how he portrays Tom and George’s actions it helps to show the true nature of men.

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The impact of socioeconomic status can be examined through a myriad of lenses. F. Scott Fitzgerald aims to show the relationship between socioeconomic status and power. Throughout The Great Gatsby, Tom’s character shows that socioeconomic status is equivalent to power within the novel. Tom puts great pride and emphasis on his socioeconomic status and wealth.

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As god can 't even blame for an individual wanting what was beyond their capability. Striving for Daisy, The girl he once loves, who married a man that you would call the reflecting of the emptiness generation. Creating the newly rich Gatsby, fill with an illusion of party, guest, and love. between gatsby requoted love and subsequent re-animation of the flaws of humanity. Tom Buchanan is a man with alpha appearance.

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An important theme in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the corruption of morals because of wealth. It doesn’t matter if one comes from old or new money, wealth will corrupt the morality of even the humblest. The first example of wealth corrupting morals is in the indifference to infidelity between the married Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson. The next example of wealth corrupting morals is seen in Jordan Baker’s actions to keep her luxurious lifestyle. Third, Jim Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth lead to the corruption of his morals.

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“Then wear that gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry “Lover, gold-hatted, high bouncing lover, I must have you” (title page). Throughout the novel, the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents Tom Buchanan as a very controlling person who believes he is entitled to many things because of his wealth. Similar to the quote, Tom’s constant need for wealth and power leads to a need and want for everything in sight. If a reader were to read this book through the Marxist lens, they would see an obvious struggle between the powerful and powerless and how that directly coincides with how much money the person with power has. The main character with power and wealth in the novel is Tom Buchanan, and he uses his control to gain power over others.

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