Tom and Daisy's Relationship in The Great Gatsby

Table of Contents

• The Illusion of Love
• The Destructive Power of Materialism
• The Impact on Others
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

When you think about F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby," the first thing that might come to mind is the rocky relationship between Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Their marriage, which is all tangled up with cheating, materialism, and a real lack of true love, paints a picture of the superficial high society they live in. In this essay, I’ll dig into the messy layers of Tom and Daisy’s relationship. We’ll see how their actions affect not just themselves but those around them too. As we go through their interactions and choices, it becomes pretty clear that their relationship doesn’t stand a chance thanks to their shared values—or maybe lack thereof—and moral flaws.

'Tom and Daisy's Relationship in The Great Gatsby'

The Illusion of Love

Right from the start, you can tell that Tom and Daisy’s relationship is built on shaky ground. Even though they show off as if they're crazy in love, there's no real emotional connection between them. Daisy comes off as passive and materialistic, putting wealth and social status above everything else. She even admits to Nick Carraway, the guy telling the story, that she married Tom because he was loaded and could give her a life full of luxury. And then there’s Tom—a womanizer with more than his fair share of affairs—undermining any idea of love or faithfulness in their marriage.

You see their lack of emotional intimacy loud and clear during a party where Tom shows off his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Instead of flipping out or getting jealous, Daisy acts like it doesn't bother her at all, hinting that their relationship is more about convenience than true love. This disconnect gets even clearer when Daisy runs over Myrtle with Gatsby's car, and all Tom seems to care about is saving face instead of worrying about his wife's well-being.

The Destructive Power of Materialism

A big part of why Tom and Daisy’s marriage fails is because they’re both obsessed with stuff—like money and luxury things. Their chase after these materialistic ideals leads to their moral downfall and wrecks their relationship.

For Daisy, materialism is an escape hatch from the emptiness she feels being married to Tom. She surrounds herself with fancy things hoping to fill that void inside her. But trying to find happiness through wealth only cuts her off from real human connections.

And for Tom? He uses his riches to feel powerful and control everyone around him. He loves flaunting what he has as if it's some sort of badge proving he's better than everyone else. This fixation blinds him to how his actions hurt others, stopping him from forming meaningful relationships.

The Impact on Others

The toxic mess that is Tom and Daisy’s relationship spreads far beyond just them—it drags down people around them too. Their selfish moves leave others devastated in its wake.

The saddest case has got to be Jay Gatsby himself—a man head over heels for Daisy who spends years building up wealth just so he can win her back. But it's pointless; Daisy chooses Tom for his money status instead. This choice sets off events leading to Gatsby’s downfall—and ultimately his death—showing just how destructive the Buchanans' relationship really is.

Plus—their complete lack moral integrity reflects bigger issues going down during Jazz Age society itself—they're totally indifferent towards any pain they cause—which serves as critique against shallow morality defining upper-class life back then.

Conclusion

So yeah—in short—Tom & Daisy Buchanan's marriage isn’t built on anything solid: no real love & riddled with moral gaps & obsession over things rather than people—their union mirrors emptiness running rampant among high-society circles surrounding them—they destroy not only each other's lives but those close by—all culminating into Fitzgerald’s commentary shedding light upon deep-seated flaws within 1920s elite existence!

Bibliography

• Fitzgerald, F. Scott (1925). The Great Gatsby. Scribner.
• Piper, Henry Dan (1970). F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Critical Portrait.
• Tateo P.R., "Love & Wealth" Literary Analysis (1999)
• Snyder T.J., Historical Contexts Of Fitzgerald Works (2008)
• Curnutt K., American Literature Critiques Vol II (2011)