You've had at least five chapters to observe the words, actions, and mannerisms of Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jordan Baker. Let's psychoanalyze them a bit. Why do these characters act the way that they do? Why does Jordan lie? Why is Tom aggressive? Why is Daisy insincere? Offer suggestions. Don't worry about using a passive voice.
Minimum length: 300 words
Due by Sunday, 24 October 2010 by 11:59 pm EST
I believe each of these characters has their own specific reasons for doing what they do, but somehow all three of them have reasons that are connected. I think Jordan lies because it allows her to remain in control of a situation. When someone is a good liar, or when people are easily influenced, it allows the liar to decide the outcome of certain circumstances. For example, if I was a decent liar (which I am not) and I started a rumor about someone, the people who believed me would be under my control because I had influenced the way they thought. In Jordan’s case, I think it keeps her comfortable, and prevents her from getting hurt, because she now has influence over what people think of other people. I think this keeps her safe because she has the people she lies to so busy thinking about what she told them that they don’t have time to spend figuring out what kind of person she is. And I think sometimes powerful people are easily believed because they have that kind of power. Tom is aggressive because he also likes to have power and influence over people. He has to be in control of everything around him, but he also wants to have it all at once. He likes to have his no strings attached mistress on the side, but as he is cheating on his wife he still likes to keep in control of both his wife and mistress. He thinks he can have it both ways, have both Daisy and Myrtle, but eventually that sort of thing will become uncontrollable, as it did in the book. And as for Daisy, I think she is insincere because she likes to avoid confrontation and she finds it most comfortable to take the easy way out. She is the type of woman to go along with someone else’s opinion just to avoid causing a rift or a fight. I think that is shy she never really spoke up about Tom’s cheating, even though it was clear she knew what was going on and it was clear he knew she knew. I also think that may have been why a renewed romance with Gatsby may have been alluring, because it was deceitful to Tom but she wasn’t speaking out about her unhappiness in an upfront manner.
ReplyDeleteI think each character has problems of their own that they somewhat hide and attempt to deal with on their own. I think they struggle with internal conflicts more than anything else, especially when dealing with love and the idea of glamour that comes with obtaining material possessions. Daisy Buchanan is a perfect example of that. She was born into money and she intended to marry into it as well, whether or not she loved the man or not. I think she felt that she needed those material items because that’s all she had ever known, so obviously they would make her happy. That is precisely why she stays with Tom, even though he has a mistress which she knows about. She doesn’t want to give up what she has because then she’ll have nothing. Then Gatsby comes along offering material possessions and an old love that really takes Daisy aback. I think she’s really torn between what to do. But I think she is insincere because how can a person consumed by the physical aspect of life possibly be sincere about the mental or emotional aspects? She has gone so long living mainly for Tom’s money I think it would be extremely difficult to see the other side of a marriage or relationship for her. I think Jordan Baker lies as a way of self-protection. Her theory may be that if she doesn’t let anyone really get to know her, then she won’t get hurt, especially if it’s happened in the past. She may also like the feeling of having control over what other people think of her or others. She can manipulate other people’s feelings by telling them lies and getting them to think, say, or do things they might not have if she had told the truth. At the same time I don’t think she’s happy with herself. A person who lies all the time is so entwined by them that they constantly have to be careful of what they say if they’re going to be a practiced liar. In reality, Jordan is only hurting herself. Now I think Tom’s aggression comes from the fact that he wants what he wants, and he definitely doesn’t want anyone else taking that away from him. If he wants a mistress, he’ll have a mistress. If he wants Daisy to stay with him, then she’ll stay. He desires that feeling of power which I think he accumulated over time. This could be from the amount of money he has and possessions, which make him feel powerful. Right away he wanted to show off his house to Nick, not his child. This is proof that he is more concerned with objects than love, even when it comes to Daisy, who he claims to love. I think both of them have convinced themselves they love each other, and maybe that did at one point or another, but now I think they’re just holding on to Tom’s material possessions. They have turned into the thing that keeps their marriage together, and that is an unhealthy relationship.
ReplyDeleteI believe Jordan’s compulsive lying stems from her obsession with image, much like the rest of the East Egg society. She grew up in a world of wealth and society, which placed a large emphasis on the public opinion of individuals. I think this helps to explain why she cheated in her first golf tournament. By winning, she became a well-known, admired figure. Clearly to her, a small amount of fame is worth a little self-respect. In addition, it appears Jordan takes no responsibility for her actions. Whether it is lying about putting the top of a car down or moving her golf ball in a competition, she simply does not care what the result is.
ReplyDeleteNext, Tom is clearly an aggressive person. His need for control may explain this character trait, as it is a classic sign of abusers. When we are first introduced to Tom, he grows extremely angry when Daisy calls him hulking (because he dislikes that word). Likewise, in Chapter Two, Tom breaks his mistress’ nose when she refuses to do as he says. Perhaps Tom is so insecure and emotionally-stunted that when an unexpected situation occurs, he does not know how to react. As a result, he becomes enraged and lashes out. It is clear that Tom immediately takes a dislike to Gatsby. With all the wild rumors about Gatsby, he is unable to understand (and therefore control) him.
Finally, I think Daisy’s insincerity is a form of self-protection. After all, it is impossible to get hurt if you simply do not care. I believe she had her heart broken when Gatsby went off to war and her parents forbid her from seeing him before his departure. Then after marrying Tom, I believe she fooled herself into loving him. Jordan even stated at one point, “I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband.” However, Tom betrays her trust with his numerous affairs, which causes her to eradicate all of her feelings for him. Now, I think she’s simply afraid to care about anyone or anything again. It appears that Daisy is pleasantly surprised about Gatsby’s reentrance into her life, but I still feel she will be unable to completely open up to him again.
All the characters in this novel have issues of some form or another, and they affect these characters actions and attitudes throughout the plot. One of these characters is Tom. He is constantly aggressive towards his wife, his mistress, and other men by whom he feels threatened by. I believe that this stems from his college experience as a successful football player. He reached a climax in his life in those years that he hasn’t been able to achieve since. The feeling of achievement and his success was due to his aggression on the football field. I think that he carried this mindset off of the field and deep-down believes that this behavior will bring him more success in any given situation. Jordan has a different problem. She constantly lies about any given topic. I think that this is because she is obsessed with being the best at everything. Jordan has a security issue and can’t stand the thought of being insufficient or subpar in a given venue. This also explains her success in the athletic world. She actually works very hard to be the best, but sometimes just raw dedication, determination, and skill aren’t enough to get her to the top. Therefore, she does anything to achieve this status, which results in her lies. She would rather be dishonest than be at fault and fall into the category of average. Daisy experiences a problem with sincerity. She is extremely insincere about almost everything in her life. I believe that this occur because of what happened in her past. She couldn’t be with the man she truly loved and then her husband begins cheating on her. I think to escape the pain of these trials she removed herself from life in general. She would rather float on the surface of existence than get hurt while actually living.
ReplyDeleteAll three of these characters are very unique yet everyone in their life can connect these characters with them self or someone they've known. Jordan Baker is an interesting character. To me, it seems like she is not happy with what her life is nor will she ever be happy with what she has. This idea of never being fully satisfied leaves quite the gap in her life so she will make up lies to cover up the fact that she really has no personality and that she is in fact a very cold impersonal human being. Jordan really doesn't have much and it seems to me that materialistic things play a large part in this book. It seems like what you have defines who you are. For example, Mr. Wilson owns a filling station which seems kind of run down and cheap. Mr. Wilson is in fact more on the poor side showing the connection between materialism and personality. The book never says anything about Jordan's home or what she owns so using this type of theory, Jordan literally has nothing but acts like she has it all. Tom Buchanan is another interesting character who is incredibly difficult to fully understand. Although Tom is a very aggressive man, I believe that he acts out because he simply doesn't know what else to do. I think Tom knows that when he would go off with Myrtle, he knew he was wrong but that was when he was happy. I think the fact he was happy made him angry about the choices he made in the past. As an example, when Myrtle kept repeating Daisy's name he hit her because she was pointing out his faults but how he was happy away from the life that he made for himself. Daisy Buchanan is quite the character as well. I think the main reason for her being so insincere goes all the way back to when Gatsby left for the war. She is like Mersault because she once opened herself up, got hurt, and then put up a wall to prevent it from happening again. She let's Tom in every once in a while but to Daisy I see Tom as more of a "rebound". Once Gatsby left for war, she was heartbroken and took whatever she could get to replace him which is why she never really connects with anyone else.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the three of them are the way they are for certain reasons. First of all I believe that Daisy is insincere because it is her way of putting up walls, of protecting herself. I think that Daisy really was in love with Gatsby. I know that Daisy was born into money and many people feel she only married Tom because of his money. The reason I believe that she married Tom was because it was an out; she loved Gatsby and when he left she felt she was never going to see him again. Tom was there for her and by marrying him she was moving on with her life. After that I think she just immersed herself in the material objects and money she soon became accustomed to. After the heartbreak of losing Gatsby she can’t be fully committed to anything or let herself love someone as she did Gatsby. Now onto Tom, I believe he is aggressive I think he has always known or learned over time that Daisy isn’t truly in love with him. How could she be when he constantly cheats on her and always has a mistress? Tom has a need for control which explains why one of his character traits is aggression. Throughout the book he shows his need for control, such as when he is upset by the fact that Daisy met Gatsby without him. Tom feels he needs to control every aspect of Daisy’s life, this completely explains why is so aggressive. As for Jordan she is a compulsive liar it seems. Her lying might be a way to protect herself. Jordan is surrounded constantly by people obsessed with wealth and image. She is just trying to fit into society like everyone else. By lying Jordan can make sure that she is just like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI think each one of these characters acts the way they do for different reasons. I think Jordan lies so she can be in power, or in control of a situation. It says in the book that she cheated in her first golf match so she could win. She wouldn’t have had the reputation in golf that she did if she wouldn’t have won that game. I think she lies as a way to protect herself. She thinks that if she doesn’t let anyone in her life, they can’t hurt her. I also think she wants to maintain her reputation as a member of a wealthy family and I think she wants to keep her role in society. Tom is a very aggressive character in this novel. In the first few chapters, he slaps his mistress Myrtle in the face and makes her bleed, all because she was talking about Daisy. Also, when Daisy called him “hulking,” he became really angry with her. Toward the end when the truth came out about Gatsby and Daisy, Tom also became very angry. I think Tom is so aggressive and gets so angry because he doesn’t know how else to handle the situation. Because he doesn’t know how to handle these issues, he lashes out and hurts people, whether it’s physically or emotionally. I think Daisy is insincere to Tom because she doesn’t really love him. I think she told herself to love Tom, but she really didn’t. I understand how she can’t be sincere to someone that she doesn’t love. I think she is insincere to everyone else because she doesn’t want to get hurt, like Jordan. I think that Daisy thinks that if she doesn’t open up or show that she cares, she won’t get hurt.
ReplyDeleteReading the Great Gatsby, it’s clear that all the characters that are described have their own personal and unique flaws. First off there is the young Jordan Baker. On the outside she seems like a nice young woman but, as Nick learns after spending more time with her, she is a compulsive liar. He describes her as “incurably dishonest”, and talks about how she avoids clever men as a way of not being found out. Her habitual dishonesty appears to be a way for her to remain in other peoples eyes what she thinks she should be. This is shown in the book when she lies about having left the car top up. The incident wasn’t important in the least but Jordan still lies about it. Another character whose flaws are portrayed often in the book is Tom Buchanon. Tom is shown to be an arrogant and violent man quite plainly, however at this point in the book no real explanation for Tom’s aggression has been provided. This leaves a lot of room for speculation about why the character of Tom is the way he is. I think his characteristics are Fitzgerald’s way of making a statement about people’s predetermined notions about the upper class. Tom is wealthy, athletic, has an Ivy League education, and comes from a good family. But this doesn’t stop him from being a man who cheats on his wife and hits his mistress. A hint at what his true character is, is shown when his wife jokingly describes him as a “brute of a man”. Tom is a brute of a man in all reality and it appears that his pampered upbringing made him a man who thinks only of himself. Another important character is Daisy, Tom’s wife and the former love of Jay Gatsby. She is shown in the book to be a kind person, but insincere. I think this is due to the unfortunate way her life has turned out since she last saw Gatsby. She is unable to marry the man she loves and instead finds herself trapped being married to a man who she knows cheats on her. I think she sees these events as things that are out of her control, causing her to have an approach to life that is not caring so that she never feels the pain she did when Gatsby left for the war. This traumatic series of events seems to me to be the reason she comes off as insincere.
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ReplyDeleteEach character in this novel has its own story to tell that tells why they are the way they are. Yet we don’t know the full story about any of them, only snippets into which we can try and look at their pasts. The easiest to look at here is Tom Buchanan and his reasons to be aggressive. Tom was a successful football player and seems to be much like Darling. Both are stuck in their pasts, thinking they are still the people they once were but truly they are just deadbeats. I think his aggression comes from his realization of the failure he has become. Any time a situation starts to go against what he wants he sees his own failures and in return becomes mad at the situation. Tom also wants to control situations and turn them into what’s perfect for him. In chapter seven when Daisy threatens to leave Tom the situation turns against him and in turn he becomes aggressive.
ReplyDeleteThen there is Daisy. Daisy proves to be insincere about all the motions she goes through in life. Her insincerity seems to stem from Gatsby. The fact that she seems detached is a safety mechanism for her. She wants to stay safe at all costs from the world around her. When Gatsby left she lost all the hope that she once had for love and happiness, letting herself be open to him hurt her more than she could imagine and she just never wanted to feel so hurt again. By becoming insincere she could feel safer in the fact that she might not hurt so much again.
Then there is Jordan, the compulsive liar. Jordan lies constantly and it was also a lie that brought her the beginning of her own fame and fortune. Without that one lie she would have nothing at all. I believe that after Jordan had seen what her lie did for her life she felt that it would continually help her. So she more than likely continued lying, just little things until she became what she is now. Her life is just one big lie and I’m not sure if she actually knows what the truth is and that the lies are what make her happy. She probably feels that if she told the truth she couldn’t be happy anymore and have to lose everything.
I believe that Jordon’s, Tom’s, and Daisy’s actions can all be attributed to their insecurity.
ReplyDeleteJordon’s behavior stems from the need to cover up her lack of self-confidence. She appears cold and harsh, but she thinks that if people were to see her as who she truly is, they wouldn’t like her. By lying she is able to create the person she wishes she was. In her story about her past she states, “I was flattered that she wanted to speak to me, because of all the older girls I admired her most.” Lying provides a convenient way to create accomplishments that she would be proud of, and that others would admire her for. Overall, I think that Jordon uses her lies as a wall so that she does not have to deal with reality.
I believe that Tom uses his aggression in order to hide his uncertainty. Perhaps he punched Myrtle because her use of Daisy’s name caused him to question his own infidelity. In order to cover up his feelings of doubt, he lashed out physically. Also, Tom’s behavior is very characteristic of the 1920’s male. They were brought up to show no emotion and to portray themselves as the man of the house. Furthermore, his display of brute strength could be his way of refusing to let go of his glory days when he was a college football star. During that time, his most valued characteristic was his athletic ability, and by demonstrating it now, maybe he feels he could receive some of the same recognition.
Daisy’s insincerity stems from the fact that she lacks self-assurance. Throughout the novel, she has retreated behind wealth and material possessions whenever life became too difficult. For example, when marrying Gatsby would have cost her the disapproval of her parents, she chose to marry Tom because of his money. Her lack of emotion is a form of protection from the pain of truly caring.
I feel that each of these characters act the way they do for different reasons. I feel that Daisy acts the way she does because of the time period she lives in. It was uncommon for a wealthy girl to leave the lifestyle she knows to be with a man who can’t support her the way she is used to. I think this is why she doesn’t wait for Gatsby while he is away, and why she doesn’t leave Tom when she comes back. I feel that Daisy wasn’t prepared for the shame that would be brought upon her by society for marrying below her class. In the 20th century it is not unusual for a woman to marry a man that makes less money than her, but in the twenty's reputation meant everything and I don’t think she was ready to give hers up. I don’t necessarily think that she doesn’t love Tom, but I think that the only thing that keeps her from going back to Gatsby is the fact that Tom is the father of her child. I think that this bond is the one thing that will always keep Daisy from Gatsby. Jordan, on the other hand, acts the way she does for power. I think she has an obsession with being the best at everything, and always has to win. This goes back all the way to when she lies in her first golf match, all in the name of winning. I think that Jordan might have some hidden insecurities that keeps her from being honest. Perhaps she feels insignificant, and the attention she derives from lying makes her feel like she belongs. I feel that Tom is in a way, like Christian Darling. Both men peaked during a college football game, and then moved on to feeling, like Jordan, insignificant. I think that the way Tom gets the attention he desires is through having a mistress. I think that he is aggressive because he longs once again for the fame he once had. I think that this is also the reason he is aggressive towards Daisy. For instance, when she uses the word “hulking” he becomes upset with her solely because he doesn’t like the word. He also becomes aggressive towards Myrtle when she doesn’t do as he says, and he, in return, breaks her nose. I feel that all of this anger comes from his early climax in life.
ReplyDeleteI think that each of these characters are using these different things to hide parts of their lives. I think Jordan lies because she is insecure with herself and doesn’t think she is good enough. I think she enjoys going to Gatsby’s parties because she feels like she is in the know. She is at a popular place with lots of people who are famous for all different things and I feel like she thinks she belongs there. However, I also think that she lies at those parties to make herself look good. I think that once she realizes that she is at this place where there are popular people she needs to make herself look better and stand out to these people. I also think she lies just because she wants to sometimes. There are some occasions where I feel like she just lies to lie, and doesn’t know why she’s doing it. As for Tom I feel like his aggression comes from his dislike of himself. I feel like he knows that he does a lot of things wrong such as cheating of his wife and that he feels guilty for it. I’m not really sure if he is sorry for doing it but he definitely feels guilty and may even have some regret. I think once he realizes that Daisy is slipping away from him he wishes he would’ve never done anything to disappoint her. I also think that Daisy is insincere because she doesn’t know what she wants. I feel like she wants the best of both worlds but she can only live in one. She would tell Gatsby she loved him when she was just alone with him but when she got in front of Tom she loved him too? I don’t think she wants to let go of a lot of things and I think she is greedy and wants everything she can get.
ReplyDeleteAll of the characters in The Great Gatsby have distinct characteristics yet are difficult to figure out. Jordan Baker is an odd character and likes to lie from what we have read. We don’t really know much about her besides the fact that she is a golfer and a good friend of Daisy’s. I think she lies to make her feel important or better about herself. She is kind of a “nobody”. We don’t know where she comes from, who’s in her life, or anything personal about her which makes her seem unimportant. Maybe Jordan likes it this way though. She might like to keep to herself and remain private and unknown which is why she lies to cover up who she really is. Next, Tom Buchanan is a very aggressive man. I think he acts this way to reassure himself that he is in control. He shows aggressiveness by the way he talks to Daisy and when he hits his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, in the face, breaking her nose. By acting aggressive, he remains in a position of power. Also, acting this way is a form of security for him. He peaked when he played football in college and hasn’t been able to reach that high point in his life again. It must bother him and probably is a big source of where his built up anger is coming from. Lastly, Daisy Buchanan is a pretty insincere woman. This problem must relate to the past events that had happened in her life. I think it has to do with the fact that she was in love and was hurt when she watched the man she loved leave her. Her husband cheats on her and she knows it but doesn’t do anything about it. Daisy sort of puts up a barrier, not allowing herself to be hurt again, which is why she comes off as insincere.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the reason Tom Buchanan is so aggressive is because of his wealth. For the last few years he had been so used to the power that came with his money and now I think his problem is that he just expects to get whatever he wants. He expects others to do anything for him; like Daisy for example. He expects her to stay with him even though he has cheated on her numerous times. He probably got so used to his power that it has made him “heartless” and not concerned with the others around him. He doesn’t seem to play the father figure so well and isn’t at all affectionate towards his wife. I think that because Tom has changed into an aggressive husband, Daisy has become insincere. I wish that the story was narrated from her point of view because it is difficult to try to figure her out. But I am sure she is now not as genuine of a person because her husband did not give her the attention and praise she needed. I think that is the reason she wishes her daughter to become a beautiful fool. She doesn’t want what she has for her daughter. She thinks that her own life and thoughts are insignificant to those around her. She must feel worthless knowing her husband cheats on her. I think she is almost to the point of giving up on herself and that is why she is so cold. I believe that Jordan Baker is the way that she is for the exact opposite. She sees how girls can be hurt and put down, people like Daisy, and she is afraid that if she lets her guard down then that will happen to her as well. I think the only reason she lies is to protect herself and her self image. Since she is a famous golfer I think she needs to be careful about what people know about her. She doesn’t want a bad reputation. I think though, that because she has been doing this for so long, she doesn’t know who she really is and has a very low self esteem.
ReplyDeleteEach of these characters behave in distinctly different ways. Daisy comes off as a very materialistic girl. Though it hard to blame her for it since she was raised in a rich family. Daisy also had every boy falling for her which i believe really shaped her personality. In a way I believe Daisy still thinks it's okay to be a flirt and that she won't recieve any of the consequences. Then there is Tom who is very agresseive. I think he's agressive because he is a control freak. When everything is going the way he wants he's perfectly fine. Yet when one thing changes he flips out. Tom loved having a wife and a mistress, but when Daisy fell in love with Gatsby he lost it. I also think he's agressive because he's worked very hard for what he has. His agressiveness is a way for him to keep his guard up so that he doesn't lose everything he has worked for. Lastly there is Jordan who is a liar. I don't feel like I know Jordan well enough to take a guess at why she can't stop lying. My best guess is that something traumatic happened in her childhood. It would only make sense since he doesn't let on to anything that happened in her past. Also she's very sarcastic and whenever something sad happens she finds a way to make a joke of it to lighten the mood. Jordan's sarcasm is a way of covering up her valnerability and a way to keep others away.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Tori's comment, I totally agree with all three characters especially Jordan. Jordan is in fact a nobody. We have no idea about who she really is because all she does is lie.
ReplyDeleteThis is in response to LindsAy Kranick's blog.I never gave Tom good credit, but your point about Tom working hard for what he has is true. Jordan's way too good at covering things up that also leads me to believe she has done it for a long time. She must have had something happen in her childhood that made her have a lot of practice hiding and lying. I'd have you guess the same thing that she did. This blog made me realize that Daisy has had everything she has always wanted. Now, when Tom gives her some pain and suffering, she can't handle it.
ReplyDeleteReferring to Laura's blog; I completely agree with everything she said. Jordan lies about everything to survive in the society she has been subjected to. Also I believe that Tom is aggressive because of his need for self control and Daisy is the way she is as a form of self protection.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa, I totally agree with what you said. I also feel as though Jordon and Tom are very insecure. I believe their behavior is a defense mechanism to cover up their lack of self-confidence.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Casey's post I agree with what she says about each character. Daisy has already been hurt or lost what she thought would bring her so many times in life, what with Gatsby leaving and Tom only providing her with money. Jordan lies to prevent herself from getting hurt as well. I think she doesn't want other people to have an image of her other than the best and nothing less than that. And finally I think Tom's aggression did stem from his football background. All three of them suffer from the fear of being heart and don't allow anyone else to actually care for them.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jen's comment, I agree with what she said about Tom being so used to being in power that he expects to get everything he wants, he expects people to go out of their way to give him what he wants, and he doesn't care whether or not it hurts someone else while he tries to get what he wants. And I also agree that the way Daisy acts is a result of the way Tom acts.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Maegan on her views of Jordan. I think she feels like she has to lie to be able to be herself. To maintain her money and her reputation she feels the need to lie and cheat to get everything she has. I also agree that she feels like she must protect herself and her defense mechanism is lying.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Hillary's post at the end mentioning the marriage of Tom and Daisy and what keeps their marriage together. I agree with her in the fact that it does really seem that both Tom and Daisy are attached to the materials which they have and that is truly whats keeping their marriage together.
ReplyDeleteI believe that casey's idea of Tom's aggression coming from football is a really good idea. I think that he has fully reached his potential and that he was once perfect in football. Football for him was a way of being perfect and showing agression in football is good. I think that him showing aggression comes from that
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jen Schmidt's blog, I agree with most of what she said. Daisy is probably insincere because of Tom. Tom is unaffectionate and likes to remain in power. Also, Jordan doesn't want to let anyone into her life and has very low self esteem. Jen described the characters very well.
ReplyDeleteto Laura M
ReplyDeleteLaura i agree with you whole-heartly, especially about Tom. Tom shows all signs of being insecure. He needs to have complete control of the women in his life. This insecurity could come from many things. He has no pride in his work or in himself. He also could've had a over-expectant father and a smothering mother. All these factors can attribute to Tom's short comings.
I thought Sarah R's comment about Jordan's lying and how it was about control and influence was interesting. I also agreed with Jen in saying that one root of Tom's agression is his wealth. Also, I thought that Sarah F was really on the mark in her comment about how Daisy uses wealth when life becomes to difficult for her.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Maegan's blog, I agree with her that Jordan lies about everything because she wants to be in control of the situation. I think that she is extremely power-hungry.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Alyssa's comment:
ReplyDeleteI agree with her that Jordan may just lie because she likes to portray herself as mysterious. Maybe everyone is just over analyzing her situation. She might just be the way that she is just simply because she wants to be.
This is in response to Ashley's blog. I especially agree with her theory on Tom. He obviously has control issues, especially when it concerns Daisy. I also agree that he knows Daisy does not love him, and this only fuels his need to completely dictate Daisy's life for her. It makes perfect sense why he was so upset when he learned Daisy knew Gatsby (and he didn't). When he finally learns of their affair, he is outraged (although he has had numerous affairs).
ReplyDeleteI believe that Jordan Baker's relaity is too harsh, so she makes up lies to create a more perfect world for herself. Lying is never the answer, because it only causes drama and more lies. However, when Nick first meets Jordan, he realizes that she is a famous athlete. The only story he ever heard about her is a sad and depressing one, though, thathe cannto recall. Tom, later interjects that she only has an aunt that is older than dirt. Therefore, she doesn't get around much as he leads on. "And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy," says Jordan Baker (pg. 49). This statement shows that she doesn't like to be there center of attention in front of numbers. She likes to be one on one with people in order to change the attention to someone else that she can make up lies or accusations about, such as when she says that Gatsby killed someone. Nick's view of her dishonesty comes from Jordan's need to always have the upper hand. She doesn't want to be involved with people that might catch on to this feature. She never wants to have to admit to her lies, because that would cause th pain to come back (pg. 57-58). Her smile would be gone forever. Nick believes also that this stemmed from childhood just as I had suggested.
ReplyDeleteTom's aggressive nature comes from his own insecurities. His football years are long over, but the football game has become his endless battle with life. He wantsd to keep his fame alive, so he offers his aggressive side in order to show that he still has no weaknesses (pg. 6).However, Tom is never fully sure of his own self. He has to continually prove to himself and other that he is still the most powerful and always in control. When Nick first shows up at Tom's home, he welcomes Nick by making him feel inferior. Nick says that he feels like Tom is trying to give him the impression that even though Tom is bigger and stronger that doesn't make him not like Nick. Tom is described as containing, "Two shining arrogant eyes that had established dominance over his face and grave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward," (pg.7). His eyes are what hold his wishes for his once prideful and victorious body. His has gotten older in his years, but his eyes have not changed, except for the fact that they are more desperate each year for those things. The weight that adds makes him more and more aggressive in his nature. When Tom realizes that he is losing his wife, his ego is hurt again. Weaknesses are bubbling to the surface, so his defense mechanisms unfold. He becomes enraged in order to keep cotrol over his wife's decisions.
Daisy has had to stand up to the standards of women during her entire life. Her family always had money, so she was expected to show that through her own appearance and actions. Her comment about wanting her daughter "to be a fool," reitterates that she sees no value in sincerity, because it never did any good for her. She has money, she has a family, but she is constantly reminded of her inferiority to men in society. Tom's taken advantge of this notion by sleeping around. He knows she can't prove anything or that no one would want to expose him. Women were the only ones that could be scandalous in the gossip. Daisy is helpless, and she knows it. Also, she has been hurt by men before, because Gatsby left her to go to the war. When she cries over the shirts in Gatsby's closet, she releases her thought that she could have had everything if she would have just waited for him. In a sense, she is mad at herself to for settling. Her first heart breaks seems to have hardened her heart forever. When Daisy has a heated word or two to throw at Nick, she reminds him that he doesn't really even know her. I feel like she hates that people just assume her being content as Tom's wife. She hates when people just assume she is happy with the names that society has given her.