How Is Tom Buchanan A Foil Character In The Great Gatsby

One’s perception of another depends heavily on how they are portrayed in reference to others around them. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, minor characters are used to solidify Gatsby’s character in the eyes of the reader. Tom Buchanan acts as a foil character to Jay Gatsby, underscoring Gatsby’s modesty to the readers, leading to the readers viewing Gatsby as a genuine character. They are most evidently opposites in terms of their treatment of others and attitudes towards social stratification. Additionally, the owl-eyed man and Nick Carraway’s dialogue indirectly characterize Gatsby as genuine and different from the crowd, influencing the readers to see him that way. Thus, Fitzgerald’s use of minor characters helps portray Gatsby’s character as humble, which causes the readers to view Gatsby as uniquely sincere.

Tom’s belittling treatment of other characters contrasts starkly with Gatsby’s respectful and heartfelt treatment, leading to the readers’ opinions of Gatsby being that he is a sincere character. This contrast is evident when Gatsby and Tom fight over Daisy and (respectively) say, “‘You’re not going to take care of her anymore’...’She’s not leaving me... not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger’” (Fitzgerald, 133). Tom belittles Gatsby, calling him a “common swindler,” diminishing him to someone who likely makes money from stealing and deception. Tom also focuses solely on the materialistic aspect of the relationship: the ring. Contrarily, Gatsby is sincere and instead of belittling Tom or emphasizing materialistic goods, he cares about Daisy’s wellbeing/emotions and tells him that he is not going to “take care of her anymore.” The contrast in their approaches to the argument makes Gatsby’s modesty more prominent, influencing the readers to view him as