Crime In The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

Crimes

Throughout the book The Great Gatsby many of the main characters committed various crimes from adultery to murder. Tom Buchanan was the most cruel and deceitful character of them all. Tom committed adultery, abused a woman, and was an accomplice in the murder of Jay Gatsby.

The first offense Tom committed was adultery with Myrtle Wilson in plain view, he even had the gaul to do it in front of Daisy. He flaunted his affair in front of Nick too. One example of this is when Tom boasted,” I want you to meet my girl.” (28)

Then one time when Nick, Tom, and Myrtle were in New York he showed a very abusive side of himself. He hit Myrtle for saying Daisy’s name. This is an excerpt from that scene.

Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face discussing in

impassioned voices whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention

Daisy’s name.

“Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!” shouted Mrs. Wilson , ” I’ll say it whenever

I want to! Daisy! Dai—

Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with

is open hand. (41)

Tom was a spoiled brat who is used to getting everything he wants. This could have been a factor when he told Nick:

That fellow had it coming to him. He threw dust into your

eyes just like he did Daisy’s but he was a tough one. He ran

over Myrtle just like you’d a dog and never ever stopped his

car. (187)

Tom only wanted Daisy back because she wasn’t interested in him any more. So in the end he threw Gatsby to the lions, Gatsby’s death was Tom’s fault, he told George Wilson that the car that hit Myrtle was Gatsby’s. That was just as bad as pulling the trigger that killed Gatsby. The worst part is he felt no remorse for his actions.

It makes me sick to even acknowledge the fact that people like Tom Buchanan may have or do exist. It is people like him who give the human race a bad name.