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This is a website that states different things that a person does that could make someone look egotistical. This relates to Tom because he has a very big ego, and many of the things on the list can be seen in Tom more than once. Specifically, judging people and not listening and thinking that he is better- like how old money is better or his race is better.

Kari78. “Top 10 Things That Make You Looks Egotistical.” Be Happy Tips, Be Happy Tips, 2014, behappytips.com/look-egotistical/. 8 Feb. 2017.

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Here is the irony, if you are egotistical, you may not care if you look egotistical or not because you are too self-absorbed to care what other people think! But, if you are one of those people who do care, and don't want to look like a self-centered and vain person, then following are the top 10 things that make you look like you are not focused on much else besides me, myself, and I.

1. You Post Your Workout Schedule Or Weight Loss Results On Facebook

There are many ways that you can keep track of your workout schedule and weight loss. You can write it down in an excel sheet, use one of the apps out there created to keep track of it all, or go to a fitness or health forum and post a public schedule where there are a bunch of people waiting to encourage you and have you encourage them. But, when you continually post on Facebook your latest calories burned, nobody cares.

No one wants to know about your latest calorie burn, and when you post things like that, it makes you look like you are saying, "Hey, I am working out and here is the proof to show how obsessed I am about my appearance, weight, and ability to work out for this exact amount of time. I NEED you to know about me and my desire to look better. Do you see it?"

2. You Judge Other People - Constantly

When you judge other people, you are saying that you are better than they are. When you judge their weight, hair, face, color, choices, or anything else, you are literally saying - they are wrong and I am right. Things like, "Oh my god, I can't believe she's wearing that!" or "Does he know how stupid he looks?" are what make you look judgmental to other people.

Now, I'm no idiot. I know that secretly we all judge other people sometimes. It is a part of being human. But when you make it known to other people how wrong they are, continuously, then you come across as very conceited to others.

3. You Don't Listen To Other People When They Talk

I get it, communication can be hard. It is hard to listen to someone else without thinking about what you are going to say next. But when you have a conversation with someone, it has to be a two-way street.

If you do all the talking and dominate the conversation, then it is essentially a monologue, not a conversation. And, when you don't 'really' care what the other person is saying (if you cared, you would be listening to them), you come across as egotistic.

4. You Think Everyone Notices You When You Walk Into...Anywhere

Whether you walk into a store, coffee shop, or party - you actually believe that everyone takes their attention off what they are doing and puts it on you. You have a 'knowing' that you are the sexiest and coolest person at the party, and everyone secretly wishes they could be with you.

But knowing is not enough. You smile a sly smile at everyone because you know you are the shit, and by doing so, they get to see your true inner-self: egotistical.

5. You Think All Of Your Friend's Partners Want You

You believe that you are the catch of all catches and your friend's partners secretly want to get with you. This causes you to be your sexiest self around them because, why not live up to their expectation?

Here is the thing: Your friends SEE your change in attitude around their partner. They know that you are acting weird and more flirty, confident, and sexual around their partner, and they SEE the blatant egotistical attitude that you are giving off.

6. You Laugh When Other People Tell You Their Feelings Or Beliefs - Or Anything Personal That You Don't Agree With

You are so egotistical that you actually laugh when your friend tells you that she is scared of water or ghosts or whatever else you think is stupid. When you laugh, you are sending the message loud and clear that you don't share their belief and, furthermore, their belief is stupid and worth laughing at. That's the best way to put someone else down and shine a light on 'how right' you are.

7. You Play Games With People You Are Intimately Interested In

When you lack respect for other people's feelings, and consider your needs and desires more important, you are willing to play games with other people in order to get what you want.

You may pretend to be what they are looking for, or you may be the type of person that tries to make them feel inferior to you so that you can have the upper hand with them. Either way, you are manipulating them so that they end up giving you what you want, and that is a very egotistical thing to do.

8. You Cannot Go Out Of The House With A Lot Of Prep Work

There are some people who take hours to get out of the house. They have to do their hair just right and spend a lot of time worrying about what outfit will have what impression on the people they run into.

I can understand this when you are going out with friends or going to a party, but when you are going to get groceries from your local store and you have to 'get ready' first, you are obviously concerned that other people will think less of you if you are not perfect.

Putting that much weight on what other people think of you - and how you will affect their lives if you show up in sweats - is egotistical.

9. You Openly Call Yourself Hot In Front Of Everyone

You can be sexy, and humble.

When you are loud about how sexy you are, then you have crossed the line into egotistical. Why? Because you have to make it known that you know that you are hot - and ensure that you know that they heard that you are hot. It is a self-centered thing to do. People who are not concerned with their self-image in a huge way do not need to tell other people who they are and what makes them great.

10. You Talk About How Fat You Are In Front Of Your Fat Friends

If you have a nice body, and weigh a healthy weight, then you have no right to talk about your fat problems in front of people who are obviously fatter than you.

Complaining about your weight in front of someone who weighs more than you is like saying, "I'm SO FAT! And because I am SO FAT, you must be a WHALE! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Seriously, if you are healthy and call yourself fat around other people, then those people are going to wonder what your opinion of them really is. It shows that you don't' really think about other people's feelings, and it is very egotistical.

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Top 10 Things That Make You Looks Egotistical

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Here is the irony, if you are egotistical, you may not care if you look egotistical or not because you are too self-absorbed to care what other people think!

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This is a website that shows a character analysis of Tom. He is described as aggressive and unsympathetic. He is also described as racist and arrogant enough to think that his race is superior.

Edwards, Halle. “Best Character Analysis: Tom Buchanan - The Great Gatsby.” Best Character Analysis: Tom Buchanan - The Great Gatsby, blog.prepscholar.com/tom-buchanan-great-gatsby-character-analysis-quotes. 8 Feb. 2017.

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This is a website that states how white people can be racist, even when they don't realize it. This relates to Tom because he is extremely racist. He is so arrogant to believe that his race is better than others.

“10 Ways White People Are More Racist than They Realize.” Salon, www.salon.com/2015/03/04/10_ways_white_people_are_more_racist_than_they_realize_partner/. 8 Feb. 2017.

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If there's anything our fraught national dialogue on race has taught us, it's that there are no racists in this country. (In fact, not only do multiple studies confirm that most white Americans generally believe racism is over - just 16 percent say there's a lot of racial discrimination - it turns out that many actually believe white people experience more discrimination than black people.) It's a silly idea, of course, but it's easy to delude ourselves into thinking that inequality is a result of cultural failures, racial pathology and a convoluted narrative involving black-on-black crime, hoodies, rap music and people wearing their pants too low. To admit that racism is fundamental to who we are, that it imbues our thinking in ways we wouldn't and couldn't believe without the application of the scientific method, is infinitely harder. And yet, there's endless evidence to prove it.

For those who recognize racism is real and pervasive, it's also comforting to believe that discrimination is something perpetuated by other people, overlooking the ways we are personally complicit in its perpetuation. But fruitful conversations about race require acknowledging that racism sits at the very core of our thinking. By something akin to osmosis, culturally held notions around race mold and shape the prejudices of everyone within the dominant culture. People of color unwittingly internalize these notions as well, despite the fact that doing so contributes to our own marginalization. Most of us know the destructive outcomes systemic racism produces (higher rates of poverty, incarceration, infant mortality, etc.). Accepting that implicit bias is happening at every level makes it awful hard to chalk those issues up to black and brown failure.

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10 ways white people are more racist than they realize

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If there's anything our fraught national dialogue on race has taught us, it's that there are no racists in this country. (In fact, not only do multiple studies confirm that most white Americans generally believe racism is over - just 16 percent say there's a lot of racial discrimination - it turns out that many actually believe white people experience more discrimination than black people.)

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Tom Buchanan - hulking, hyper-masculine, aggressive, and super-rich - is The Great Gatsby 's chief representative of old money, and (in a book with many unlikeable people) one of the book's least sympathetic characters. He is Gatsby's rival for Daisy's love, but he is also caught up in an affair with Myrtle Wilson that proves fatal for many involved.

So what's important to understand about Tom? What are his motivations? Is there anything sympathetic about him at all? Find out here!

Article Roadmap

1. Tom Buchanan as a character:

Physical description

Biographical backstory

Actions in the novel

2. Analysis of Tom Buchanan:

Quotes about or by Tom

Frequent essay topics and discussion questions

FAQ answering common student questions about Tom

Quick Note on Our Citations

Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your book, you can either eyeball it (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; 50-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search function if you're using an online or eReader version of the text.

Tom Buchanan's Physical Description

He had changed since his New Haven years. Now he was a 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 forward. Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body-he seemed to fill those glistening boots until he strained the top lacing and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat. It was a body capable of enormous leverage-a cruel body. (1.19)

Tom is established from the outset as masculine, aggressive, and, most importantly, dangerous. We also get a much more complete physical description of him than we ever get of Gatsby or Nick, which leaves little room to ever see Tom in a different, more sympathetic light - and in fact, all subsequent descriptions continue to show Tom as masculine, aggressive, and strong.

Tom's Backstory

Tom Buchanan is born into money, so along with Daisy, he is the book's chief representation of old money, and what it means and looks like to be a member of that class.

He attends Yale University, where he meets Nick, plays on the football team, and makes a few enemies: "there were men at New Haven that hated his guts" (1.20).

A few years after, he marries Daisy, a wealthy heiress from Louisville. Daisy's very much in love with him at first. But just after their South Seas honeymoon is over, he cheats on her with a maid at the Santa Barbara hotel they're staying at, beginning a pattern of infidelity that we see continued in the novel (4.143).

The two move around, spending time in Chicago and even abroad in France, "wherever people played polo and were rich together" (1.17). They have a daughter, Pammy, but Tom seems distant from her - after Daisy wakes up after giving birth, he's "god knows where" (1.118) - in fact we never see Tom and Pammy in the same room in the novel.

The family moves to New York, and Tom begins having an affair with Myrtle Wilson shortly afterwards.

You can see how Tom's biography intersects with the backstories of the novel's other characters in our Great Gatsby timeline.

Summary of Action in the Novel

In Chapter 1, Daisy Buchanan invites her cousin Nick Carraway to dinner at the Buchanans' house. Nick is an old classmate of Tom's who just moved to New York. Daisy and Nick take a private walk where Daisy confesses some of her unhappiness to Nick, but Tom cautions Nick not to believe everything Daisy says.

In Chapter 2, Tom takes Nick with him to see Myrtle, his mistress. They meet up in Queens and then later in Manhattan, and have a party at the apartment Tom keeps for Myrtle. As the evening draws to a close, Tom punches Myrtle in the face and breaks her nose.

In Chapter 6, Tom attends one of Gatsby's parties with Daisy, and immediately becomes suspicious of Gatsby's wealth and his wife's relationship with him, and asks a friend to investigate him.

In Chapter 7, Gatsby comes over for lunch at the Buchanans' house, along with Nick and Jordan. The group ends up going to Manhattan at Daisy's suggestion. Tom notices the way Daisy looks at Gatsby and realizes they are having an affair. But during the climactic confrontation in a Manhattan hotel, when Gatsby tries to get Daisy to admit she never loved Tom, Daisy can't. Tom reveals that Gatsby is a bootlegger and promises to treat Daisy better. After this confrontation, Tom lets Gatsby and Daisy drive back to West Egg alone together. This is a show of power: Tom is saying he has nothing to fear from Gatsby and knows that Daisy will never leave him.

On that drive back, Daisy fatally hits Myrtle. Tom stops at the scene afterward, finds out Gatsby's yellow car hit Myrtle, assumes it was Gatsby, and sobs on the drive back to East Egg.

In Chapter 8, in the aftermath of Myrtle's murder, Tom and Daisy remain together and quickly leave New York, George Wilson shoots Gatsby and then himself, leaving Nick to grapple with Gatsby's death alone.

In Chapter 9, Tom runs into Nick outside of a jewelry store and confesses to Nick that he insinuated to George that Gatsby was both his wife's killer and her lover, sparking the murder.
Tom's preferred ratio of men to women.
Tom Buchanan Quotes

"[Tom], among various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven-a national figure in a way, one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax." (1.16)

Tom is established early on as restless and bored, with the threat of physical aggression lurking behind that restlessness. With his glory days on the Yale football team well behind him, he seems to constantly be searching for - and failing to find - the excitement of a college football game. Perhaps Tom, like Gatsby, is also trying, and failing, to repeat the past in his own way.

"Well, it's a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be-will be utterly submerged. It's all scientific stuff; it's been proved." (1.78)

In Chapter 1, we learn Tom has been reading "profound" books lately, including racist ones that claim the white race is superior to all others and has to maintain control over society. This speaks to Tom's insecurity - even as someone born into incredible money and privilege, there's a fear it could be taken away by social climbers. That insecurity only translates into even more overt shows of his power - flaunting his relationship with Myrtle, revealing Gatsby as a bootlegger, and manipulating George to kill Gatsby - thus completely freeing the Buchanans from any consequences from the murders.

"Don't believe everything you hear, Nick," he advised me. (1.143)

Early in the book, Tom advises Nick not to believe rumors and gossip, but specifically what Daisy has been telling him about their marriage.

Nick certainly is wary of most people he meets, and, indeed, he sees through Daisy in Chapter 1 when he observes she has no intentions of leaving Tom despite her complaints: "Their interest rather touched me and made them less remotely rich-nevertheless, I was confused and a little disgusted as I drove away. It seemed to me that the thing for Daisy to do was to rush out of the house, child in arms-but apparently there were no such intentions in her head" (1.150). But as the book goes on, Nick drops some of his earlier skepticism as he comes to learn more about Gatsby and his life story, coming to admire him despite his status as a bootlegger and criminal.

This leaves us with an image of Tom as cynical and suspicious in comparison to the optimistic Gatsby - but perhaps also more clear-eyed than Nick is by the end of the novel.

"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." (7.251-252)

After seeing Tom's liaisons with Myrtle and his generally boorish behavior, this claim to loving Daisy comes off as fake at best and manipulative at worst (especially since a spree is a euphemism for an affair!).

We also see Tom grossly underreporting his bad behavior (we have seen one of his "sprees" and it involved violently breaking Myrtle's nose after sleeping with her while Nick was in the next room) and either not realizing or ignoring how damaging his actions can be to others. He is explicit about his misbehavior and doesn't seem sorry at all - he feels like his "sprees" don't matter as long as he comes back to Daisy after they're over.

In short, this quote captures how the reader comes to understand Tom late in the novel - as a selfish rich man who breaks things and leaves others to clean up his mess.

"I found out what your 'drug-stores' were." He turned to us and spoke rapidly. "He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong." (7.284)

Again, Tom's jealousy and anxiety about class are revealed. Though e immediately pegs Gatsby for a bootlegger rather than someone who inherited his money, Tom still makes a point of doing an investigation to figure out exactly where the money came from. This shows that he does feel a bit threatened by Gatsby, and wants to be sure he thoroughly knocks him down.

But at the same time, he's the only one in the room who sees Gatsby for who he actually is. This is also a moment where you, as a reader, can really see how clouded Nick's judgment of Gatsby has become.

"You two start on home, Daisy," said Tom. "In Mr. Gatsby's car."

She looked at Tom, alarmed now, but he insisted with magnanimous scorn.

"Go on. He won't annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over." (7.296-298)

A common question students have after reading Gatsby for the first time is this: why does Tom let Daisy and Gatsby ride back together? If he's so protective and jealous of Daisy, wouldn't he insist she come with him?

The answer is that he is demonstrating his power over both Daisy and Gatsby - he's no longer scared that Daisy will leave him for Gatsby, and he's basically rubbing that in Gatsby's face. He's saying that he doesn't even fear leaving them alone together, because he knows that nothing Gatsby says or does would convince Daisy to leave him. It's a subtle but crucial show of power - and of course ends up being a fatal choice.

"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." (9.143)

One of Tom's last lines in the novel, he coldly tells Nick that Gatsby was fooling both him and Daisy. Of course, since we know that Gatsby didn't actually run over Daisy, we can read this line in one of three ways:

Maybe Daisy never actually admitted to Tom that she was the one driving the car that night, so he still has no idea that his wife killed his mistress.

Or maybe the way Tom has made peace with what happened is by convincing himself that even if Daisy was technically driving, Gatsby is to blame for Myrtle's death anyway.

Or maybe Tom is still scared of speaking the truth about Daisy's involvement to anyone, including Nick, on the off chance that the police will reopen the case with new evidence.
What level of bad guy is Tom, exactly? Depends on how you read his last confession to Nick.
Depending on your interpretation, you can use this line as evidence if you're arguing for a darker, more selfish version of Gatsby's character.

Common Essay Topics/ Areas of Discussion

Since Tom himself isn't a hero (or, on the flip side, a straightforward antagonist) of the novel, most essays about Tom involve comparing him to other characters - often Gatsby but sometimes George. Sometimes you have to do this from a higher level, and sometimes you have to do more in-depth character analysis.

To see a detailed guide to a compare/contrast essay between these characters, read our article on the most commonly assigned compare/contrast character pairs.

Either way, make sure to read Chapters 1, 2, 6, and 7 for Tom's most important moments, and don't neglect your analysis of the other characters. Read on for the most common discussion topics about Tom!

Discuss Tom and Daisy (Old Money) vs. Gatsby (New Money)

In this prompt, you would first find examples in the text that clearly illustrate Tom and Daisy as old money and Gatsby as new money. Yes, the Buchanans and Gatsby both live in mansions, they all have vast amounts of money at their disposal, and they all variously engage in bad behavior (affairs, drinking, crime), but their differences end up looming much larger than these similarities.

Taste and Appearance. One place to start is to examine their dress, homes, and parties. Tom and Daisy dress luxuriously but without indulging in the very latest fashions or wild styles (note Tom's riding clothes and Daisy's white dress), while Gatsby wears a pink suit during the crucial scene in the Plaza Hotel in Chapter 7. And while Tom and Daisy have a mansion, it's described as fashionable and white, with muted wine-colored carpet and white curtains, while Gatsby's is a copy of a palace in France, and seen as over-large and garish. Finally, while Tom and Daisy host quiet dinner parties, Gatsby is notorious for his packed, lavish, and raucous blow-out bashes.

Perception by Others. Also in Chapter 6, it's notable that Tom is immediately suspicious of Gatsby and doesn't see him as worthy of their crowd during the encounter with the Sloanes, while Daisy is horrified by Gatsby's vulgar parties. Not only do their class differences become apparent to the reader through their dress, homes, and parties, but also Tom and Daisy are very aware of these differences in status, while Gatsby consistently misreads social clues.

Displays of Power. Finally, the pecking order becomes painfully clear during the encounter in the hotel. Gatsby puts everything on the line and asks Daisy to confess that she never loved Tom. But not only can she not do that, she ends up admitting she did in fact once love Tom very much, so that Tom leaves the encounter secure in his marriage.

Once you've fleshed out examples of how Tom and Daisy exemplify old money while Gatsby exemplifies new money, you could make a larger argument about one of the book's major themes: the rigidity of society and class in 1920s America or the hollowness of the American Dream.

Discuss Tom and Daisy as Reckless and Careless People

This prompt relies on this famous quote:

They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . . .(9.146)

Physical Recklessness. There are many examples of Tom and Daisy acting reckless, and of the fact that they are protected from the consequences of their actions by their money. Of course, while you can go for the biggest event, Daisy hitting Myrtle in Gatsby's car, you should also find some smaller examples can help build your argument:

Tom's mid-honeymoon car accident, when he "ran into a wagon on the Ventura road one night and ripped a front wheel off his car. The girl who was with him got into the papers too because her arm was broken" (4.143).

the moment Tom breaks Myrtle's nose in Chapter 2

In all three cases, there are apparently zero consequences for this behavior. After the honeymoon, Tom's marriage stays intact, and he gets to go off to France. His affair with Myrtle continues even after the violence. And after Daisy kills Myrtle, the couple just skips town and doesn't even show up in the official police record of the accident.

Emotional Recklessness. The pair are just as cavalier with each other's emotions as they are with everyone else's. Tom starts cheating on Daisy early on in their marriage (on their honeymoon!), assuming that because she is so weak and passive, Daisy won't leave him. Meanwhile, Daisy enters into the affair with Gatsby, dismissing Tom and her marriage in a blasé way.
Tom and Daisy: never afraid to break eggs to make their selfishness omelet.
With these examples (along with other examples you can find!) fleshed out, you can start thinking about an overall argument or point to make. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Tom and Daisy's money protects them from consequences in a way the working class cannot be protected.

2. Moral decay in America comes from the top down (with the hardworking George Wilson, who's at the bottom of the social heap, the most hurt).

3. Tom and Daisy's behavior illustrates the emptiness of the American Dream.

FAQ

Here are answers to some common student questions about Tom and his place in The Great Gatsby.

What's up with Tom's affair with Myrtle? Does he love her more than Daisy?

Tom may enjoy spending time with Myrtle, but he would never divorce Daisy to marry her - she's just the latest in a series of mistresses he has had since the beginning of his marriage.

Tom and Daisy come from the same social class, and they both need each other to remain part of that group. In contrast, Myrtle is from a less-wealthy background, and would never truly fit into Tom Buchanan's circles.

So while Tom is pretty brazen about showing Myrtle off in restaurants and not hiding his affair with any real effort, for him the relationship is more about power - power over Myrtle, over George, and over Daisy - than about love.

So does Daisy love Tom? Does Tom love Daisy?

A lot of students wonder about Daisy and Tom's marriage. Since we learn that Daisy was still in love with Gatsby right before going through with her marriage to Tom, and we see Tom engaging in affairs, it makes sense that we would wonder whether Tom and Daisy like each other at all.

Well, first of all, it seems clear that, at least in the early days of their marriage, they were in love:

"I never loved [Tom]," [Daisy] said, with perceptible reluctance.

"Not at Kapiolani?" demanded Tom suddenly... "Not that day I carried you down from the Punch Bowl to keep your shoes dry?" There was a husky tenderness in his tone. ". . . Daisy?"

"Please don't." Her voice was cold, but the rancour was gone from it. She looked at Gatsby. "There, Jay," she said-but her hand as she tried to light a cigarette was trembling. Suddenly she threw the cigarette and the burning match on the carpet.

"Oh, you want too much!" she cried to Gatsby. "I love you now-isn't that enough? I can't help what's past." She began to sob helplessly. "I did love him once-but I loved you too." (7.258-264)

Tom brings up happy memories from early in the marriage, and for once, his voice has a "husky tenderness," which causes Daisy's voice to lose the cold tone it had when she said she never loved him. She then breaks down and admits that she loved Tom.

However, the fact that Tom is clinging to old memories, and Daisy uses the past tense - "I loved him once" - suggests that Tom and Daisy aren't exactly head-over-heels for each other anymore. But our last scene that shows Tom and Daisy together suggests that that doesn't matter. Even if they're not in love, their relationship is stable, and neither has any interest in leaving the other:

Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with a plate of cold fried chicken between them and two bottles of ale. He was talking intently across the table at her and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own. Once in a while she looked up at him and nodded in agreement.

They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale-and yet they weren't unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together. (7.409-410)

What does Tom's racism have to do with anything?

As we discuss above, Nick makes a point of showing Tom to be a racist, a believer in the pure white face's need to subjugate everyone else in the world. But why does this come up at all? Is it just another unflattering detail about Tom?

Tom's racism is a reflection of his slight insecurities and his need to continually reassert his money and status. Even with all of his money and privilege, he still has a slight fear that his place isn't assured. That fear comes out in small moments in the novel - when George says he's taking Myrtle out west and when Daisy briefly threatens to leave him. This is why we see Tom constantly swaggering and asserting his status.

What's Next?

If you're writing about Tom, it can be helpful to take a close look at the beginning of the novel, specifically, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. In these chapters, you both see Tom both in his high-class, old money home, and engaging in a "spree" with Myrtle. Make sure to close read and annotate both chapters!

Tom is a major player in not just one but two of the novel's major relationships. Read more about love, sex, and desire in The Great Gatsby in our detailed article.

Check out our analyses of all the other characters in the novel and learn how to compare and contrast Tom to other characters.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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Best Character Analysis: Tom Buchanan - The Great Gatsby

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Tom Buchanan - hulking, hyper-masculine, aggressive, and super-rich - is The Great Gatsby 's chief representative of old money, and (in a book with many unlikeable people) one of the book's least sympathetic characters. He is Gatsby's rival for Daisy's love, but he is also caught up in an affair with Myrtle Wilson that proves fatal for many involved.

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This is a website comparing new money and old money. This relates to Tom because he is old money, and he doesn't believe that new money is respectable. This shows that he is an arrogant man.

“10 Differences Between Old Money Vs. New Money.” TheRichest, www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/lifestyle/10-differences-between-old-money-vs-new-money/. 7 Feb. 2017.

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This is a website that shows the differences between "the egotistical boy and the confident man." This relates to Tom because he has a very big ego, but thinks of himself as a very confident man.

“9 Differences Between The Egotistical Boy and The Confident Man.” GoodGuySwag, June 2015, goodguyswag.com/9-differences-between-the-egotistical-boy-and-the-confident-man/. 7 Feb. 2017

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This is a YouTube video that shows Tom punching Myrtle, his mistress, for bringing up his wife, Daisy. This shows how much of an angry hothead he is.

“The Great Gatsby - Tom Breaks Myrtle's Nose.” YouTube, YouTube, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_BShFxhyQQ. 7 Feb. 2017.

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This is a CrashCourse video with John Green explaining The Great Gatsby, and he provides some insight to Tom's personality. He is described as a very rude person who thinks that he is the best thing since sliced bread. View 3:10-3:59 and 5:50-6:05 for the descriptions of Tom.

Crashcourse. “Like Pale Gold - The Great Gatsby Part I: Crash Course English Literature #4.” YouTube, YouTube, 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw9Au9OoN88. 7 Feb. 2017.

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The difference between old money and new money has nothing to do with currency at all; the terms have been derived to define the individuals in these classes, how they act, how they earned their money, how they spend it, and the general differences in their ways of life. Depending on whether you are considered to be old money or new money, there are a number of factors that will differentiate you from each social group.

10 Refined: Does New Money Try To Hard?

When it comes to old money, the term lady or gentlemen is thrown around. Women wear older style dresses, their nails don't have the fun color polish, but they are always buffed to look good. Men wear great suits, they wear suit and tie to any occasion, and are coined as being more refined. New money does not fit this bill, and they generally are trying to be "hip" or with the current trends in society.

9 Big Spender: Who Spends More?

New money individuals are those who tend to spend. From donating to charities, to spending money on lavish homes, the finest cars, and the top name brands, they are willing to spend. Old money is more disciplined, and prefers saving, rather than spending, and prefers keeping the money in the family. A recent purchase made, as an example of new money, was Mark Zuckerberg spending $30 million, to buy the four homes surrounding his current home. In comparison, old money would purchase a mansion, or home, for a much lower price tag, and would not spend lavishly, just to have more.

8 Generations: Latest Trends

Old money refers to families who have been wealthy for generations, and pass the fortune on. With new money, the individuals in this category tend to have made their millions on current trends, and they are willing to spend their money, on any and all the latest trends.

7 Laid Back: Is New Money Less "Snooty"?

New money tends to be more laid back, closer to the general public, and not as "snooty." Old money are individuals who tend to turn their noses and backs towards those who are not as rich, and do not have the wealth that they have been able to earn over their lifetime.

6 Who Is More Willing To Help Others?

Individuals who are coined as old money, tend to look down on anyone outside of their class, and only socialize with those in their earnings bracket. With new money, this is not the case; individuals seem to be more down to earth, closer to the general public, and more willing to help the less fortunate.

5 Tradition: Keeping It In The Family

Old money tends to follow the classic, traditional European societies, where generations pass down their inheritance, and keep it all in the family. New money does not really have a tradition, and the individuals in that class are current, and have only recently made their way into money.

4 Who Spends More On Cars?

New money is more about flash and style. They are willing to spend more on the Porsche, or the latest "new" car to hit the production line. Old money does not really go for the "flashy, or most luxurious" but will instead opt for a classy name, classic style, and something that gets them around safely. New money will easily drop $250,000 for a Bentley, while old money would opt for a classy car, at a much lower price range.

3 Not Used to Wealth: Does New Money Struggle?

Individuals who are new money, are just that; they were individuals who were in low or middle classes, and just recently made their way into an upper tax bracket. On the other hand, old money individuals are those who are always raised in the highest class, have been raised with money their entire life, and do not know what struggles the rest of society has to deal with.

2 Working: Who's Not Afraid to Get Dirty?

Old money is not willing to get their hands dirty. If they do have to work, it is indoors, and they are in a relaxed setting. Individuals who are new money tend to be more driven, they are willing to get their hands dirty, and they came from much less, so they know what its like to have to work your way to the top.

1 Save or Spend: Who Is More Likely To Do Which?

Old money saves - they keep it in the family. Generation after generation has had millions, and they have this money from savings and investments. New money is more willing to spend, donate to charity, buy something lavish, and won't think forward to the future. Sam Walton, owner of Walmart, grew up in a family considered old money; at his death, his family was worth an estimated $23 billion, which had been saved and passed down through generations. In comparison, new money individuals are far more likely to spend, rather than have this net fortune at the time of their death.

New money are those who have had to work to make their way to the top; they are used to having much less, and now have a harder time saving and planning. Old money are planners, savers, and know what its like to have been rich their whole lives, and never have gone through major struggles, financially, or in other aspects of their lives.

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10 Differences Between Old Money Vs. New Money

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The difference between old money and new money has nothing to do with currency at all; the terms have been derived to define the individuals in these classes, how they act, how they earned their money, how they spend it, and the general differences in their ways of life.

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Like Pale Gold - The Great Gatsby Part 1: Crash Course English Literature #4

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Category Music License Standard YouTube License Movie

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The great Gatsby - Tom breaks Myrtle's nose

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Category Music License Standard YouTube License Movie The Great Gatsby

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Tom  is very egotistical, but he thinks of himself as confident. 

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Tom  is very egotistical, but he thinks of himself as confident. 

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When I was in high school, I wanted to be popular. It came from a broken place. I thought universal acceptance was the cure for my self-hatred and my belief I was damaged and abnormal. It's not uncommon. There's a reason people pay attention to social media counts. There's a reason why fashion and music rapidly changes and falls out of style. There's a reason people spend big bucks on beauty and body supplements. There's a reason why we want the nicest car and the biggest home in the neighborhood. There's a reason we want VIP status. There's a reason for consumerism.

The grass looks greener on the other side, and if we could get to that other side, we believe our problems would all be solved. Even if you make it to the other side, achieve huge followers on social media, the best clothes, the best body, the nicest car, the hottest wife, the most expensive home in the most exclusive neighborhood, you will still be left with yourself. You will still be left with an insatiable ego only temporarily pleased with each new possession.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend the other day who mentioned we were made in the likeness of our Creator, therefore all of us have a desire to be praised. When this desire comes at the cost of others, it's called pride. Our pride and ego, however, can keep us from achieving the very things we want and desire. If we seek first the higher ideal, everything else will fall into place. But, in order to seek the higher ideal, the ego has to be surrendered or put to death.

It's important to identify the differences between ego and confidence so you know what to eliminate from you life. How do you know if you're operating as the egotistical boy or the confident man?

9 Differences Between The Egotistical Boy and The Confident Man
1. The Confident Man Builds and Inspires Others
In King, Warrior, Magician and Lover, Robert Moore and Doug Gillette identify "The King in His Fullness" vs. the dysfunctional Tyrant. They describe the King as a true father. The confident man builds others up. He affirms, empowers and heals others, whereas the egotistical boy wants to keep people back in fear others will surpass him. The egotistical man is destructive and doesn't mind stepping over others so he can be promoted. However, the confident man encourages and helps others to reach their fullest potential.
2. The Confident Man Believes in Abundance
The egotistical man envies others and believes we live in a world of scarcity. He's greedy and refuses to pay for meals, or when splitting checks, doesn't put in his fair contribution. However, the confident man donates to causes, gives to the poor, and feeds the hungry because he knows he will always get provision.
3. The Confident Man Is Real
The ego takes over when we've been hurt, and protects us from being hurt again. So the ego deceives, and puts on an impenetrable act of armor, and then lives in fear of being exposed. Confidence, however, is not an act and doesn't seek to cover or hide. Instead, confidence embraces realness and transparency.
4. The Confident Man Is Humble
The egotistical boy bullies others and tries to exert power, but the confident man is humble. He knows his strength, but doesn't use it to control; instead, he uses it to protect others.
5. The Confident Man Considers the Future
A man with confidence has vision. He might set out humbly, but he holds onto hope, knowing his goal awaits him just out of sight. However, the egotistical boy is only concerned with the here and now. He forgets about tomorrow and doesn't consider consequences to his actions.
6. The Confident Man Is Free
The ego wants to control and manipulate, but the confident man knows surrender. He knows freedom because he delegates, and allows others to take center stage. He also sets boundaries and finds strength and recuperates in time spent alone.
7. The Confident Man Is Calm
Whereas the egotistical boy is desperate for attention and admiration, the confident man sees no need to find approval in others through money, popularity, what he does, who he knows, etc. He finds a quiet acceptance of himself that doesn't require boasting or recognition.
8. The Confident Man Listens
The egotistical boy knows it all and only desires to be heard, but the confident man listens because he knows he hasn't arrived and wants to learn more. He's continually developing and is a student of life.
9. The Confident Man Is Responsible
The ego points fingers and blames, but the confident man takes responsibility for his actions at any cost. The ultimate confident man is willing to take the cost for the ones he cares most about.

In short, the ego is infantile, but confidence exemplifies the real man. Robert Moore describes how putting the ego to death results in the birth of the new man. There's potential for every guy out there, but he first has to be willing to put his childish ways behind him; only then can he become a man.

About Kris Wolfe

Founder & Editor. Speaker. Health & Fitness Freak. Married to Kristen Wolfe (founder of SheisMore.com). Instagram: kriswolfe, Twitter @wolfeattack

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9 Differences Between The Egotistical Boy and The Confident Man

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When I was in high school, I wanted to be popular. It came from a broken place. I thought universal acceptance was the cure for my self-hatred and my belief I was damaged and abnormal. It's not uncommon. There's a reason people pay attention to social media counts.

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Tom Buchanan is a very egotistical and angry man. 

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Tom Buchanan is a very egotistical and angry man. 