Character: Tom Buchanan (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes
Character: Tom Buchanan
Introduction and overview
Tom Buchanan serves as the primary antagonist in The Great Gatsby. Like Daisy, he represents the established wealthy elite, specifically the 'old money' aristocracy. He is a Yale University graduate who first encountered Nick there. Tom's character embodies traditional concepts of masculinity and represents the continuation of established social hierarchies.
Tom's character serves as a foil to Gatsby, representing everything that Gatsby seeks to overcome - inherited privilege, established power, and moral corruption disguised by social respectability.
Key defining features:
- Born into inherited wealth and privilege
- History of marital infidelity (cheats with hotel maid and later Myrtle Wilson)
- Absent father figure (missed his daughter Pammy's birth)
- Former college football star living in the shadow of past achievements
- Physically imposing and uses his strength to assert dominance
- Subscribes to outdated patriarchal attitudes and racial superiority theories
Tom's character demonstrates a clear break from traditional moral values in his extramarital relationships, yet he uses this behaviour to assert control rather than seeking genuine freedom. His treatment of both Daisy and Myrtle reveals his view of women as possessions rather than equals.
Historical and social context
The Lost Generation
The term "Lost Generation" was first used by Gertrude Stein and later popularised by Ernest Hemingway. This phrase describes the generation who came of age during the First World War, experiencing massive cultural disruption and loss of traditional values.
Characteristics of this generation:
- Felt restless and disoriented after witnessing enormous death tolls
- Many became distressed and sought comfort through material wealth
- Often displayed reckless and purposeless behaviour
- Showed tendency towards idealising the past and experiencing decadence
Tom and Daisy exemplify this generation's aimlessness. Nick describes their post-marriage years: they had spent time in France "for no particular reason" and then moved around restlessly. This restless behaviour is a key characteristic that drives much of the novel's conflict.
Tom's restless eyes and hovering manner reflect this generational characteristic of constant dissatisfaction.
Immigration Act of 1924
This legislation prevented immigration from Asia and established national quotas for immigrants from specific countries. The act aimed to preserve "ideal U.S. homogeneity" and reflected the xenophobic attitudes of the post-war period.
Tom's racist beliefs connect to this context:
- He fears the loss of white racial dominance
- Makes references to pseudo-scientific racial theories
- Quotes from "The Rise of the Coloured Empire" (a fictional racist text)
- Expresses concern that "the white race will be utterly submerged"
These beliefs reveal Tom's anxiety about preserving traditional power structures and his position within them.
Key characteristics
Hypermasculinity and physical dominance
Tom's character is built around an exaggerated form of masculinity that relies heavily on physical strength and social superiority. His imposing presence immediately establishes his dominance in social situations.
Physical description and behaviour:
- Described as having "enormous power" and a "cruel body"
- Uses his "muscle-bound frame" to intimidate others
- Becomes increasingly aggressive and violent throughout the novel
- Demonstrates "decisive" and "impatient" speech patterns
- Shows tendency towards physical violence (breaks Myrtle's nose)
Tom represents traditional masculine ideals taken to an extreme, where strength becomes brutality and confidence becomes arrogance. His physical dominance compensates for his intellectual limitations and moral shortcomings.
Class privilege and snobbery
As a representative of old money aristocracy, Tom displays contempt for those he considers his social inferiors. His class status provides him with both financial security and social protection from consequences.
Manifestations of his classism:
- Lives in a Georgian Colonial mansion highlighting his European heritage
- Looks down on Gatsby's "new money" background and taste
- Treats service workers with casual dismissiveness
- Uses his wealth to control others (particularly Myrtle)
- Expects deference from those of lower social standing
Tom's class anxieties become apparent when confronted with the rising influence of newly wealthy individuals like Gatsby, whom he sees as threatening the established social order.
Nostalgic obsession with the past
Tom's character is defined by his inability to move beyond his college football achievements. This nostalgia reflects the broader theme of characters being trapped by their past experiences.
Evidence of his backwards focus:
- Constantly referenced as a former football star at Yale
- Nick describes him as someone who has reached "acute limited excellence at twenty-one"
- Everything after his football career feels like an "anticlimax"
- Seeks to recapture excitement and purpose from his youth
- Becomes increasingly dissatisfied with present circumstances
This fixation on past glory prevents Tom from developing meaningful purpose in his current life and contributes to his restless, destructive behaviour. It parallels Gatsby's own obsession with recreating his past with Daisy.
Anxiety and insecurity beneath the surface
Despite his outward confidence, Tom displays significant insecurities about social change and his position in society. These fears manifest in his racist beliefs and controlling behaviour.
Signs of underlying anxiety:
- Fears losing social and racial privileges
- Needs constant validation of his superiority
- Becomes "hot whips of panic" when he feels control slipping
- Projects his insecurities onto others through dominance
- Uses intimidation to mask his vulnerabilities
Tom's victim complex emerges when he positions himself as under threat from social changes, despite being in a position of enormous privilege and power.
Tom's affair with Myrtle Wilson
The relationship between Tom and Myrtle demonstrates the intersection of class, power, and gender dynamics in 1920s America. This affair serves multiple narrative functions while revealing key aspects of Tom's character.
Nature of their relationship:
- Myrtle sees the affair as a path to higher social status
- Tom views it as entertainment and an assertion of his power
- Their connection is based on physical attraction rather than emotional bond
- The relationship is characterised by Tom's financial control over Myrtle
Class Dynamics in Action:
The apartment Tom rents for Myrtle on 158th Street serves as a perfect example of how he maintains control. He chooses the location, pays the rent, and furnishes it according to his preferences, while Myrtle has no real ownership or control over this space that represents her dreams of upward mobility.
Class dynamics in the affair:
- Myrtle is attracted to Tom's wealth and status symbols (dress suit, patent leather shoes)
- Tom provides her with material goods but keeps her in a separate social sphere
- He chooses her apartment and gives her money for purchases
- The affair allows him to exercise dominance over someone from a lower class
Violence and control:
- Tom breaks Myrtle's nose when she mentions Daisy's name
- He uses physical intimidation to maintain control
- Shows no genuine emotional attachment despite their physical relationship
- Continues the affair while maintaining his marriage to Daisy
When Myrtle dies, Tom's reaction reveals the superficial nature of his feelings. While he shows some emotion, he quickly sides with Daisy and uses Myrtle's death to justify eliminating Gatsby.
Tom's relationship with Daisy
Tom and Daisy's marriage represents the moral emptiness and emotional recklessness of their social class. Their relationship is characterised by mutual infidelity, shared privilege, and protection from consequences.
Characteristics of their relationship:
- Both engage in extramarital affairs without serious consequences
- Protected by their wealth and social status from accountability
- Display emotional detachment from the damage they cause others
- United by shared class background and social position
- Show little genuine intimacy or emotional connection
Power dynamics:
- Tom attempts to control both Daisy and Myrtle simultaneously
- He becomes threatened when Daisy shows interest in Gatsby
- Uses his knowledge of Gatsby's criminal connections to undermine the relationship
- Maintains belief that Daisy will ultimately choose security over passion
Nick's final assessment captures their destructive nature: they are "careless people" who "smashed up things and creatures" then retreat into their "vast carelessness" while others clean up their messes. This moral judgement becomes central to understanding the novel's critique of wealth and privilege.
Comparisons with other male characters
Tom versus Gatsby
The contrast between Tom and Gatsby represents the conflict between old and new money, established power versus ambitious dreams.
Key differences:
- Tom inherited his wealth; Gatsby earned his through questionable means
- Tom seeks to preserve the status quo; Gatsby attempts to recreate the past
- Tom is unfeeling towards lower classes; Gatsby maintains hope for transcendence
- Tom represents cynical realism; Gatsby embodies idealistic romanticism
Similarities:
- Both hold onto their pasts nostalgically
- Both display wealth ostentatiously
- Both compete for Daisy's attention
- Both become trapped in unproductive cycles
Tom versus Nick
Nick serves as a more sympathetic character who gradually recognises Tom's moral failures.
Contrasts:
- Nick develops critical awareness; Tom remains self-serving
- Nick shows capacity for moral judgement; Tom focuses on self-preservation
- Nick becomes disillusioned with wealth; Tom relies on his privilege
- Nick eventually rejects the wealthy lifestyle; Tom cannot imagine alternatives
Tom versus Wilson
Wilson represents the working class victim of Tom's actions, highlighting class-based power imbalances.
The contrast reveals:
- Wilson's powerlessness versus Tom's dominance
- Wilson's genuine love for Myrtle versus Tom's exploitation of her
- Wilson's ultimate defeat versus Tom's protection from consequences
- The tragic results when working-class individuals challenge established power
Key quotes and analysis
Physical Description Establishing Character:
"...sturdy, straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forwards."
This description immediately establishes Tom's aggressive nature and sense of superiority. His physical presence predicts his domineering personality and foreshadows the "cruel body" capable of violence.
Racist Ideology Revealing Character Flaws:
"Self-control!" repeated Tom incredulously. "I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that's the idea you can count me out [...] Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white."
This quote reveals Tom's true concerns: maintaining social hierarchies and preventing challenges to established power structures. His reference to "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere" demonstrates class prejudice, while his fears about interracial marriage expose racist attitudes.
Manipulation and Control:
"And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time."
Tom's use of euphemistic language ("spree") minimises the harm caused by his infidelity. This quote demonstrates his expectation of different moral standards for himself versus others, particularly women. He assumes his return negates the damage caused by his affairs.
Callous Dismissal of Consequences:
"What if I did tell him? That fellow had it coming to him. He threw dust into your eyes just like he did in Daisy's but he was a tough one. He ran over Myrtle like you'd run over a dog and never even stopped his car"
Tom's manipulation of Wilson demonstrates his complete moral bankruptcy. He frames Gatsby as Myrtle's killer while avoiding responsibility for his own role in the tragedy. The comparison to running over a dog reveals his dehumanising view of lower-class individuals.
Key Points to Remember:
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Tom Buchanan represents old money privilege and toxic masculinity - his character embodies the worst aspects of inherited wealth and traditional gender roles taken to extremes
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He serves as the novel's primary antagonist - opposing Gatsby's dreams while protecting established social hierarchies through racism, classism, and violence
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His relationships reveal power dynamics - both his marriage to Daisy and affair with Myrtle demonstrate how wealth enables exploitation and moral recklessness
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He fears social change - Tom's racist beliefs and class anxieties reflect broader cultural tensions in 1920s America about immigration and social mobility
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His character represents moral emptiness - despite his privilege and power, Tom lacks genuine purpose, emotional depth, or capacity for growth, making him a fundamentally tragic figure