Violence In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Violence in literature is used in a variety of ways such as developing plot and revealing characterization. Thomas Foster’s book How to Read Literature like a Professor points this out in the chapter “More than its Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence,” and F. Scott Fitzgerald helps develop Foster’s claim in his novel The Great Gatsby by showing examples of violence, such as fights and murders, in order to reveal character’s personalities. Considering how violence reveals characters’ ambitions and traits in literature, Tom punching Myrtle displays Tom’s short temper and lack of accountability in the upper class; the collision represents Daisy’s loss of control in decisions and the destruction of the lower class; furthermore, George Wilson kiling

Foster expands on this claim by introducing the idea that there are two types of violence: Authorial, done by the author where there is no “guilty party,” and character on character (96-97). Fitzgerald uses this in The Great Gatsby by presenting the crash in the beginning as authorial, and not done by a specific character which indicates the characters’ (particularly Daisy’s) lack of control and choice between Tom and Gatsby. Similarly, George Wilson experiences out of control emotions and grief after the wreck, Nick notes this grief when Tom walks over to try and get George in control, “‘You’ve, got to pull yourself together,’ he said with soothing gruffness. Wilson’s eyes fell upon Tom; he started up on his tiptoes and then would have collapsed to his knees had not Tom held him upright” (87). George’s emotions represents the lower classes destruction mentally. Unlike Tom, who is from old money, Georges experiences much more instability from the collison even though both men had a connection with Myrtle. This is possibly due to George and Myrtle’s relationship being more genuine, but it also can imply that the lower class is destroyed by the upper class not only physically (Myrtle’s death), but mentally by George’s emotions. Futhermore, Fitzgerald elaborates on Daisy’s troubles by after the car wreck having Gatsby explain, “Daisy stepped on it. I tried to make her stop, but she couldn’t, so I pulled on the emergency brake (Fitzgerald 89). Daisy, not being able to stop, expresses her inner turmoil once again. Additionally, Gatsby, who is from new money, being blamed instead of Daisy, who is from old money, reflects the old moneys inability to ever truly accept the new money. While the collision demonstrates Daisy’s emotions and