Hei england

Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, these citizens were often very rude and thought only of themselves. Throughout chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan demonstrates what it means to be arrogant, unfaithful, and sexist.

Arrogance is an unfortunate quality that is often associated with people of power and wealth, and Tom Buchanan is no exception. Whenever the chance presents itself, Tom utilizes it to show how much better he is than everyone else. This could not be more evident when Tom says such this as ‘Just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are’ (Fitzgerald 11). While not directly spoken by Tom, Nick understands that this is Tom’s meaning during many conversations. As if that quote alone was not enough Tom’s chat with Nick while giving him a tour of his house provides sufficient backup. He opens up the tour by saying “I’ve got a nice place here” (12). He then proceeds to show Nick every inch of his house, especially the finer aspects of it such as his Italian Garden. Tom clearly enjoys boasting, and always has to make himself appear superior than everyone else. Arrogance is not the only negative quality Tom Buchanan possesses and unfortunately, it also isn’t the worst.

To go along with his arrogance, Tom Buchanan is also very unfaithful to his wife Daisy. Tom does nothing to hide this from Daisy and goes so far as to accept a phone call from his mistress in the middle of dinner. “Tom’s got some woman in New York” (19). Miss Baker abruptly brings this up while having a conversation with Nick. Not only does she somehow know, but now the word is spreading that Tom is cheating. Not only is Tom cheating, but he was mysteriously absent only an hour after his child was born. Daisy confides this to Nick while there sitting on the porch chatting; ‘“She was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where”’ (21). That coupled with his affair, proves that Tom is extremely unfaithful to his wife Daisy and thinks very little of her.

Tom’s unfaithfulness is fueled by his sexist nature and rudeness toward woman. Sexism was very prominent in the early 1920s, despite woman starting to get some of the rights they deserved. Tom bullies woman, and even his wife is quick to blames him for physical abuse when questioned about a bruised finger, “Brute of a man, a great big hulking physical specimen” (16). Mr. Buchanan also cuts woman off mid sentence many times during their dinner with Nick and Miss Baker, “Don’t believe everything you hear Nick” (24). Tom even cut his wife off because he did not want to hear what she had to say. He seems to respect no one but himself, but woman are clearly at the bottom of his list. Tom Buchanan should consider himself lucky that he is wealthy and good looking because if it were not for that, his attitude toward woman would surely do him no good.

Tom Buchanan can be described as an arrogant, unfaithful, and sexist man that has no respect for anyone other than himself. He demonstrates these qualities time and time again, or whenever the chance to do so presents itself. These characteristics make him unpopular to many but because of his wealth and position, few speak out against him.
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