The Prominence Of Materialism And Idealism In The American Society In The 1920S
Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby is a story about the prominence of materialism and idealism in the American society in the 1920’s. The author Francis Scott Fitzgerald sculpts each character to symbolize the themes of materialism versus idealism. Out of Fitzgerald’s close examination into the livesof the major characters, Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Jordan Baker, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, develops the final theme of materialism corrupting American idealism. Tom Buchanan, exemplifies how materialism alters morality and values, but at the same time is all a person needs to succeed in the competitive society of the 1920’s.Residing in East Egg, with his wife Daisy and daughter Pammy , Tom is a member of the "established rich" class. Their Georgian Colonial mansion distinctly represents their "established" wealth.
He shows his pride and arrogance towards his wealth as he tells Nick, "I’ve got a nice place here." Ironically, these are the first words that Tom utters in the novel. His residence is significant later in the book as Daisy becomes involved with Gatsby, a member of the "newly rich." Tom is first introduced into the novel when narrator, Nick, visits the house for a dinner party. Nick is the distant cousin of Daisy, and an old collegeacquaintance of Tom. Fitzgerald first describes Tom by stating his dominance and brutality, "It was a body capable of enormous leverage - ...
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He shows his pride and arrogance towards his wealth as he tells Nick, "I’ve got a nice place here." Ironically, these are the first words that Tom utters in the novel. His residence is significant later in the book as Daisy becomes involved with Gatsby, a member of the "newly rich." Tom is first introduced into the novel when narrator, Nick, visits the house for a dinner party. Nick is the distant cousin of Daisy, and an old collegeacquaintance of Tom. Fitzgerald first describes Tom by stating his dominance and brutality, "It was a body capable of enormous leverage - a cruel body." Fitzgerald also portrays Tom’s overbearing attitude through his second handed scientific knowledge. Tom states, "It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or those other races will have control of things." Tom, along with the majority of the upper class American citizens at that time believed in theories, such as Darwinism, about maintaining their status quo. They feared that the lower class would rise to overthrow them. Ironically, this is exactly what happened later in the novel when Gatsby threatens to take away Daisy.The first chapter of the book also introduces the fact that Tom has a mistress. But the need for a mistress does not evolve out of true love for her or the lack love from Daisy. His mistress, Myrtle, is nothing more than another possession kept for his own gratification. His dominant ways and brutality is beheld in their relationship. Myrtle engages in taunting Tom, by chanting, "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!” he “Making a short deft movement ...broke her nose with his open hand." But this act of violence was more a sign of his strength and superiority, opposed to defense of his wife’s honor. He is not even secretive about the women. In fact, Tom keeps his relationship quite open with his acquaintances. He tells Nick, "We’re getting off; I want you to meet my girl."The relationship between Tom and Daisy is empty and unattached. They relationship is based upon Daisy’s need for wealth and Tom’s need for possessions. But as the novel progresses a conflict arises when Daisy’s long lost love, Jay Gatsby, comes back into her life. Tom meets Gatsby at one of Gatsby’s renowned parties. Tom is than threatened by Daisy’s admiration for Gatsby and although Gatsby treats him with the greatest kindness, Tom attempts to socially insult him. "Who is this Gatsby anyhow? Some big bootlegger?"Tensions between the two men do not escalate until they are on neutral ground of a hotel suite. Up to this point in the novel Tom has not so much cared for the actions of his wife. What angers Tom the most is that Gatsby, a man of "new money", an idealist and a man of lower class, is stealing his wife’s heart, which he considers to be his possession. When Daisy professes her love for Gatsby, Tom looks at her, "as if he had just recognized her as some one he knew a long time ago." But in the end Daisy’s voice "full of money" chooses stability and status quo over love.The second major fall for Tom came when his mistress was killed after she was hit by Gatsby’s car. But little did Tom know that Daisy was the driver at the time. Both the threat of losing his wife and the loss his mistress as a result of Gatsby left Tom outraged. Under the authority of Tom, Myrtle’s husband, Wilson, shot and killed Gatsby.In the end of this tragedy Fitzgerald leaves the reader with the corruptive effect of wealth. But at the same time the immoral, egotistical Tom ends the novel with everything he had at the beginning, except for Myrtle. This story demonstrates that in the American society of the 1920’s that idealism can not measure up to the importance of materialism.