In the Great Gatsby novel, every character mention has some sort of social status. Social status and the the societies of East and West Egg are deeply divided by the difference between the new money and the old money families. Tom is old money and Daisy’s immensely wealthy husband. Tom is a powerfully built and hailing from a socially solid old family, Tom is an arrogant, hypocritical bully. Tom’s lover, whose lifeless husband George owns a run-down garage in the Valley of Ashes. Myrtle, herself possesses a fierce vitality and desperately looks for a way to improve her situation for Tom. Unfortunately for her, she chooses Tom, who treats her as a mere object of his desire. This is the imbalance between the filthy rich West Egg compared to the dirty Valley of Ashes. During their night in New York City and some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, whether she had any right to mention Daisy's name. Tom gets angry because Myrtle is baiting him.
…show more content…
He then goes for the hit toward her face because women have words but men have fists. Tom’s affection towards Myrtle, be it love, lust, or otherwise, will not change her status; she is lower class, non-the-less, a lower class woman no matter how hard she tries to improve her situation for Tom. I believe that the real reason as to why Tom hits Myrtle is because he loves Daisy. Tom needs more excitement in his life so he has an affair with Myrtle. Every time Myrtle mentions Daisy's name it brings him back to the reality that he has a wife that he loves. When reality dawns on Tom it makes him feel guilty that although he has something almost perfect, and he is hurting it. The whole point of a mistress is to try and forget his wife and if Myrtle brings her up it gives him the feeling to slug
He then goes for the hit toward her face because women have words but men have fists. Tom’s affection towards Myrtle, be it love, lust, or otherwise, will not change her status; she is lower class, non-the-less, a lower class woman no matter how hard she tries to improve her situation for Tom. I believe that the real reason as to why Tom hits Myrtle is because he loves Daisy. Tom needs more excitement in his life so he has an affair with Myrtle. Every time Myrtle mentions Daisy's name it brings him back to the reality that he has a wife that he loves. When reality dawns on Tom it makes him feel guilty that although he has something almost perfect, and he is hurting it. The whole point of a mistress is to try and forget his wife and if Myrtle brings her up it gives him the feeling to slug