Tuesday, September 17, 2019
How Does F. Scott Fitzgerald Portray Daisy and Tom in the First Chapter
The Buchanans have been stereotypically introduced by Fitzgerald as the typical representation of the ââ¬Å"Lost Generationâ⬠(Gertrude Stein). Tom and Daisy Buchanan inhabit qualities of America during the era after WW1 ââ¬â people were intolerant, materialistic and lacked spiritualism. They live in the East Egg and are the representations of the love for a Romantic lifestyle and the desperation to seek new ideas (generally from Europe) and accept them. The Buchanans have spent a year in France in pursuit of pleasure, not (like Nick) on war service and Fitzgerald describes them as wealthy drifters who ââ¬Å"drifted here and there unrestfullyâ⬠.They are part of a community who were ââ¬Å"rich togetherâ⬠and this implies a questionable significance of their lives, whether existing was the only objective. Further on in the novel, it can be seen that Tom and Daisyââ¬â¢s aimless way of life establishes a contrast with the disciplined schedule drawn up by young Ja mes Gatz, which is displayed, following Gatsbyââ¬â¢s death, proudly by his father. The Buchanans live in a ââ¬Å"Georgian Colonial mansionâ⬠which instantly places them amongst the elite and patrician.The irony of the description, ââ¬Å"cheerfulâ⬠is that despite the attempt of trying to create a perfect life and trying to ensure everyone is notified of how rich they were, Fitzgerald shows throughout the novel that the reality of the Buchanansââ¬â¢ were nowhere near as ââ¬Å"cheerfulâ⬠as it initially seems. The colours used to describe Buchananââ¬â¢s place are rich, ââ¬Å"goldâ⬠having the double implication of wealth and sunshine. The decor of the house harks to the European influences showing the eagerness to flaunt their ââ¬Å"french windowsâ⬠, again in attempt to emphasise how the American upper class had their privileges based on their wealth.However, Tom seems to be uncomfortable in his own surroundings, at one point his eyes begin â⬠Å"flashing about restlesslyâ⬠ââ¬â he is desperate to be perfect, desperate to be stronger and more of a manâ⬠than Nick is. Tom Buchanan is displayed as a domineering, self centred character, with traditionalist views. He had reached ââ¬Å"an acute limited excellenceâ⬠despite being in the same generation as Nick. This supports the idea of the purposeless life led by Tom, as afterwards would only be the ââ¬Å"savours of anti-climaxâ⬠. Fitzgerald describes Tom with ââ¬Å"shining arrogant eyesâ⬠who had ââ¬Å"established dominanceâ⬠.He is a well built, sturdy man living in a life of luxuries such as football and riding. The description of Tom ââ¬Å"standing with his legs apart on the front porchâ⬠portrays a forceful dictatorial presence. He had a ââ¬Å"cruel bodyâ⬠, one which was ââ¬Å"capable of enormous leverageâ⬠ââ¬â perhaps Nickââ¬â¢s view that Tom being the social superior would instantly mean he would inhabit this staggering ability to accomplish anything. Tom is commanding and Fitzgerald shows this by describing the way Nick is ââ¬Å"compelledâ⬠from room to room as Tom wishes, using brute force to wedge his arm ââ¬Å"imperativelyâ⬠under Nickââ¬â¢s.Further into chapter one, Daisy refers to the ââ¬Å"great, big, hulking physical specimenâ⬠which is Tom ââ¬â he is brutalised by his selfishness and arrogance and does not consider the consequences of his actions. Despite being a man of power (bother physical and socially) and wealth there were men who ââ¬Å"hated his gutsâ⬠, Nick says he has a trace of ââ¬Å"paternal contemptâ⬠which may have inspired this hatred from his peers; this also implies discreet disapproval between citizens of the East Egg, and on a wider scale, the superiors of the social hierarchy.Fitzgerald shows, through racist comments of Tom Buchanan, an American reality of social division by race and gender. He accuses ââ¬Å"other racesâ⠬ of threatening the ââ¬Å"Nordic raceâ⬠making references to a book, ââ¬Å"The Rise of the Coloured Empires by his man Goddardâ⬠. He attempts to put across intelligent views and opinions but it becomes apparent that this is definitely not the case. His view of white people being the ââ¬Å"dominant raceâ⬠demonstrates his simplistic, ignorant and racist values especially considering his northern European ancestry a one way ticket to social superiority.However, America has a motto of ââ¬Å"e pluribus unumâ⬠which means ââ¬Å"one from manyâ⬠, this phrase signifying that America has grown through the mix of different cultures, particularly through immigration. He tries to enforce his views by claiming it is scientifically proved. The nativist group, the Klu Klux Klan at the time of the novel, tried to use ââ¬Å"scientific proofâ⬠, however it was later revealed they used eugenics to prove the ââ¬Å"inferiorityâ⬠of Asians and immigrants from Europeans ââ¬â this indicating how Tomââ¬â¢s claims are very much in the wrong.Tom sees Daisy as the inferior in their relationship and does make an effort to hide this from Nick. He openly ignores Daisy when listing the ââ¬Å"Nordicsâ⬠, hesitating before including Daisy with a ââ¬Å"slight nodâ⬠. He criticizes how Jordan Baker should not be allowed to ââ¬Å"run around the countryâ⬠showing his traditional, old fashioned views of a womanââ¬â¢s role and showing disapproval of the amount of freedom and success Jordan has been given. Daisy Buchanan is introduced as an absolute contrast to her husband. Some traits revealed throughout the process of chapter one is that she is frail and diminutive, touching on the edge of being shallow.The overly exaggerated opening to Daisy, as described by Fitzgerald through Nick, shows her being ââ¬Å"p-paralysed with happinessâ⬠. This stutter and the use of the verb ââ¬Å"paralysedâ⬠implies a fake impression th at Daisy puts on to fool others, as the reader finds out later in the chapter. The constant reference to Daisyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"thrillingâ⬠laughter and voice is used to represent Daisy herself; the ââ¬Å"charming little laughâ⬠is the synecdoche for Daisyââ¬â¢s character, this compulsive power of her voice of Daisy used by Fitzgerald in Chapter 2, where Tomââ¬â¢s mistress tries to imitate the life of Daisyââ¬â¢s.Nick describes Daisyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"singing compulsionâ⬠; her voice also ceases to ââ¬Å"compelâ⬠his attention. Such use of language attributes to her the powerful enchantment of the siren on the rocks, who drew passing sailors to their doom; this pays tribute to the sexual allure. The scene where Daisyââ¬â¢s little finger is injured, Daisy seems to lose maturity altogether and revert to being a spoilt young girl, dramatically accusing Tom. She, like Tom, is also corrupted by her immense wealth.She and Jordan are dressed in white when Nick arrives, and she mentions that they spent a ââ¬Å"white girl-hoodâ⬠together; the ostensible purity of Daisy and Jordan stands in ironic contrast to their actual decadence and this can be ambiguous in meaning in that Daisy had meant it in a racist manner. Daisy is blinded by the self interest and wealth, becoming ecstatic at the idea of being missed, to the extent that the baby she has becomes irrelevant. ââ¬Å"The babyâ⬠seems to be a prop in the life of Daisy, a symbol of being Tomââ¬â¢s wife, something which makes this marriage agreement official.The top and foremost layer, of which everyone is familiar with in the character of Daisy, hides a more ââ¬Å"sophisticatedâ⬠Daisy. Hints throughout the chapter indicate problems within the Buchanan relationship. Daisyââ¬â¢s face was ââ¬Å"sadâ⬠and when she had injured herself, she attempted to call out for help and attention seeking, in that she was hurting and suffering in this relationship. Daisy confid es in Nick about the truths of the life of being Mrs Buchanan.After giving birth, she felt ââ¬Å"utterly abandonedâ⬠, implying the fragility of Tom and Daisyââ¬â¢s relationship, despite later on in the novel, the Buchanans realise how much they value each other. Unlike the typical Daisy, Fitzgerald allows Daisy to make a crucial criticism while confiding in Nick; when being notified of having a daughter she states that the best thing a girl can be in the world is a ââ¬Å"beautiful little foolâ⬠. This criticizes the social position of women and the limits that are imposed on them.Thus, this shows a more intelligent side of Daisy, she feels like she has to put on a ditzy act in order to do the best she can in society ââ¬â a complete contrast to the role of Jordan Baker. However, Daisy does not hesitate to accept the pride of being ââ¬Å"sophisticatedâ⬠and ââ¬Å"rather like Tomâ⬠has been blinded by the likes of self interest. Furthermore the lives of th e Buchanans have been deadened; ââ¬Å"impersonal eyesâ⬠show the lack of spirituality and a meaningless life. Nick here suggests that life in the West is more alive than the bore of the daily routine in the riches of the East.
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