Tom Buchanan
On the surface, Tom Buchanan seems like the perfect candidate for one who truly lives the “good life.”t He is a graduate from Yale University, extremely wealthy, and has a beautiful wife. This is very misleading, however, because Tom does not live a life that anyone should glorify, and he is a person that no-one should look up to.
Like Gatsby, Tom meets the category of wealth with ease, being one of the richest men in town. Unlike Gatsby, Tom does not achieve his riches through illegal activity, as much of it is inherited, and the rest is made from separate business endeavors. This, however, does not mean he is a moral person. Of all the characters in the novel, Tom is easily the most selfish and egotistical, as he cares for no-ones well being other than that of his own. It is apparent when reading The Great Gatsby that Tom simply treats others as inferior to him. He has no respect for those that are not on his monetary level, and is very sexist and racist. This side of his is perfectly exemplified by the way he talks to Wilson when discussing the sale of his car. Wilson, being more of a blue-collar worker with an inferior education, gets pushed around by Tom. Tom threatens that he will not sell him his car, not because that is what he actually intends to do, but because it is his didactic way of putting Wilson in his place.
The third aspect of the good life, living a life with others around for support and love, is technically met by Tom Buchanan. He does have Myrtle, a woman that clearly is head over heels for him before her death, however Tom cheats on his wife in order to be with her. Not only does his cheating show his lack of morals, but it also shows that he has a poor marriage. His marriage, one that is only existent on the foundation of his wealth, proves to the reader that Tom Buchanan lives his life for himself only. Although he does have people that care for him, such as Myrtle, he still cannot find a way to treat them right, as he violently beats her when he feels it is necessary. When Tom finds out he was cheated on, all of the sudden he is extremely angered. He watches as his life rapidly falls apart, but in the end, he “Retreats back into his wealth” and continues living his life guiltless as if nothing extraordinary had ever happened.
Like Gatsby, Tom meets the category of wealth with ease, being one of the richest men in town. Unlike Gatsby, Tom does not achieve his riches through illegal activity, as much of it is inherited, and the rest is made from separate business endeavors. This, however, does not mean he is a moral person. Of all the characters in the novel, Tom is easily the most selfish and egotistical, as he cares for no-ones well being other than that of his own. It is apparent when reading The Great Gatsby that Tom simply treats others as inferior to him. He has no respect for those that are not on his monetary level, and is very sexist and racist. This side of his is perfectly exemplified by the way he talks to Wilson when discussing the sale of his car. Wilson, being more of a blue-collar worker with an inferior education, gets pushed around by Tom. Tom threatens that he will not sell him his car, not because that is what he actually intends to do, but because it is his didactic way of putting Wilson in his place.
The third aspect of the good life, living a life with others around for support and love, is technically met by Tom Buchanan. He does have Myrtle, a woman that clearly is head over heels for him before her death, however Tom cheats on his wife in order to be with her. Not only does his cheating show his lack of morals, but it also shows that he has a poor marriage. His marriage, one that is only existent on the foundation of his wealth, proves to the reader that Tom Buchanan lives his life for himself only. Although he does have people that care for him, such as Myrtle, he still cannot find a way to treat them right, as he violently beats her when he feels it is necessary. When Tom finds out he was cheated on, all of the sudden he is extremely angered. He watches as his life rapidly falls apart, but in the end, he “Retreats back into his wealth” and continues living his life guiltless as if nothing extraordinary had ever happened.
