Analyse the character of Tom Buchanan. How does Fitzgerald depict him ?
- Racist : reflection of Tom's slight insecurities
- Tom needs to continually reassert his money and status
- Fear that his place is not assured
- Fear that the social climbers could take his status away
- Selfish rich man who breaks things and then leaves others to clean up his mess
- Does not want to realize his damage
- Example : affair with Myrtle Wilson
- Tom likes to demonstrate his power
- He lets Daisy and Gatsby drive together
- This shows Tom's power over both of them
- Tom wants to rub that in Gatsby's face, that Daisy will never leave Tom
- Physically violent : breaks Myrtle's nose at the party in New York