What Is Tom Buchanan's Attitude To The American Dream

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The Great Gatsby Final Exam America was changing during the 1920s as the overall idea of the American Dream changed. People’s values and morals shifted gears greatly as hard work, opportunity, and the pursuit of happiness once were valued, but then the values became making money easily and audacious pleasure. There were a few reasons as to why this change in America occurred, one being World War I. The war caused a deviation in the value and morality of Americans. The rising stock market allowed people to become wealthy, but because of the lack of values, their money wasn’t spent wisely. The 18th Amendment invited a tunnel of crime. Such changes led Fitzgerald to lose hope in the American Dream and believe that it had become unscrupulous…show more content…
Tom Buchanan is Daisy’s husband and he’s having an affair with a woman whose name is Myrtle Wilson. He is in the trap of the era as he values money and lets his wealth control him. In chapter one this is demonstrated as Nick says, “His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked—and there were men at New Haven who had hated his guts.” Tom reflected Fitzgerald’s attitude toward the American Dream as he was the type of person that was born with wealth and didn’t know how to truly appreciate all that he had. As a result of Tom being so careless, he looked down upon others. Considering his heightened levels of pride and confidence, he naturally had a false sense of…show more content…
Daisy is Nick’s cousin and the lost-love of Jay Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan is the epitome of the description of people during this time period. Found in chapter six, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy--they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness…” She was trapped in the world of money and didn’t know how to clearly see anything outside of her bubble. Daisy was also born into wealth as Tom, and based all of her morals and values on money. She always wanted the nicest of things and whoever could give her the most. Daisy never had to work for much as she always had money and also the beauty, therefore she didn’t know or even had an interest in knowing anything

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