Actions Speak Louder Than Words Essay

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There is a saying that goes, “actions speak louder than words.” This saying is used time and again to point out that no matter what one may say about themselves or what others say about them, in the end, his or her true colors will show in their decisions and the actions they take. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, this style of writing where descriptions usually can speak for themselves in the way the characters act, if not more so, is heavily used. Especially when it comes to characters like Jay Gatsby and Jordan Baker, who have in some way or another schemed their way to their current position, the manner in which they act, gives them away. Other characters like Tom and Daisy, who have a façade of a happy and fulfilled life, are quickly exposed by Fitzgerald’s writing as he shows, and …show more content…
Tom is the first character the narrator meets. Right from the start, the reader knows that he is a commanding guy, given that when he first appears in the story he is in a power stance with his legs apart in front of his impressive house. This is fueled by the introduction concerning his impressive college athletics career, referencing how he, “had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at [Yale]” (Fitzgerald 6) As Tom, “politely and abruptly,” guides Nick through his mansion on the East Egg, the reader starts to get the feeling that this man has the perfect life; he has the house, the looks, and the girl. Nevertheless, once we see Tom and Daisy interact, one can tell that something is off. While Daisy and Nick are making up for lost time, talking about this, that and the other, Tom seems to be distant, adding nothing to the conversation. All the while during the night, many things Tom says are either said “crossly” or “impatiently” and at one point Tom cuts Daisy off to simply talk about what Nick is doing as a profession (Fitzgerald 12-13, 10). These actions paint the picture of a man unhappy with his current situation, a notion that is

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