"Two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face, and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward [..] It was a body capable of enormous leverage -- a cruel body." This is one of the first passages Fitzgerald uses to describe Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Tom is used as a representation of the East Eggers, rich that were born rich. Connecting Tom's actions and persona to psychoanalytic theory of human subconscious motivations, defense mechanisms and subconscious thoughts can not only provide insight on Tom's aggression, affair, and racism, but also the attitudes of the rich as a whole.
Psychoanalysis argues that human behaviour is largely influenced by psycho-sexual and psycho-aggressive drives. According to Sigmund Freud, there are only two motivations in life, sex and aggression. For most of the novel, this psycho-aggression can be seen in Tom Buchanan. Freud argues that aggression stems from the need to protect ourselves from harm and the need to fight those who stand in the way of our needs and desires. In many ways, Tom embodies aggression for both of these reasons. In Tom's case, harm is anything that stands in the way of his dominance. For example, at the first party downtown when Nick first meets Myrtle, Tom strikes her across the face. They had been arguing about "whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name" (37). Clearly, Tom did not like the fact that Myrtle was not listening to his word, so he broke her nose with his hand. This action is primarily due to the fact that Tom felt that his dominance was being threatened, so he was forced to show Myrtle who was in charge by harming her. Another example, while not physically aggressive, is when Tom explodes at Gatsby when Gatsby attempts to get Daisy to say she never loved Tom. "Tom's voice is incredulous and insulting" (128) at many points throughout the scene, as he attempts to make Gatsby's love seem weak in comparision to him and Daisy's. Through psychoanalytics, Tom's behaviour is explained as he must have felt threatened by Gatsby that he would lose his wife. Therefore, just like with Myrtle, he acted out aggressively so he could reassert his dominance and reclaim his possession of Daisy. This need to be aggressive stems from his desire to remain the dominant male in relationships.
Tom's affair and generally apathy for others can be attributed to his superego, and how it was formed as he grew up. Psychoanalysis believes that behaviour is molded by eariler influences in life. Children who grow up without the love and care of a parent usually become isolated as adults. They struggle to make meaningful connections, and they are cold, untrusting, and uncaring by the time they are teenagers. By observing Pammy Buchanan, it is clear that the rich do not take good, loving care of their children. Tom grew up in this type of society, therefore his superego and behaviour were most likely molded like most children who grow up missing the love of a parent. This can explain his, and the other people who grow up in this society's, lack of care for other people.
Throughout the novel, Tom is seen using defence mechanisms, as he is unsatisfied with where his is in his life. The defence mechanisms which he uses are displacement and projection, two mechanisms which are fairly similar. Described in Freudian psychology, displacement is bottling up feelings, later releasing them in later situations. Projection, on the other hand, is trying to put unacceptable qualities people see in themselves, on to other people, so they feel less bad about themselves. This is seen in Tom, as he displaces his dissatisfaction with himself into hatred for minority races. In the beginning, Tom begins ranting about the submersion of the white race by other races, which he had learned about in a book he read. Nick describes Tom as "pathetic in his concentration as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more" (16). Nick is saying that Tom peaked at a young age, and therefore is no longer happy with being satisfied with doing absolutely nothing. All his feelings of unintelligence and inferiority as a successful man are displaced and projected onto the races that he is reading about, which are easy targets for him to blame. With this, Fitzgerald is commenting on how many rich ignore faults and unproductiveness that are in themselves, and shift the blame into other people simply because they can.
Psychoanalysis argues that human behaviour is largely influenced by psycho-sexual and psycho-aggressive drives. According to Sigmund Freud, there are only two motivations in life, sex and aggression. For most of the novel, this psycho-aggression can be seen in Tom Buchanan. Freud argues that aggression stems from the need to protect ourselves from harm and the need to fight those who stand in the way of our needs and desires. In many ways, Tom embodies aggression for both of these reasons. In Tom's case, harm is anything that stands in the way of his dominance. For example, at the first party downtown when Nick first meets Myrtle, Tom strikes her across the face. They had been arguing about "whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name" (37). Clearly, Tom did not like the fact that Myrtle was not listening to his word, so he broke her nose with his hand. This action is primarily due to the fact that Tom felt that his dominance was being threatened, so he was forced to show Myrtle who was in charge by harming her. Another example, while not physically aggressive, is when Tom explodes at Gatsby when Gatsby attempts to get Daisy to say she never loved Tom. "Tom's voice is incredulous and insulting" (128) at many points throughout the scene, as he attempts to make Gatsby's love seem weak in comparision to him and Daisy's. Through psychoanalytics, Tom's behaviour is explained as he must have felt threatened by Gatsby that he would lose his wife. Therefore, just like with Myrtle, he acted out aggressively so he could reassert his dominance and reclaim his possession of Daisy. This need to be aggressive stems from his desire to remain the dominant male in relationships.
Tom's affair and generally apathy for others can be attributed to his superego, and how it was formed as he grew up. Psychoanalysis believes that behaviour is molded by eariler influences in life. Children who grow up without the love and care of a parent usually become isolated as adults. They struggle to make meaningful connections, and they are cold, untrusting, and uncaring by the time they are teenagers. By observing Pammy Buchanan, it is clear that the rich do not take good, loving care of their children. Tom grew up in this type of society, therefore his superego and behaviour were most likely molded like most children who grow up missing the love of a parent. This can explain his, and the other people who grow up in this society's, lack of care for other people.
Throughout the novel, Tom is seen using defence mechanisms, as he is unsatisfied with where his is in his life. The defence mechanisms which he uses are displacement and projection, two mechanisms which are fairly similar. Described in Freudian psychology, displacement is bottling up feelings, later releasing them in later situations. Projection, on the other hand, is trying to put unacceptable qualities people see in themselves, on to other people, so they feel less bad about themselves. This is seen in Tom, as he displaces his dissatisfaction with himself into hatred for minority races. In the beginning, Tom begins ranting about the submersion of the white race by other races, which he had learned about in a book he read. Nick describes Tom as "pathetic in his concentration as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more" (16). Nick is saying that Tom peaked at a young age, and therefore is no longer happy with being satisfied with doing absolutely nothing. All his feelings of unintelligence and inferiority as a successful man are displaced and projected onto the races that he is reading about, which are easy targets for him to blame. With this, Fitzgerald is commenting on how many rich ignore faults and unproductiveness that are in themselves, and shift the blame into other people simply because they can.
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| He fails to realize how useless he is... |
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