Luisa Fernanda Yépez
18th of February, 2016
18th of February, 2016
Tom Buchanan is a big, strong and muscular man, even his physical appearance represents The Roaring Twenties: abundance, strength and a contemptuous glance.
But what about his opinions? How does this character represent the social views on race and culture at that time?
From the first Chapter, Buchanan is defined, especially through a specific phrase, as a white supremacist. He believes that the race he and his closer friends belong to must "be careful" about the rebellion of the minorities: "It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things." This illustrates faithfully the ideas conceived at that time: other races represent a menace to white people, and they should be kept a level below them. By other races, the character actually means New Moneys (humble beginnings);Tom is rather afraid that the rising of these people threatens his lifestyle.
Another particular element is that Tom defines himself and his race as Nordic; he states that they have been the ones to build modern civilization. What he actually means, is that the Old Moneys (people born rich) have made the most meaningful contributions to society.
A quote from Buchanan that defines this whole Black/New versus White/Old conflict is the following: "I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. [...] Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they'll throw everything overboard and have marriage between black and white." Of course, he is questioning his wife Daisy for having sex with a humble background man. It sounds even as if he wouldn't have minded that much is it had been a man born rich like him rather than Gatsby.
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