Gatsby Characters
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The Characters
Appearance
i) Tom Buchannon:
Tom is a sturdy straw haired man who looked to be 30, with a hard mouth and a manner that made him seem Ðabove others. His eyes appeared arrogant and had dominance over his face, making him look as though he were leaning forward aggressively. He had an enormous, powerful body with great muscle on it.
Jay Gatsby:
Gatsby is a man who is about the age of 30 as well and said to have a rare smile that had the quality of eternal reassurance. He had tanned skin that was tight on his face and he had short hair that Nick said looked like he had it trimmed every day. He appears surrounded by spectacular luxury, surrounded by powerful men and beautiful women, but we learn later that this isnt all so true when it comes to Gatsby.
George Wilson:
George is a blond man who appears spiritless, weak and somewhat handsome. His blue eyes dont appear very hopeful.
ii) Myrtle Wilson:
Myrtle was in her mid thirties, had a thicker figure with wide hips and was a bit stout. Her face did not appear to have much beauty in it. She carried her self very well just the way that many women did.
Jordan Baker:
Jordan is a slender, small-breasted girl who often threw her body backward. Nick refers to her eyes as grey and sun-strained.
Daisy Buchannon:
Daisy was a beautiful young woman who had a sad but bright and lovely face. Her eyes we bright, and so was her passionate mouth.
Manner of Speaking
i) Tom Buchannon:
Toms voice is gruff and husky that seems to add to the impression he creates among
people. His voice has a bit of paternal feeling to it when he speaks with everyone that he comes in contact with.
Jay Gatsby:
Gatsby speaks in a very polite manner to all other characters that he encounters. The only time he seems to speak in a rude manner is him and Tom have their argument in the hotel. He is very friendly and clear when speaking to others, and often calls people Ðold sport.
George Wilson:
George speaks like he is any average person, sometimes as if he below the average person. His voice can give off the impression that he is unhappy.
ii) Myrtle Wilson:
Myrtle had a soft but coarse voice. She spoke to her husband in a short and almost rude manner, but when speak to anyone else, especially Tom, Myrtle spoke very intently.
Jordan Baker:
Jordans manner of speaking was rather average. She didnt speak to others as if she was better then them, but she also wasnt timed or have a sadness in her voice.
Daisy Buchannon:
Daisys manner of speaking was more of a murmur then anything. Her murmur had been rumoured to only be a method to have people lean towards her. She laughed often.
Behaviour
i) Tom Buchannon:
Tom is a very opinionated man and often judges people easily. He is quick to express his thoughts and is more aggressive then other characters in the book. He does not have a very moral way of behaving when considering his affair that he is having with Myrtle and the way that he seems racist or sexist.
Jay Gatsby:
Gatsby is a much more calm man. He is very secretive and does not let anyone in on much detail when is comes to his past. He is a confident man and always seems to act very rational. Gatsby also seems to be a man that Ðlives for the moment and who will do what he wants when he wants. He does not react harshly to anything and puts a great deal into parties for people he does not know.
George Wilson:
George doesnt act like he is a very powerful man. He is more timid and quiet. He seems to love his wife a great deal, but he is clueless to the affair she is having. He is also a very calm character who does not get angered; he just does what he is told. His main concern is what happens with the car that Tom has promised him, and he asks about it frequently.
ii) Myrtle Wilson:
Myrtles behaviour can be seen as immoral and wrong since she is having her affair with Tom. Many of the things that she does involves her trying to better her self, from the life that she has with George. She puts a lot into Tom, but he in turn does not treat her well.
Jordan Baker:
Jordans behaviour is almost a negative one. She is a boyish woman (playing professional golf) and also very self centred. Jordan does not come off as a very honest woman. She always bends the truth a bit, and her dishonestly can be seen when she cheated in a golf tournament in order to win.
Daisy Buchannon:
Daisys behaviour shows that she in an unstable woman. She can be a charming woman, but she is also very shallow, bored with her life and have a mocking behaviour. She is not very responsible and does not seem to care for people much, even her own daughter.
Attitudes of Others
i) Tom Buchannon:
Toms attitude to others is often racist or sexist. He does not appear too concerned with other people unless it is their opinion of his Ðriches or if they are a potential threat to him. He is very judgemental at times and will only associated himself with specific people.
Jay Gatsby:
Gatsby does not really seem to create an opinion or anything in regards to other people. He seems to be accepting of all sorts of people, considering his great parties that he throws for his friends and many people that he doesnt even know.
George Wilson:
George also does not seem to form too many opinions when it comes to other people. He seems to trust everyone that he associates with and he appears to be rather naive. He also does not seem to realize what people are doing