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Compare and contrast Jay Gatsby's and Tom Buchanans Character

Compare and contrast Jay Gatsby's and Tom Buchanans Character - Coursework Example

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Summary

He was born in Dakota on small farm where he had an impoverished childhood. He longed for wealth and eventually achieved his aim by indulging in illegal activities which included illegal…

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Compare and contrast Jay Gatsbys and Tom Buchanans Character

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Subject: Literature
Type: Coursework
Level: Undergraduate
Pages: 4 (1000 words)
Downloads: 3
Author: joelle83

Extract of sample "Compare and contrast Jay Gatsby's and Tom Buchanans Character"

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From that point on, Jay Gatsby’s sole aim in life was winning Daisy back and his acquisition of money, his lavish parties and his huge mansion were his ways of doing so. Tom Buchanan on the other hand is Daisy’s rich husband. He is portrayed as a powerful man who is from a family with old roots. He is shown to be a hypocrite and is a short tempered bully. He has an extra marital affair with Myrtle and has no qualms about it but when he suspects Daisy and Gatsby of having an extra marital affair, he flies into a rage and creates a quiet a scene.

His actions reek of sexism and a weak moral standard. Overall, Tom is a cold hearted aristocrat who bullies all those around him. Tom and Jay have similar behavior in a few ways. Both live a life of luxury and are spend thrift. A similarity between the two men is that they both managed to win over Daisy Buchanan. Daisy loved them both. She explains her love for Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby when she says, “I did love him once- but I loved you too” (p.133). This shows that both men had managed to make Daisy fall in love with them, which would not have been a hard task considering the shallowness of her character.

Both characters would also not be able to withstand the trauma of Daisy leaving them. Jay made it his sole purpose of life to win back Daisy and it was his dream to live his life with her. Tom on the other hand would not be able to suffer the loss of Daisy due to his pride. Another similarity between the two is their tendency to indulge in indiscretions. Tom consistently has extra marital affairs whereas Gatsby has illegal business dealings. Both men may commit different sins but they are sins none the less.

Contrasting their characters is an easier task and there are many differences between the characters of Tom and Gatsby. Tom lives in East Egg, a locality where old families reside and have their fortunes handed down from generation to generation. Gatsby on the other hand lived in West Egg, where

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