How Is The Great Gatsby Selfish
While reading the book The Great Gatsby readers soon discover that there are some characters that aren’t caring about their actions, or how they affect others. Examples of these characters are Tom and Daisy. In the beginning of the book I was lead to believe that Daisy and Tom were kind and caring people, but my impression was wrong. Tom and Daisy are insensitive and thoughtless, and they are selfish people that don’t care about who they hurt.
Tom is very careless with his money, and flaunts about how rich he is. “‘Here’s your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it’” (Fitzgerald 28). Tom buys Myrtle a dog without question. They don’t care what happens to the dog, he also spends with money like it’s no big deal. This shows the readers that Tom is careless and not …show more content…
responsible. Tom also doesn’t care about his actions and the consequences that may arise from them. “Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (Fitzgerald 37). Given these points, Tom thinks because he is so rich he can do anything he wants without taking responsibility for his actions.
Equally, Daisy, like Tom is also irresponsible and careless. “‘That’s because your mother wanted to show you off’”(Fitzgerald 117). This example shows that Daisy doesn’t care for her daughter in a loving way, she promotes her around like an object instead of a human being. Daisy shows her daughter off just to impress people, but in reality Daisy does nothing for her daughter, the nurse takes care of her. “The child, relinquished by the nurse, rushed across the room and rooted shyly into her mother’s dress” (Fitzgerald 117). Part of the American dream is having children, but Daisy isn’t caring towards her own daughter.
Furthermore, Daisy doesn’t care about her actions.
After Daisy hit and killed Myrtle she didn’t face the consequences, she was going to let Gatsby take the fall and forget about it. “‘She’ll be all right to-morrow,’ he said presently” (Fitzgerald 144). Daisy hides behind people so she doesn’t get in trouble. After the accident she hid behind Gatsby, but then left with Tom. Daisy is selfish and irresponsible.
In addition to Daisy not caring about her actions, readers can assume that Daisy is careless by the way she treats Gatsby. “But she and Tom had gone away early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them” (Fitzgerald 164). Daisy never really loved Gatsby, she just wanted him for the sole purpose of his money. Once Gatsby died she left and didn’t even show up to his funeral. Nick called Daisy several times, but never got a single response.
In conclusion at the end of the book Nick finally realizes how careless Tom and Daisy really are. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vastness carelessness, or it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (Fitzgerald
179).
Tom is very careless with his money, and flaunts about how rich he is. “‘Here’s your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it’” (Fitzgerald 28). Tom buys Myrtle a dog without question. They don’t care what happens to the dog, he also spends with money like it’s no big deal. This shows the readers that Tom is careless and not …show more content…
responsible. Tom also doesn’t care about his actions and the consequences that may arise from them. “Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (Fitzgerald 37). Given these points, Tom thinks because he is so rich he can do anything he wants without taking responsibility for his actions.
Equally, Daisy, like Tom is also irresponsible and careless. “‘That’s because your mother wanted to show you off’”(Fitzgerald 117). This example shows that Daisy doesn’t care for her daughter in a loving way, she promotes her around like an object instead of a human being. Daisy shows her daughter off just to impress people, but in reality Daisy does nothing for her daughter, the nurse takes care of her. “The child, relinquished by the nurse, rushed across the room and rooted shyly into her mother’s dress” (Fitzgerald 117). Part of the American dream is having children, but Daisy isn’t caring towards her own daughter.
Furthermore, Daisy doesn’t care about her actions.
After Daisy hit and killed Myrtle she didn’t face the consequences, she was going to let Gatsby take the fall and forget about it. “‘She’ll be all right to-morrow,’ he said presently” (Fitzgerald 144). Daisy hides behind people so she doesn’t get in trouble. After the accident she hid behind Gatsby, but then left with Tom. Daisy is selfish and irresponsible.
In addition to Daisy not caring about her actions, readers can assume that Daisy is careless by the way she treats Gatsby. “But she and Tom had gone away early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them” (Fitzgerald 164). Daisy never really loved Gatsby, she just wanted him for the sole purpose of his money. Once Gatsby died she left and didn’t even show up to his funeral. Nick called Daisy several times, but never got a single response.
In conclusion at the end of the book Nick finally realizes how careless Tom and Daisy really are. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vastness carelessness, or it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (Fitzgerald
179).