Tom's Carelessness In The Great Gatsby

Nick from Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby says of those who live in East Egg, “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness”. In fact, their carelessness is the result of their wealth. Their money gives them a sense of entitlement. They do not question their actions or how their choices might affect others because it is their right to do whatever they please. This carelessness and lack of regard for others results in Tom and Daisy hurting those around them.
Gatsby’s entire life revolves around Daisy. He says after meeting her and falling in love that he “felt married to her”. Therefore, he made it his life’s mission to become worthy of her and be able to take care of her. Despite Gatsby’s
devotion, Daisy gets engaged to another man then marries Tom months after Gatsby goes to war. She does not even tell Gatsby about the marriage until it’s too late, so she obviously didn’t think how it would affect him. Another example of Daisy’s carelessness is that she allows Gatsby to believe that she will leave Tom, and that she never truly loved him. She strings Gatsby along, even though she probably never intended to take action. Her lack of desire to leave is shown in the very first chapter when Nick says, “It seemed to me the thing for Daisy to do was rush out of the house, child in arms -- but apparently there were no such intentions in her head”.
The role of carelessness in Tom’s affair with Myrtle is very similar to that of Daisy’s affair. Tom also gives Myrtle a false sense of hope and security by telling her he would marry her if it were not for Daisy being catholic. Tom’s lies, however have even greater repercussions. This is because Myrtle, unlike Gatsby, is married. Therefore Tom’s infidelity hurts not only Daisy, but George and Myrtle Wilson as well.
Myrtle’s death is the outcome of all of the carelessness on both Tom and Daisy’s parts. It was partly Daisy’s fault for the obvious reason that she was the one driving and was going too fast, but also because Daisy’s lack of consideration of her actions was the reason they went to New York in the first place and why she was upset on the way home. On the other hand, Tom is also somewhat responsible because he is the reason Myrtle was running away from her husband and tried to stop the car. She believed Tom was truly cared about her and would save her. Being that Tom and Daisy are responsible for Myrtle’s death, they can also be held accountable for Gatsby’s. Tom is even more directly responsible because he lied to George about who’s car it was in the first place, and later tells George that it was Gatsby’s car which killed Myrtle.
Tom and Daisy’s carelessness in The Great Gatsby could also be called their selfishness. They play around with other people’s lives while only considering their own excitement. Particularly, the lives of their lovers, Myrtle and Gatsby. Ultimately, their carelessness results in both of these characters’ deaths. Even then, Tom and Daisy did not regret their actions or worry about the consequences. As Nick put it, they just “smashed up thing and creatures then retreated into their vast carelessness”.