Tom Buchanan Character Analysis Essay

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An Overbearing Presence In this selection, Tom Buchanan is an extremely overbearing and dominant person. He possesses a strong physical physique as well to complement his personality. Often times throughout these chapters Tom interrupts someone or talks over someone, representing his dominant personality. His relationship with his wife also is a great representation of his dominance. Fitzgerald outlines his brute physicality and blunt personality with intentional syntax and diction choices. In Chapter one and two of The Great Gatsby, Tom is largely the main focal point of the chapters. Despite being the focal point, he rarely says a line more than 6 words. His lines are short and demanding, and often interrupt someone. For example, he interrupts…show more content…
Also the fact that he does not respond to the actual context of Daisy’s statement, but rather with his opinion shows his dominance. Fitzgerald evolves the character of Tom into a hulking being. The physicality of Tom is carefully outlined as, “[… a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and supercilious manner” (7). The chosen adjectives all bring attributes of Tom’s physical appearance to life. His steadfast base is unfaltering. Unable to be shifted, his dominance is depicted as Fitzgerald further illustrates that “Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body [….]” (7). The adjective enormous further builds the towering and brute description of Tom’s appearance. Not even his clothing, loose upon his frame, could hide his body. The sole adjective that summarizes his mammoth physique is cruel. Capable of inflicting pain upon others allows the reader to finally see the pure force and leverage this man possesses. The fact that Tom has a woman in New York that he sees, despite having a wife, shows that he does not have a sense of others emotions. Rather he cares about only his own emotions and
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