The Great Gatsby Essay
The abuse of power is not new to us. We see it in our own community daily. Throughout the book the reader sees many characters struggling with power, whether it what they’re facing because of someone else's power or because of their own. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy is a main focus and it seems all her struggles are based on the idea and abuse of power. People can gain power through money/class, intimidation, and lust, the characters in Gatsby use these different forms of power along with being the victims of these acts of power.
A person that uses their wealth as power in The Great Gatsby is Tom Buchanan. He is an entitled, rich man that abuses his power to increase his status. In his mind he owned Daisy. The power that he has over her is disgusting and causes her to live a life that she …show more content…
Tom did not have much going for him personality wise but he did have a killer social status in East egg and his power of pure intimidation. “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 7). This quote demonstrates the power that Tom knows he has due to his social status and wealth. Even with just one glance he can strike fear in anyone. Tom uses his power to trap Daisy. Understanding she has nowhere else to go and is weak he takes advantage of it and treats her like “a fool”. Many people question the abusive relationship the Buchanans have such as Catherine, Myrtle's sister, “What I say is, why go on living with them if they can’t stand them” (Fitzgerald 33). Shorty after the questioning Tom hit her and broke her nose demonstrating his intimidating, aggressive behavior. Tom constantly puts himself on a pedestal but it is shown to us that he is anything but
The abuse of power is not new to us. We see it in our own community daily. Throughout the book the reader sees many characters struggling with power, whether it what they’re facing because of someone else's power or because of their own. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy is a main focus and it seems all her struggles are based on the idea and abuse of power. People can gain power through money/class, intimidation, and lust, the characters in Gatsby use these different forms of power along with being the victims of these acts of power.
A person that uses their wealth as power in The Great Gatsby is Tom Buchanan. He is an entitled, rich man that abuses his power to increase his status. In his mind he owned Daisy. The power that he has over her is disgusting and causes her to live a life that she …show more content…
Tom did not have much going for him personality wise but he did have a killer social status in East egg and his power of pure intimidation. “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 7). This quote demonstrates the power that Tom knows he has due to his social status and wealth. Even with just one glance he can strike fear in anyone. Tom uses his power to trap Daisy. Understanding she has nowhere else to go and is weak he takes advantage of it and treats her like “a fool”. Many people question the abusive relationship the Buchanans have such as Catherine, Myrtle's sister, “What I say is, why go on living with them if they can’t stand them” (Fitzgerald 33). Shorty after the questioning Tom hit her and broke her nose demonstrating his intimidating, aggressive behavior. Tom constantly puts himself on a pedestal but it is shown to us that he is anything but