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The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan Wealth Quotes

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People pursue wealth as a means to gain power and influence, viewing it as a symbol of success. However, the relentless pursuit of wealth can lead to moral decay and corruption, causing people to sacrifice their moral principles in order to obtain material possessions. The character of Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel exemplifies this phenomenon. Tom's relentless pursuit of an idealized lifestyle defined by wealth causes him to abandon his moral compass, how wealth can have a corrosive effect on an individual's character and drive them to behave in ways that destroy themselves and those around them. Tom Buchanan views physical objects as tools to assert his superiority and dominance over others. Early in the novel, the author introduces …show more content…

Tom's “supercilious” manner stems from the perceived power he uses to manipulate others. However, Tom's behavior traces back to his obsession with material possessions. For instance, when Nick visits the Buchanan residence for the first time, he describes Tom's home as a "factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy" (9). This description highlights how Tom's opulent lifestyle is meant to impress others as if he tries to create an image based on power and wealth rather than character. Nick’s description of his house as an imitation implies that it lacks any genuine substance, and is merely a superficial display of wealth. Furthermore, when Tom shows off his car to Nick, he says, "I've got to have this thing overhauled. That’s why I’m …show more content…

He treats Myrtle as a possession and often physically abuses her. When Myrtle talks back to him during one of their arguments, Tom “[breaks] her nose with his open hand” (37). This violent act highlights Tom’s sense of entitlement and his belief in his inherent superiority due to his social status. He does not consider that he is committing this act in front of his family member Nick, as it is an acceptable action for a person of his character. Furthermore, when Myrtle dies in a car accident, Tom does not even attend her funeral. This callous disregard for Myrtle’s life further emphasizes Tom’s lack of empathy and humanity. Additionally, Tom demonstrates his treatment of Daisy as a possession to be controlled when he states, "I've got a nice place here… you ought to see the baby" (16). This quote reveals how Tom sees Daisy and her daughter as objects that complement his possessions, rather than human beings with their own desires and aspirations. Tom's treatment of Daisy serves as a powerful example of how the pursuit of wealth can dehumanize individuals and erode their sense of empathy, as he values his own wealth and social status more than her life and freedom. He also uses his wealth and power to maintain his position of privilege in society. He is dismissive of people who are not of his social class, referring to them as "the lower classes" and the

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703 Words | 3 Pages

He also attend Yale, and was a good football player. Tom has to have it his own way. “Tom broke her nose”(Fitzgerald 27). Myrtle was not doing was Tom wanted , so to get her to do what he want he uses physical abuse as leverage against her.

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789 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Buchanan, is the husband of Daisy in F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby that has a big lack of morality throughout the book. Tom has a cruel; strong body tone and he lives in East Egg. In the novel, Tom Buchanan takes the role of the antagonist because he prevents Jay Gatsby from living happily ever after. This is in two ways first it's in Gatsby's head which happens throughout most of the book and then by actually denying him from being with Daisy and he also takes actions which lead to Gatsby's death. Tom Buchanan is first introduced as an excellent sportsman but he's wealthy, restless, and cruel, which is a terrible combination.

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1462 Words | 6 Pages

Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, a member of this privileged class, is a reflection of his desire to advance socially and obtain acceptance from the privileged classes. Tom Buchanan, a member of the Old Money, serves as a vehicle for Fitzgerald to stress the sense of entitlement that comes with being born into a well-off family. Tom embodies the arrogance and cruelty of the upper class, using his wealth and power to control and manipulate those around him. Fitzgerald also critiques the American Dream through the character of Gatsby, who’s despite all his effort he is unable to escape his lower-class trappings, suggesting that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to moral decay and disillusionment. Gatsby's obsession with his past and his longing for the unattainable Daisy ultimately leads to his tragic demise.

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435 Words | 2 Pages

Fitzgerald highlights Tom Buchanan’s controlling yet restless character through the visual imagery and metaphor associates with the Buchanan household and Tom himself. The way Tom’s eyes “flash[ed] about restlessly” as he looked over his estate implies that Tom longs for change despite his fear of the unknown (14). Tom’s fear of new ideas and people is developed throughout the novel through his contempt of Gatsby and racist worldview, here it takes the form of a nautical motif. Fitzgerald’s comparison between the shadow cast on the carpet with the “shadow wind [casts] on the sea” (24). “Wind” is a symbol for new ideas and discoveries, as wind is the primary driving force behind sailing vessels, symbolizing the way in which change pushes society in different directions (24).

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694 Words | 3 Pages

This is such a great point as Tom is a very impulsive character and Tom uses his money to hide his immoral and other views. “Buchanan uses the defense of law and order to hide his dedecance and, implicity, his amorality”(Lena 30). As Buchanan is very much a man of racist and classist beliefs this is a very true statement. He uses his class as a petastule and he is standing above everyone else. In The Great Gatsby there is a distinction between old money which was gotten by inheritance and new money which is like a self made man.

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568 Words | 3 Pages

One element of this is Tom’s desire to be the dominant man and assert dominance over others, which can be seen when Tom insists on driving Gatsby’s car. In this scene Tom states, “Well, you take my coupé and let me drive your car to town.” (Fitzgerald 37). This shows Tom attempting to assert dominance over Gastby’s possessions, and in turn Gatsby himself, by driving his car into town instead of his own. Tom uses this to discreetly assert dominance over Gatsby as having his belongings taken control of by another man could be a major blow to his

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1266 Words | 6 Pages

He has everything that so many people would kill for and he is ungrateful for it. F. Scott Fitzgerald created the character of Tom Buchanan to showcase

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792 Words | 4 Pages

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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2065 Words | 9 Pages

The Connection of Wealth and Personality in Fitzgerald’s Works In our society, money is seen as the most important factor in decision making and in our overall lives. This is shown throughout all of Fitzgerald’s works and in many of his characters. His stories continually mention the effect that money has on the community. In one of her criticisms, Mary Jo Tate explains that “[Fitzgerald] was not a simple worshiper of wealth or the wealthy, but rather he valued wealth for the freedom and possibilities it provided, and he criticized the rich primarily for wasting those opportunities.

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868 Words | 4 Pages

From the beginning of the novel, it is evident that both Tom and George carry out acts of violence to assert their dominance or to please their selfish desires. For instance, when Tom gets furious at Myrtle, his mistress, for speaking Daisy’s name(Tom’s wife), Tom, “making a short deft movement, [...] breaks [Myrtle 's] nose with his open hand(37).” This scene, without doubt, portrays Tom’s lack of respect for women and it shows that Tom views Myrtle as nothing more than an object that is meant to please his sexual desires. Tom sees himself as a superior to Myrtle and feels that he has the right to punish and put her back into her submissive role when she steps out of line.

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582 Words | 3 Pages

Wealth and greed can easily change a person’s lives. One of the major changes is that you can destroy your life in a way that can affect your decisions in the future. Just like how Tom and Daisy are, in The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, that follows Jay Gatsby, a man who orders his life around one desire: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. Gatsby's quest leads him from poverty to wealth, into the arms of his beloved, and eventually to death.

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484 Words | 2 Pages

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, characters have very distinct identities that develop throughout the book and many inferences are needed to understand the characters. One example of this is Daisy Buchanan. Daisy Buchanan cares greatly about wealth and is a very careless person. Throughout the novel, many of her decisions are due to her greed and carelessness, even though those decisions may not be the best decisions for her. Daisy displays her greed throughout the novel; she marries Tom Buchanan because of his wealth.

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919 Words | 4 Pages

When Tom, Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy were all going to New York, Tom said “Come on Daisy, I’ll take you in the circus wagon” (Fitzgerald 121). The circus wagon refers to Gatsby's yellow sports car. This comment was uncalled for showing how rude he can be and his jealousy by wanting to take Gatsby's car not his own. This also proves that people's opinion of Tom has changed because he is still a mean and arrogant man. Change in a character is important.

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233 Words | 1 Pages

In this quote, Tom had hit Myrtle due to her disobedience to Tom's request. Tom's request was for Myrtle not to say Daisy’s name. In response to Tom's request, Myrtle didn't listen. Instead, she began to chanting Daisy’s name because Myrtle believed that she could do whatever she wanted without having any consequences. Due to the disobedience of Myrtle to Tom Tom had resulted in Myrtle having a broken nose.

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609 Words | 3 Pages

Tom’s altercation with Myrtle accentuates his hypocrisy and lack of self-control; while he doesn’t feel guilty for cheating on Daisy with Myrtle, he feels that he has the right to maintain his authority over Myrtle. In this same scene, Myrtle, who is also drunk, draws attention to the negative aspects of her personality.

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