Few characters in American literature embody the unyielding, often brutal, power of entrenched privilege as effectively as Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
Tom Buchanan embodies the unyielding power and ingrained prejudices of America’s early twentieth-century “old money” elite.
More than just Daisy’s brutish husband or Gatsby’s rival, Tom is a potent symbol of a decadent social order, aggressively defending its boundaries against perceived threats. Fueled by a powerful cocktail of entitlement, physical dominance, and hypocrisy, his actions drive the novel’s central conflicts and ultimately lead to its tragedy.
Our Ageless Investing Tom Buchanan character analysis dissects his role as a product and a militant enforcer of this established hierarchy.
We will argue that Tom’s physical dominance, flagrant infidelities, coupled with possessive jealousy, overt racism, and ‘carelessness’ are not mere personal flaws but calculated manifestations of an aristocratic order clinging to its supremacy.
His character reveals how such entrenched privilege fosters moral decay and inflicts widespread damage without consequence.
Through a meticulous examination of his words, actions, and the narrative lens of Nick Carraway, we explore Tom Buchanan not as a simple villain but as a complex representation of systemic power and its corrupting influence.
You might first consult our comprehensive summary of The Great Gatsby for essential background.
Note: This analysis delves into Tom Buchanan’s complete journey in The Great Gatsby and will necessarily discuss significant plot developments, character revelations, and the novel’s tragic conclusion. Reader discretion is advised if you have not completed the book.
The Imposing Presence: Tom Buchanan’s Physical and Social Dominance
From his first appearance, Tom Buchanan commands his environment through an aura of physical power and unquestioned social authority. In this section, we analyze how Fitzgerald establishes Tom’s dominance through descriptions of his physique, mannerisms, and interactions, revealing a man accustomed to control and a world that often yields to his will.
The “Cruel Body”: Physicality as an Instrument of Power
Fitzgerald introduces Tom Buchanan not merely as wealthy, but as a figure whose physical presence immediately asserts dominance.
Nick Carraway’s initial description in Chapter 1 is striking: “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… It was a body capable of enormous leverage—a cruel body” [Chapter 1, Page 7].
This depiction emphasizes Tom’s “enormous power” and explicitly labels his physique a “cruel body,” foreshadowing his capacity for aggression. His past as “one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven” [Chapter 1, Page 6] further solidifies this image of prowess, a strength carried into social interactions as an enforcement tool, and the aggressive confidence with which he imposes himself upon his world.
The Voice of Entitlement: “Paternal Contempt” and Supercilious Speech
Tom Buchanan’s physical imposition is matched by a vocal delivery that exudes ingrained superiority. Nick describes his speaking voice as a “gruff husky tenor” conveying “fractiousness” with a “touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked” [Chapter 1, Page 7]. This “paternal contempt” suggests a condescending attitude, viewing others from a position of inherent authority.
His “supercilious manner” [Chapter 1, Page 7] reinforces this. Tom’s dialogue is often abrupt and assertive, particularly towards those he perceives as inferior. His curt dismissal of George Wilson’s business acumen—flatly contradicting Wilson’s attempts to seem capable in Chapter 2—showcases this. His speech rarely invites discussion; it asserts his opinion as fact or shuts down opposition, reinforcing his social dominance as effectively as his physical presence.
Restless Power: The “Anticlimax” of a Life Post-Glory
Nick Carraway hints at Tom’s aggressive restlessness by suggesting his life peaked early. Describing Tom’s football stardom, Nick reflects he was “one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax” [Chapter 1, Page 6]. This observation implies Tom’s current pursuits—affairs, confrontations—may be fueled by restless boredom, an attempt to recapture past glories.
His family’s wealth allows him to drift “unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together” [Chapter 1, Page 6], but this rootless existence seems to offer little genuine satisfaction. Despite immense privilege, this perceived “anticlimax” is a source of his fractiousness and constant need to exert control; his power, lacking a noble outlet, manifests in destructive assertions of social and personal dominance
The Hypocrite’s Code: Adultery, Possessiveness, and Moral Selectivity
Tom Buchanan operates under a cruel double standard, indulging in extramarital affairs while demanding unwavering loyalty from Daisy and reacting with outrage to perceived threats to his marital claims. This section explores the profound hypocrisy that defines his morality and relationships, revealing a man whose sense of entitlement dictates the emotional and moral lives of those around him.
The Open Secret: Tom’s Brazen Affair with Myrtle Wilson
Tom Buchanan’s affair with Myrtle Wilson showcases his arrogance, cruelty, and assertion of class-based power. Nick recounts being “literally forced” by Tom to meet Myrtle [Chapter 2, Page 24] and notes Tom’s “acquaintances resented” his public appearances with her [Chapter 2, Page 24]. This display underscores his disregard for decorum and Daisy’s feelings.
His interactions with Myrtle are dismissive; he buys her a dog like a trinket [Chapter 2, Pages 27, 28], an impulsive gift that seems more about his whim than genuine affection for her or the animal, further emphasizing his casual treatment of her. Most tellingly, when Myrtle defiantly chants Daisy’s name, Tom’s response is swift and brutal: “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” [Chapter 2, Page 37].
This violence reveals his insistence on controlling relationships, demanding that Myrtle adhere to their liaison’s unspoken rules. His contempt for George Wilson, “‘so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive’” [Chapter 2, Page 26], further illustrates his exploitative view of those he considers beneath him.
“I love Daisy too”: Possessiveness Masked as Affection
Despite his continuous infidelity, Tom Buchanan reacts with possessive fury to Daisy’s affection for Gatsby. At the Plaza Hotel, he declares, “‘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’” [Chapter 7, Page 131].
This claim, amidst his efforts to discredit Gatsby, reeks of self-serving rationalization. His “sprees,” as Nick knows from Myrtle and hints of others [Chapter 4, Page 77], are a pattern. His claim to always “come back” and love Daisy “in my heart” seems less a testament to genuine affection and more an assertion of proprietary rights.
Even his moments of “husky tenderness” [Chapter 7, Page 132] when reminding Daisy of their shared past can be interpreted as manipulative tactics. Indeed, for Tom, Daisy appears more a prized possession than a partner in an emotional bond, a symbol of his status, and her potential defection is an intolerable challenge.
Outrage and Investigation: The Double Standard Applied to Gatsby
Tom’s reaction to Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy highlights his profound hypocrisy. He’s immediately suspicious, demanding in Chapter 6, “‘Who is this Gatsby anyhow?… Some big bootlegger?’” [Chapter 6, Page 107]. He then launches a “small investigation” into Gatsby’s affairs [Chapter 7, Page 121].
At the Plaza, he unleashes this information vindictively: “‘He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug stores… sold grain alcohol over the counter… I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him’” [Chapter 7, Page 133].
Tom’s moral outrage at Gatsby’s “swindling” and relationship with Daisy is deeply ironic given his blatant adultery. He uses societal norms and moral posturing as weapons to destroy Gatsby, a rival threatening his marriage and social superiority, all while ignoring his own transgressions.
This selective morality not only underscores his self-interest and ingrained double standard but also protects his established position within a social order that condones his behavior while condemning Gatsby’s..
Guardian of the Old Guard: Tom’s Defense of Class and Racial Purity
Beyond personal conflicts, Tom Buchanan is a staunch, crude defender of the existing social and racial hierarchy. His pronouncements and actions reveal a deep-seated fear of societal change and a commitment to upholding the perceived supremacy of his “Nordic” old-money class, positioning him as a gatekeeper against those he deems threats to this established order.
“Civilization’s going to pieces”: The Fear of White Supremacy’s Decline
Tom Buchanan’s anxieties about the stability of his world are most clearly revealed in his acceptance of racist ideologies.. During Nick’s first dinner at their home, Tom “broke out violently” about how “‘Civilization’s going to pieces,’” citing “‘The Rise of the Coloured Empires’ by this man Goddard” [Chapter 1, Page 13].
He insists, “‘Well, it’s a fine book… 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’” [Chapter 1, Page 13]. Tom’s vehement endorsement of such theories, which lack any real intellectual basis, reveals a profound insecurity beneath his aggression, as he grasps at simplistic and prejudiced ideas to bolster a threatened sense of superiority.
By clinging to pseudo-scientific justifications for racial hierarchy—later asserting, “‘This idea is that we’re Nordics… and we’ve produced all the things that go to make civilization’” [Chapter 1, Page 14]—Tom seeks to legitimize his status, betraying a fear of losing control in a changing world.
“Mr. Nobody from Nowhere”: Gatekeeping Against New Money
Tom’s disdain for Jay Gatsby is fundamentally rooted in a profound class-based snobbery that fiercely rejects the legitimacy of ‘new money,’ eventhough romantic jealousy certainly fuels his animosity.” This subtly reorders the emphasis for this particular argument that fiercely rejecting the legitimacy of “new money.” His immediate suspicion of Gatsby’s origins is palpable, labeling him a probable “bootlegger” [Chapter 6, Page 107].
During the Plaza Hotel confrontation, he dismisses Gatsby with contempt as “‘Mr. Nobody from Nowhere’” [Chapter 7, Page 130] and sneers at his claim of being an “‘Oxford man’” [Chapter 7, Page 130]. Even Gatsby’s pink suit becomes a mark of otherness and vulgarity to Tom’s traditionalist view. It signals Gatsby’s failure to adhere to the unspoken sartorial codes of the established elite.
By relentlessly attacking Gatsby’s background and wealth, Tom is an aggressive gatekeeper for the old-money elite. He seeks to expose Gatsby as a fraud, not just to win Daisy, but to reinforce the social barricades protecting his inherited status from ambitious outsiders lacking birthright.
The Unrepentant Agent of “Vast Carelessness”
Ultimately, Tom Buchanan embodies the “vast carelessness” Nick Carraway identifies as the hallmark of his wealthy, privileged class. His actions precipitate tragedy, yet he remains insulated by his money and status, seemingly incapable of genuine remorse or self-reflection, solidifying his role as a destructive force within the novel.
Catalyst for Tragedy: Tom’s Role in Myrtle’s and Gatsby’s Deaths
Tom Buchanan’s actions directly ignite the chain of events leading to the novel’s tragic deaths. His affair with Myrtle Wilson creates the volatile situation in the Valley of Ashes.
More pointedly, his aggressive confrontation with Gatsby at the Plaza Hotel, exposing Gatsby’s bootlegging and forcing Daisy to confront her divided loyalties [Chapter 7, Page 133], shatters Gatsby’s dream and sends a distraught Daisy fleeing in Gatsby’s car, a state of emotional turmoil Tom provoked, which directly contributes to her inability to drive safely, resulting in Myrtle’s death.
Crucially, after the accident, when George Wilson is maddened by grief, Tom subtly and deceptively directs Wilson’s vengeance towards Gatsby. When Nick later confronts him, Tom admits, “‘I told him the truth,’” framing Gatsby as solely responsible by claiming Gatsby “ran over Myrtle like you’d run over a dog” [Chapter 9, Page 178].
This calculated misdirection makes Tom directly complicit in Gatsby’s murder, showcasing his capacity to manipulate and destroy without personal risk.
The Retreat into Money: Escaping Accountability
A defining characteristic of Tom Buchanan, shared with Daisy, is his ability to retreat into the protective insulation of his immense wealth, effectively evading accountability for the devastation he causes. This isn’t just an abstract idea; Fitzgerald shows it in their concrete actions following the summer’s carnage.
After Myrtle’s death and Gatsby’s murder—tragedies Tom significantly helped orchestrate through his deceptions and manipulations—the Buchanans don’t face the community, the authorities, or even their acquaintances. Instead, Nick discovers they “had gone away… and taken baggage with them,” leaving “no address” [Chapter 9, Page 164].
There are no heartfelt apologies, no attempts at restitution, no engagement with the legal or moral fallout. Their wealth enables a swift, clean escape, as if the lives shattered in their wake were merely inconvenient debris to be left behind.
This physical disappearance, facilitated by their financial resources, becomes a powerful symbol of their moral detachment and their ability to erase their involvement from their own lives, if not from the lives of those they’ve impacted.
Nick confirms this lack of accountability when he encounters Tom months later by chance on Fifth Avenue. Far from expressing remorse, Tom offers a self-serving justification for his role in Gatsby’s death, claiming Gatsby “‘had it coming to him’” because he “‘threw dust into your eyes just like he did in Daisy’s’” and falsely asserting Gatsby “‘ran over Myrtle like you’d run over a dog’” [Chapter 9, Page 178].
Tom even attempts to paint himself as a victim, mentioning his own supposed suffering when he “went to give up that flat and saw that damn box of dog biscuits sitting there I sat down and cried like a baby” [Chapter 9, Page 178].
This deflection and focus on his trivial emotional discomfort in the face of multiple deaths demonstrate an utter inability, or perhaps a willful refusal, to comprehend the depth of the tragedy or his pivotal role in it. His wealth allows him to distance himself physically and to construct a version of events where he remains blameless, even aggrieved.
This pattern of causing harm and then disappearing into the buffer of “their money or their vast carelessness” is precisely what Nick identifies in his final assessment: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated… and let other people clean up the mess they had made” [Chapter 9, Page 179].
Tom’s wealth is not just status; it’s a shield, an enabler of irresponsibility, rendering him immune to the consequences that would crush men of lesser means like George Wilson or haunt men of greater conscience like Nick.
The Unchanged Man: Tom’s Static Character and Enduring Flaws
Unlike Nick, who undergoes deep disillusionment, Tom Buchanan remains largely unchanged by the summer’s calamitous events. He begins the novel as an arrogant, racist, hypocritical, and physically dominant figure, and he ends it in precisely the same manner.
His final encounter with Nick reveals no growth or remorse; he feels “entirely justified” [Chapter 9, Page 179] in his actions, still viewing Gatsby with contempt and himself as a wronged party. This stasis is significant; Tom represents the immovability and moral imperviousness of the established old-money elite.
His character exemplifies that deeply ingrained entitlement and prejudice, supported by immense wealth, resist change, regardless of the destruction they cause. He’s a chilling reminder that for some, power and privilege create a world where personal evolution is unnecessary and moral reckoning can always be denied, solidifying his role as a symbol of the era’s enduring corruption.
Conclusion: The Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove
In The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s formidable representation of the entrenched power and moral decay within America’s “old money” aristocracy.
He’s far more than a simple, brutish antagonist; Tom, whose outward trappings of social grace barely conceal an iron will to dominate, enforces a rigid social and racial hierarchy, his actions fueled by a potent cocktail of entitlement, physical dominance, and hypocrisy.
His aggressive physicality, flagrant infidelities, coupled with possessive jealousy and overt racism, are not mere personal flaws but manifestations of a threatened aristocratic order desperately clinging to its supremacy.
In his efforts to preserve this world, Tom actively works throughout the narrative to neutralize perceived threats such as Jay Gatsby. He wields physical, social, and economic power with an unshakeable sense of entitlement, precipitating tragedy yet remaining insulated from its consequences by his immense wealth.
As Nick Carraway observes, Tom, like Daisy, smashes up lives and retreats, leaving others to clean the wreckage. His static character, incapable of remorse or genuine self-reflection, is Fitzgerald’s powerful indictment of a class whose privilege fosters moral decay and inflicts damage without accountability.
Tom Buchanan is the chilling embodiment of the brutal forces that guard the gates of a decadent and exclusionary American Dream. To explore Tom’s words and the perspectives of those he impacted, see our collection of Tom Buchanan quotes with analysis.
A Note on Page Numbers & Edition:
We carefully sourced textual references for this analysis from The Great Gatsby: The Only Authorized Edition (Scribner, November 17, 2020), ISBN-13: 978-1982149482. As Tom Buchanan felt his pronouncements were unassailable truths, page numbers for specific events can differ across various printings. Always double-check against your copy to ensure accuracy for essays or citations.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.