Great Gatsby Study Guide

During The Great Gatsby it was apparent that Tom and Daisy had an unstable relationship. While reading the novel, I questioned the reason behind the continuation of their relationship. Tom and Daisy are from the same world and are united by a background of money, and in a bizarre way I think they might have loved one another.

Tom and Daisy both came from the upper crust of society. Daisy married Tom because his house was covered with ivy. Tom was from the old money; his family had been wealthy for many years. Daisy claims that she was in love with Gatsby, but he did not have the money she was expected to marry. Therefore, when Tom was introduced to Daisy, she saw an opportunity to marry a person she could love and who was wealthy enough to provide the life she was accustomed to.

At the beginning, when Daisy is talking to Nick on the porch, Nick’s wording was interesting. Nick talks about the restless way her eyes flashed, resembling Tom’s habit, and her whole performance pleased her because it represented their "membership in a rather secret society to which she and Tom belonged." Tom and Daisy play their roles in a rich, bored society, and the drama of it all is the reason that they do it. Daisy plays the air-headed, pretty wife, while Tom plays the hulking, brute of a man. They thought they were a perfect combination of the ideal wealthy couple.

Daisy has been brought up being a pretty object. She was an object to Tom; however, he did truly love her. When Tom’s mistress, Myrtle, called out Daisy’s name, Tom became outraged and hit her. He felt it was permissible to have a mistress, yet he still honored Daisy by not allowing Myrtle to talk about her.

Throughout the novel Tom manages to speak sensitively to Daisy. For example, when Tom and Daisy are in the kitchen eating chicken, he takes time to remind her of all the intimate