Examples Of Moral Authority In The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald exposes the corruption of the 1920s through the characterization of Tom Buchanan. He makes Tom into a violent, egotistical person who thrives in diminishing the roles and values of others. Jeffrey Decker examines this demise in character in the 1920s when he state, “The Great Gatsby (1925) represents the diminishing moral authority…” (Decker, "Gatsby's Pristine Dream: The Diminishment Of The Self-Made Man In The Tribal Twenties). ‘Moral authority’ can be defined as authority that is based on basic principles and fundamental truths of the world. The decline in moral authority can be shown through the way that Tom Buchanan reacts with the rest of society. This is evident when Tom says, “Civilization’s going to pieces,” broke out Tom