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Marxist Analysis Of Tom In The Great Gatsby

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In The Great Gatsby Tom's character is used to show the moral decay and corruption of the upper class and the way he gets away with what he wants in the end. Tom shows the hypocritical nature of those who boast their wealth and privilege while committing non-moral behavior. He beats his wife and cheats with no consequence or confrontation about what he does, simply because he is in the class position he is, Tom seems to do whatever he wants. From a Marxist perspective due to Tom's social class he presumes to continue these unethical acts that simply have no consequences for him. "I've got my hands full," he said. "I'm much obliged but I couldn't take on any more work. You wouldn't want me to strain myself." (Chapter 2) Tom says this to Nick when he declines an invitation to lunch with him and Myrtle. Tom does not a care in the world about Myrtle and how his attitude is portrayed in this passage really shows that he wouldn't think twice about the consequences. …show more content…

To start, Daisy and Tom's relationship is horrid;Tom beats her and has a mistress that everyone knows about, though nothing is said about it since the power and class given at the time of the book also doesn't help much Looking down at women was not the most uncommon after the war. One quote that portrays the objectification of women is when Daisy says, "I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" (Chapter 1). This quote shows how women at that time were modeled only for their beauty and not any of their intelligence or abilities. This quote also implies that society expects for women to be ignorant and submissive, in some ways a slave to their husband and it great to say that it goes against today's beliefs which is

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Tom’s affair with Myrtle Wilson is a prime example of his disregard for the impact of his actions on others. Despite being married to Daisy, Tom had a huge affair with Myrtle, visiting her multiple times a month, showing no concern for the emotion it would cause his wife Daisy. This affair led directly to the event that happened in New York leading to the death of Myrtle. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy, they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money on their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made”(Fitzgerald, 187). Tom’s recklessness and refusal to consider what his actions do to those around him set the stage for the climax of the

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Even though, woman have been given rights in this era, they still are treated with little respect from their husbands and friends. Tom, Daisy's husband is very sexist to both Daisy and his Mistris Myrtl as he constantly beats her and orders both her and Daisy around. He gives sertyoticla opinions such as, woman shouldn’t learn how to drive, and other viewpoints which would be considered outrageous in today's society. Not only does Daisy suffer in her marriage but she also makes Gatsby suffer just as much. She decided not to marry Gatsby when she had the chance because he was poor and she was tired of waiting.

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In the Great Gatsby Movie, the alteration of the scene where Wilson suspects Gatsby highlights how Tom knew the result of his actions which ultimately changes Tom’s interpreted intentions within the book. Tom confessing Gatsby was the owner of the car led to the falling action in the novel which was the killing of Gatsby committed by Wilson. After the death of Myrtle, Wilson was mourning in his garage and when Michaelis mentions the car which hit her was a yellow custom car, Wilson realizes the car which hit Myrtle is the same car he saw Tom driving in when he needed gas. In an attempt to calm Wilson, Tom argues the yellow car wasn’t his

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1236 Words | 5 Pages

With the unfolding of chapter two through four, it is evident that Myrtle is already contributing to the negative effects of Tom and Daisy’s relationship. Any relationship is in shambles when one begins to lie, which is exactly what happens when Tom says to Myrtle, “I want to see you, says Tom intently. Get on the next train”(p. 26). The significance of this quote is to show that Myrtle's presence and willingness to proceed with this affair is affecting the relationship of Tom and Daisy, precious time is being wasted on an affair when both cheaters could be with their loved ones. Not only has Myrtle's decisions affected her relationship with Tom but also her relationship with her husband!

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Jeaniene Frost once said, “People can perfect whatever facade they want, but everyone holds their sins close to their skin”. This quote relates to The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They both talk about the action of putting out to the world that you are someone else different than who you actually are, but your secrets always stay lurking in the background. The Great Gatsby is trying to show that putting out a facade of someone who you aren’t can have dire consequences. One character who puts up a facade is Jay Gatsby.

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The hippocratic character of Tom is prevalent throughout the book as he becomes enraged with Daisy for having an affair with Gatsby, despite his long lasting affair with Myrtle. In addition, this is seen yet again when Tom grows infuriated with Gatsby after discovering his wealth comes from selling illegal alcohol while throughout the book, Tom frequently enjoys the pleasures of this illegal substance. While it is clear Tom, who is part of the upper class, has skewed morals himself, his true imorality is evident preceding the death of Myrtle Wilson. Following the death of Myrtle and Gatsby, Nick questions whether Tom has been affected by any of this in which Tom responds that he is infact distraught. However, Tom is not particularly upset by the death of Gatsby, rather upset because his “toy” Myrtle is not longer alive leaving him nothing else to play with.

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The main characters of the Great Gatsby, specifically Gatsby, Daisy and Tom are all grossly rich, with lavish possessions and important connections. Their richness and power gives them authority to do whatever they please without punishment, and without legal punishment. Tom Buchanan commits adultery, with his wife’s knowledge. Nick is at the Buchanans house with Daisy and Jordan while Tom goes inside to take a phone call. Nick and Jordan discuss with Daisy beside them, ““You mean you don’t know?”

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One of the major themes that was present throughout the novel, the Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, is the shallow and hollowness of the upper class people. Throughout the novel a series of events occur that support the idea of the upper class having a shallow life. Firstly, the relationship between the two characters Daisy and Tom, whom have been married for 5 years, seems to proceed towards a broken marriage. The two individuals lack loyalty and faithfulness to one another, even after being bonded in a marriage, for up to 5 years they have no attachment or feelings to one another. Tom is portrayed as a womanizer and has never been fully committed to his wife, and on the other hand his wife continuously has a new love interest, depicting both of the individuals as shallow and feeling-less.

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Wealthy people during the 1920s were very careless and shallow. As the richer, they became the more they fade away from their morals. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, he writes about Gatsby’s destiny and how people during that society “helped” him. The only help that he got was people’s shallowness. Gatsby’s destiny was to have Daisy fall in love with him again by using his wealth.

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In The Great Gatsby selfishness was a major theme and cause of much of the conflict in the story. Many of the novel’s characters are selfish by nature and possibly the most obvious example of this is Tom. Tom demonstrates selfishness in the novel by boasting about his wealth, success, and even his mistress to Nick. “We’re getting off!’

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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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1909 Words | 8 Pages

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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1218 Words | 5 Pages

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis “They were careless people…” says Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby. In a story depicting the 1920s during a time of prosperity, growth, and the emergence of the America as a major global power, this statement may seem to be contrary. But in reality, Nick Carraway’s description of his friends and the people he knew, was not only true, but is an indication of those who were striving for the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is foolish, the people who pursue it are immoral and reckless, and this pursuit is futile. First, F. Scott Fitzgerald proposes that the American dream is foolish.

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“They were 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 had made” (Fitzgerald 179). This quote captures the advantages the upper class has because of their money. Tom and Daisy’s actions left three people dead, yet they received no punishments .They put all their baggage on the lower class, and left them to pick up the pieces.     In The Great Gatsby, the theme of social class is very significant in the book. Scott F. Fitzgerald used the theme of social class to show the reader that it plays a much bigger role in life.

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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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