In the novel there is a love triangle with Tom and Gatsby pining for Daisy’s love, Gatsby see’s that Tom does not actually care about Daisy, but Tom continues to pretend he is in love for only Daisy. The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is about how wealth and power have corrupted the American Dream. This is demonstrated through Fitzgerald’s use of imagery, characterization, and motifs. Imagery is used to convey the characters mood and tone in the book, without directly stating what they are thinking. Wealth is generally represented in the colors gold, silver, and green. When Nick is walking into Daisy’s house on the hottest day of the year with Gatsby, Daisy and Jordan are in the house and are described to be wearing white with silver weighing them down. The quote “Daisy and Jordan lay upon an enormous couch, like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the singing breeze of the fans” (115; Ch.7). The color white shows the innocence and purity of Daisy and Jordan, but the idea of silver, …show more content…
In the novel The Great Gatsby, Tom is seen as powerful, self-conceded and superior to those around him, because of how rich he is. When Tom is talking to Myrtle’s husband, Wilson, he comes off as self-conceded by saying, “He’s [Wilson] so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive.” (26; Ch. 2). Tom says this statement right in front of Myrtle, while they are on their way to the apartment. Tom comes off as self- conceded, but also superior to the working class. Another instance where Tom puts down Wilson is when he states, “’What do I owe you?’ demanded Tom harshly.” (123; Ch.7). This statement is ironic because Tom is having an affair with Wilson’s wife and there is no amount of money he could pay to make up for his wrongdoings. Tom seems to think that money can pay for everything, but he cannot pay for the things he has done to Daisy and Wilson. Tom is considered “old money”, meaning he inherited the money he now has and did not have to work for it. This is one of the many differences between Tom and Gatsby, because Gatsby comes from old money and had to work to make a living. While Tom is talking to Nick at one of Gatsby’s party he states, “‘Who is this Gatsby anyhow?’ demanded Tom suddenly. ’Some big bootlegger’… ‘I didn’t hear it. I imagined it. A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers, you know’” (107; Ch. 6). Tom is accusing Gatsby of being involved in illegal drug