Untitled Essay Research Paper The Roaring Twenties — страница 2

Myrtle. She also has a daughter at home who she chose to have but is rarely mentioned throughout the book. A nanny is raising Daisy’s daughter, Daisy feels no obligation to her daughter. The only time that Daisy actually acknowledges her existence was when she wants to show her off. Daisy is obviously morally bankrupt, and she hurts many people throughout the book and yet doesn’t regret any of her actions. “For Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchards and pleasant, cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes.” (pg.158) Tom’s inconsiderate and self-centered attitude suggests his ethics were tampered with sometime in his life or that they were never built up to

begin with. Tom obviously desired Daisy’s hand in marriage since he bought her a very extravagant and expensive necklace, knowing that Daisy would surely say yes if he gave her such a gift. But not long into the marriage he was off with Myrtle in his New York apartment. He, like Daisy, barely even thinks about the fact that there is someone else that could be hurt by thoughtless actions. While he is having this affair not only is he hurting his wife with whom he has a child, but he also hurts Myrtle. Myrtle is so obsessed with having all of Tom’s affection because he has the money she wants and the “in” to the social class she wants to belong to. Tom ends up hurting her both emotionally and physically. He hurts her emotionally by becoming emotionally close to her but

treating her with disrespect and essentially using her whenever he feels he wants her. Since in the book, there was no instances of physical abuse towards Daisy it was surprising that he felt more comfortable hitting someone who he is less emotionally close to and less comfortable around. “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her (Myrtle’s) nose with his open hand.” (pg. 41) He views Myrtle as another one of his possessions-one he did not value. Tom very outwardly has no respect for women, not respecting or valuing them. “Tom is a very immoral character. He doesn’t worry about anyone but himself. In his spitefulness he is ruining four people’s (Daisy, Gatsby, Myrtle, Tom) lives. He cares only about getting what he wants, not caring who he takes down in the

process.” (Dilling) Tom plays a major role in the moral degradation happening throughout the book. Gatsby, whom Fitzgerald calls “great”, is also brought down with the rest. Euthyphro once said “?one must not give in to the doer of an impious action, no matter who they may be.” And this is exactly what Gatsby allows to happen. Although the information about Gatsby’s earlier life is somewhat ambiguous, I assume, at least, that Gatsby at one point was a decent, and honest man. That, he is no longer. Gatsby has put Daisy on a pedestal, thinking that she is the perfect woman and for her he would do anything. To get Daisy, Gatsby must somehow break into the upper class and acquire the money that Daisy needs. This is a process that would normally take a couple generations

of hard work, but which took Gatsby only a decade. But, Gatsby was in a sort of gold rush, he wanted money and he wanted it quickly. So he lowers himself to participating in the bootlegging business. Just by working in such a business, he gives into illegal actions, and hurting people. On top of that, he lowers himself to committing adultery. I view the whole Daisy – Gatsby situation in this manner. Daisy is now married to Tom, whether she or Gatsby likes it, she is tied down and has to be true toher vows. She also has a child with Tom, which makes an affair even worse morally than it would normally be. However, some people view the situation in a different way. Ross David Kulberg has his own view on this situation. “Tom was never grateful for what he had with Daisy?He was

clearly in the way of Gatsby’s love for Daisy.” So he views Tom as an intrusion on Daisy and Gatsby’s love for each other, even though Tom and Daisy are married. I think that the second you say your vows, unless you get a divorce, you must stay with the person and be true to the person as well. Breaking these vows is an immoral action. If you were to try to point out one character that has the worst morals, you wouldn’t be able to. Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom seem to me to be a few of the worst characters in the book. And “birds of a feather fly together”. They all are attracted to each other in a soap opera sort of way. Daisy is attracted to Gatsby and Tom, Tom to Daisy, and Gatsby to Daisy. They share the same values (money) and therefore obviously are alike in many