Apparent In The Way George And Tom example essay topic

In the novel The Great Gatsby there are many different social levels. The novel mostly focuses on the common man and the aristocratic man. Two great examples of characters in each of the levels of society are Tom and George. Tom is the aristocratic old money who has everything given to him. George is the common man that has to work for every cent. Each side of society has different morals and different ways of living, what they consider a good life.

Tom, the aristocrat, is not the nicest guy in the world. In the beginning it seems like he is a respectable man. Then later in the novel, we find out about his affairs. His affair with George's wife Myrtle, shows us his lack of respect for the other side of society. Tom shows the darker side of his personality while he is at a party with Myrtle. Over the course of the party, she repeats the name of his wife, Daisy, many times.

He gets angry and punches her in the face. His punches were hard enough the make her bleed. When Tom gets mad, he gets violent and he has no self control. This shows us that he has no self discipline and believes his standing in society will cover up his indiscretions. It also shows how little he cares for the women in his life.

He shows no remorse for his actions. If he really loved Daisy with all of his heart, he would not cheat on her with Myrtle or any other women. Tom lives the life that many people dream of, especially the common man, and he lets the power of money go to his head. In Tom's mind, nothing and no one, can stop him from having what he wants.

He believes that his wife will always stand by him, and that she will overlook his affairs because she wants to continue to live the life of luxury. He does not see his violent moments towards men and women as anything to be worried about. George, the common man, has to work hard for every cent and worry that he can provide for his family. He does not have the luxuries of the aristocratic life. George owns a small gas station that makes just enough money for him and his wife to survive.

He is a loving husband to Myrtle. He is the type that would never hit his wife, cheat on her, or show disrespect to her in any way. When he finds out about the affair that Myrtle is having, his response is to lock her in their room because he loves her so much and wants to protect her. He is so in love with Myrtle that he will go to any extreme so that he does not lose her. He is not rich by monetary standards, but he has respect for everyone and is rich at heart. He does not spend his hard earned money on extravagant objects.

Of course, he would like to have money to provide the luxuries, but he is content with his life at this point in time. When Myrtle is hit by a car and he loses her, he is devastated. He seeks the person that took her life in the hope he can find peace. Tom gives him the information that it was Gatsby. George kills Gatsby with a gun and then uses the gun to take his own life.

Because George feels as if he can't live without Myrtle, he gives his own life to show his total dedication and takes revenge on the killer of his true love. Tom and George are two people who cared in their own way for the same person but with totally different morals. George shows unlimited amounts of love towards his wife, literally, he could not live without her. Tom thinks of his own wife and other women as objects that he can spend money on and use for his pleasure. Tom also has his violent moments towards women, that George would never dream of. George's good character is shown in his respect of everyone and especially of his wife.

Tom's lack of respect is not obvious to him. He does not see flirting with other women when his wife is present as being a character flaw. There is a definite difference between the way the aristocratic Tom and the common man George look at life. Tom has enough money that he won't have to ever worry about anything.

He flaunts it, spending it on his affairs and on material things. On the other hand, George has a very limited amount of money and has to be very careful about what he spends his hard earned income on. Tom has an outlook that the world is his to take and use. George's outlook is to work hard and follow the golden rule.

The two different sides of society are very apparent in the way George and Tom live their lives. The things that are important to their being able to live a good life are morally and socially very different. Tom had everything given to him so he valued nothing and no one. Happiness is something that he can purchase George worked hard for everything and he valued everything he earned. His happiness was reflected in his relationship with his wife and others.