Essay About Main Characters Tom And Great Gatsby

Whos the Better Man
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Here in the year of 2005 surprisingly
people have not changed a lot since the 1920s. Sure
we have computers, cell phones, and other advanced technology, but the people themselves have
not evolved. The 1920s was also known as the jazz era where people went out and partied, went
dancing and the women starting wearing more revealing clothes. In the novel The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the two main characters Tom and Gatsby are very wealthy people. Even
though Tom and Gatsby seem to be two completely different people in the views of others they a
have a lot in common
Even though Tom and Daisy are married Tom does not treat Daisy with the respect she
deserves. When Tom is first introduced to the readers he is very disrespectful with Daisy,
“..arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and him the appearance of always
leaning aggressively forward..” (11). Tom know he has a lot of power just because he has a lot of
money. He is self absourbed and he expects Daisy to handle his every need. When Miss Baker,
Nick and Gatsby are over at Tom and Daisys house Daisy finds out from Miss Baker that Tom
is cheating.. ” Tom got some women in New York..”(19). Tom is very insecure of himself
because he is cheating on Daisy to make himself look like he is more of a man. In reality Tom is
weak and can not handle problems well. At Gatsbys party Nick starts to even notice that Tom is
being distant with Daisy ” He looked at Myrtle and then at Tom. ” What I say is, why go on
living with them if they cant stand them? IF I was them Id get a divorce and get married to each
other right away.” (37). Tom more focused on Myrtle than his wife Daisy because he is looking
for something new and exciting. Tom does not care for Daisy as much anymore because he has
become so passive. Tom does not show to Daisy that he loves her by treating her like she is not
important in his life.
Throughout the story Gatsby proves that he is more genuine than Tom because he
actually cares for Daisy. In chapter four it shows that Jay Gatsby is very sensitive, “..you see I
usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad things
that have happened to me..” (72). Gatsby is alone because he is always running away from his
problems. He is insecure of himself because he has been hurt by others. Gatsby and Daisy used
to have a relationship with each other and even though Daisy has moved on Gatsby has not,
“….He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say : “I never loved you”
(116). Gatsby still has strong feelings for Daisy because he never stopped loving her. He is
repeating his past because he is trying to have a relationship with Daisy that he cannot
have. Gatsby
doesnt want to live his life without Daisy and he charishes Daisy when he calls her his. “Golden
Girl” (101). He loves Daisy with all his heart because she is always on his mind. Gatsby believes
that Daisy is the one and only girl he will ever love because