Examples Of Tom's Arrogance In The Great Gatsby

My first impression of the party in the New York apartment was one of outrage at the behavior of Tom. I was appalled by Tom’s arrogance, in that he believed that he was above everyone else, social-class-wise, at the party, and that any consequence did not apply to him. Arrogance, in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was portrayed by Tom as a result of the power that his money had given him. However, Tom abused his money-based power, and instead of acting with possible repercussions in mind, behaved as if he had the ability to control anyone and everyone who was in his presence to assert his dominance. Tom’s arrogance was best expressed through his relationship with Myrtle. First, the existence of Tom’s illicit affair with Myrtle and his “love nest” in …show more content…
Not only does Nick not necessarily want to be at the party, but he also is the cousin of Tom’s wife, and thus had no place making small-talk with Tom’s mistress. Furthermore, while the party does involve free conversation between all participants, it concludes immediately at Tom’s signal, showing how the party was under Tom’s control the entire time. Finally, the most prominent sign of Tom’s arrogance and power was the signal that concluded the party, or Tom’s smacking of Myrtle. When Tom and Myrtle were “discussing in impassioned voices whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy’s name,” Myrtle yells the name four times claiming she can “say it whenever I [Myrtle] want to]” (Fitzgerald, 37). This direct violation of Tom’s wishes caused Tom to grow irrationally angry and slap Myrtle across the face, breaking her nose in the process. As Tom felt his dominance was being tested, he quickly, and physically, repositioned himself on the social ladder among his friends by smacking Myrtle and reminding his spectators of his