The Great Gatsby - Body
Like Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan is the quintessential embodiment
of his character type, and this is clear from the moment he is
introduced in the book.
Tom's introduction firmly defines him as a body character. He is standing on the front porch of his home as Nick approaches and describes him as a:
sturdy straw-haired man of thirty...hard mouth...two shining arrogant eyes...appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.
Nick summarizes Tom's character by saying:
"Now don't think my opinion on these matters is final," he seemed to say, "just because I am stronger and more of a man than you are."
Tom is given to alcohol more than any other of the main characters in the book and is having an affair. He even admits to "making a fool of himself," but is jealous that Daisy and Gatsby might be having an affair. In fact, he is very much a hypocrite on the matter of extramarital relationships.
Tom is also a bully. We see this, as well as propensity to drink, when Tom insists on having Nick meet his mistress:
I think he'd tanked up a good deal at luncheon, and his determination to have my company bordered on violence. The supercilious assumption was that on Sunday afternoon I had nothing better to do.
When Tom and Gatsby are arguing over Daisy's love, Tom never extols his own virtues are tries to explain why Daisy loves him rather than Gatsby. Instead, he makes a fool of himself by admitting to his indiscretions, at which point Daisy calls him "revolting," and he says everything he can to tear down Gatsby's character.
Tom is a drinker, a philanderer, and a bully. In total, he is almost an exaggeration of a body character.
The Body Character: Tom Buchanan
Tom's introduction firmly defines him as a body character. He is standing on the front porch of his home as Nick approaches and describes him as a:
sturdy straw-haired man of thirty...hard mouth...two shining arrogant eyes...appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.
Nick summarizes Tom's character by saying:
"Now don't think my opinion on these matters is final," he seemed to say, "just because I am stronger and more of a man than you are."
Tom is given to alcohol more than any other of the main characters in the book and is having an affair. He even admits to "making a fool of himself," but is jealous that Daisy and Gatsby might be having an affair. In fact, he is very much a hypocrite on the matter of extramarital relationships.
Tom is also a bully. We see this, as well as propensity to drink, when Tom insists on having Nick meet his mistress:
I think he'd tanked up a good deal at luncheon, and his determination to have my company bordered on violence. The supercilious assumption was that on Sunday afternoon I had nothing better to do.
When Tom and Gatsby are arguing over Daisy's love, Tom never extols his own virtues are tries to explain why Daisy loves him rather than Gatsby. Instead, he makes a fool of himself by admitting to his indiscretions, at which point Daisy calls him "revolting," and he says everything he can to tear down Gatsby's character.
Tom is a drinker, a philanderer, and a bully. In total, he is almost an exaggeration of a body character.
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