Essay about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Great Gatsby

Submitted By Onyeobiaa
Words: 422
Pages: 2

Fitzgerald goes in depth to show how characters in The Great Gatsby, such as Tom Buchanan, that live in the high class are very ignorant and have unpleasant personas. Tom was born into money, which is referred to as “old money” in The Great Gatsby. Throughout the novel Fitzgerald gradually reveals Tom’s obnoxious personality. It started in the beginning of the novel “It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things” (Fitzgerald 13). This is clearly illustrating that Tom is racist, believing that if their race [Caucasian] isn’t careful, other races might have the same rights that they do. The fact that Tom is not shy, or even proud to express his bigoted opinion show more of Tom’s repulsive personality; the arrogance. This arrogance, alone with other distasteful qualities are seen so unequivocally in Tom throughout this novel. In Chapter In chapter two Tom loses his temper and hits Myrtle across the face resulting in her breaking her nose. “Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.” (Fitzgerald 37). The reason why Tom lost his temper is because Myrtle would not obey him when she did not cease from saying “Daisy” [Tom’s Wife]. This goes back to the point of Tom’s spoiled attitude. No one has ever defied him because he is in the upper class so he must always get his way. This also shows the lack of respect that Tom has for other people, especially those in a lower social class than his