Tom Buchanan Character Analysis in The Chosen and the Beautiful

Overview of Tom Buchanan in The Chosen and the Beautiful

Tom Buchanan is Daisy’s wealthy, racist husband and one of the novel’s primary antagonists. He carries on a public affair with Myrtle Wilson, confronts Jay Gatsby about his infernal pact, and ultimately directs George Wilson to Gatsby, setting in motion Gatsby’s murder. Vo reimagines Tom from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as a man whose power rests on old money, physical dominance, and a brittle ideology of white supremacy. His actions drive the novel’s climax and expose the corrosive nature of inherited privilege.

Tom is not merely a stock villain; the narrative, filtered through Jordan Baker’s sharp observations, reveals a man who is simultaneously brutal and insecure, possessive yet oddly dependent on Daisy’s presence. His arc moves from confident patriarch to exposed and desperate figure, and his final decision to weaponize Wilson’s grief cements his role as the story’s moral nadir.

Plot Role

Tom functions as the primary obstacle to Gatsby’s dream of reclaiming Daisy. From the opening dinner at the Buchanans’ East Egg mansion, he is a disruptive force: he rants about Nordic supremacy, takes phone calls from his mistress during dinner, and leaves Daisy visibly bruised from a recent physical altercation (Chapter One). His affair with Myrtle Wilson, conducted openly in the city, establishes his hypocrisy and sense of entitlement.

The novel’s central confrontation occurs at the Plaza hotel in Chapter Eighteen, where Tom exposes Gatsby’s deal with Hell—a pact that turned Gatsby’s mansion into a way station for infernal activity. This revelation shatters Daisy’s romantic illusion and forces her to choose between Gatsby’s dazzling but tainted world and Tom’s familiar, if brutal, security. Tom then sends Daisy home with Gatsby in Gatsby’s car, a decision that leads directly to Myrtle’s death when Daisy accidentally strikes her. Finally, Tom directs George Wilson to Gatsby, naming him as the driver, which results in Gatsby’s murder (Chapter Twenty-Two).

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Tom’s motivations are rooted in a desire to preserve his social standing, his ownership of Daisy, and his belief in white racial superiority. These motivations manifest in specific actions throughout the novel.

Possessiveness and control: Tom grabs Daisy’s hand hard enough to leave a bruise (Chapter One). He treats her as property, yet Jordan notes that he “does love her” in a confused, devastated way (Chapter Eighteen). His love is possessive rather than tender, and he cannot tolerate any challenge to his claim.
Racism and nativism: At dinner, Tom rants about The Rise of the Colored Empires by Goddard, declaring that “the white race will be—will be utterly submerged” and that “we Nordics” have produced all civilization (Chapter One). He later supports the Manchester Act, which would bar “unwanted unworthies” from entering the country (Chapter Fifteen). His racism is not abstract; it fuels his contempt for Gatsby’s mixed heritage and his dismissal of Jordan’s own identity.
Hypocrisy: Tom condemns Gatsby’s parties as a “pigsty” and rails against “perversity” while carrying on an affair with Myrtle and ignoring his own moral failings (Chapter Eighteen). He accuses Gatsby of eroding family values even as he destabilizes his own marriage.
Insecurity beneath bluster: When Gatsby claims Daisy never loved Tom, Tom responds by listing his material assets—“We’ve got Pammy, and the property in Lake Shore Drive, and the big house in West Egg. We’ve got her people in Louisville, and mine in Chicago” (Chapter Eighteen). This reliance on possessions reveals that his confidence is external, not internal.
Violence and cruelty: The bruise on Daisy’s knuckle is the most explicit evidence of physical abuse. Tom’s verbal aggression at the Plaza—calling Daisy’s friend a “China doll” and threatening Gatsby—shows a pattern of intimidation (Chapter Eighteen).

Chronological Arc

Tom’s arc follows a trajectory from confident patriarch to exposed and desperate man.

Before the novel: Tom marries Daisy nine months after the Armistice (Chapter Seven). Their honeymoon includes a car accident with a hotel worker named Pilar Velazquez, and they later move to France, Chicago, and finally East Egg (Chapter Eleven).
Early summer: At the Buchanans’ dinner, Tom is in control—he rants, takes calls from Myrtle, and dismisses Nick’s concerns. Daisy’s bruise hints at his violence (Chapter One).
Mid-summer: Tom attends Gatsby’s party with Daisy, looking “around aggressively” and stiffening at the sight of Gatsby’s intimacy with his wife (Chapter Fifteen). He tolerates Daisy’s flirtation but grows increasingly suspicious.
The Plaza confrontation: Tom’s investigation into Gatsby’s past culminates in his exposure of the infernal pact. He forces Daisy to admit she cannot deny loving him, and he sends her home with Gatsby in a calculated move (Chapter Eighteen).
Myrtle’s death and aftermath: Tom weeps and curses the driver who killed Myrtle, but he also insists to George Wilson that the car was not his (Chapter Nineteen). He retreats to East Egg, where he and Daisy discuss Spain and Shanghai, already planning an escape (Chapter Nineteen).
Final act: Tom directs Wilson to Gatsby, naming him as the driver. This leads to Gatsby’s murder and Wilson’s suicide (Chapter Twenty-Two). The novel ends with Tom and Daisy preparing to leave for Barcelona, their privilege intact (Chapter Twenty-Two).

Relationships

With Daisy: Tom’s relationship with Daisy is defined by possession and control. He loves her in a limited, self-centered way, but he also abuses her physically and emotionally. Jordan observes that Tom “does love her,” yet that love is “without kindness or consideration or mercy or intelligence” (Chapter Eighteen). Daisy ultimately chooses Tom over Gatsby because Tom offers stability and social standing, even at the cost of her freedom.

With Gatsby: Tom views Gatsby as a threat to his marriage and his class position. He investigates Gatsby’s past and uses the infernal pact as a weapon to discredit him. The confrontation at the Plaza is a battle for Daisy, and Tom wins by exposing Gatsby’s corruption and appealing to Daisy’s fear of scandal.

With Myrtle Wilson: Tom’s affair with Myrtle is transactional and exploitative. He uses her for sex and ego, but he abandons her when she becomes inconvenient. After her death, he shows grief but also self-preservation, refusing to take responsibility.

With Nick and Jordan: Tom is condescending and dismissive toward Nick, treating him as a provincial outsider. He pushes Jordan toward Nick, hoping to settle her, but he also insults her heritage and dismisses her concerns (Chapter One, Chapter Eighteen).

Key Decisions and Consequences

Exposing Gatsby’s infernal pact

At the Plaza, Tom reveals that Gatsby sold his soul to Hell and became a “way station for infernal activity” (Chapter Eighteen). This decision destroys Gatsby’s credibility in Daisy’s eyes and forces her to confront the cost of Gatsby’s wealth. The consequence is Daisy’s breakdown and her decision to stay with Tom.

Sending Daisy home with Gatsby

After the confrontation, Tom sends Daisy home with Gatsby in Gatsby’s car. This decision leads to Myrtle’s death when Daisy, driving, strikes her and Gatsby casts a spell to conceal them (Chapter Twenty-Two). Tom’s choice to separate himself from Daisy in that moment sets the tragedy in motion.

Directing Wilson to Gatsby

Tom tells George Wilson that Gatsby was the driver, knowing Wilson is distraught and armed. This direct act results in Gatsby’s murder and Wilson’s suicide (Chapter Twenty-Two). Tom’s decision is both a cover-up of Daisy’s role and a final act of revenge against Gatsby.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Tom embodies several of the novel’s central themes.

The corrosive power of wealth and class privilege: Tom’s old money allows him to escape consequences. He kills no one directly, but his wealth and social position shield him from accountability. His final escape to Barcelona underscores how privilege insulates the guilty.
Identity as a constructed and fragile performance: Tom’s aggressive masculinity and racial superiority are performances that mask deep insecurity. His reliance on possessions and his need to dominate reveal that his identity is built on external markers rather than inner substance.
Displacement, immigration, and the search for belonging: Tom’s nativism and support for the Manchester Act align him with forces that exclude others. His racism is a tool to maintain his own sense of belonging in a changing world.
Gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy: Tom’s physical abuse of Daisy and his control over her choices highlight the limits of women’s autonomy in this world. His contempt for queer spaces and his dismissal of Jordan’s identity reinforce his investment in rigid gender norms.
Memory, trauma, and the haunting past: Tom’s past with Daisy—including the honeymoon accident and his affair—shapes his present actions. He is haunted by the threat of losing Daisy, and his violence is a response to that fear.

Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Tom expose Gatsby’s infernal pact at the Plaza?

Tom exposes the pact to discredit Gatsby and win Daisy back. He has investigated Gatsby’s past and uses the revelation to show that Gatsby’s wealth is tainted by a deal with Hell. The exposure forces Daisy to see Gatsby as corrupt and dangerous, and it gives Tom the upper hand in their confrontation (Chapter Eighteen).

2. How does Tom react to Myrtle’s death?

Tom weeps and curses the driver who didn’t stop, but he also insists to George Wilson that the car was not his (Chapter Nineteen). His grief is genuine but self-serving; he prioritizes protecting himself and Daisy over taking responsibility for the accident.

3. What does Tom’s affair with Myrtle reveal about his character?

The affair reveals Tom’s hypocrisy and sense of entitlement. He condemns Gatsby’s “perversity” while conducting his own illicit relationship. He treats Myrtle as a disposable object, using her for pleasure and then abandoning her when she becomes a liability (Chapter One, Chapter Eighteen).

4. How does Tom’s racism manifest in the novel?

Tom rants about Nordic supremacy and the need to protect the white race from being “submerged” (Chapter One). He supports the Manchester Act, which would exclude immigrants and minorities (Chapter Fifteen). His racism is also personal: he dismisses Jordan’s heritage and uses racial slurs to demean others (Chapter Eighteen).

5. What is Tom’s role in Gatsby’s death?

Tom directs George Wilson to Gatsby, naming him as the driver of the car that killed Myrtle. Wilson then shoots Gatsby and himself (Chapter Twenty-Two). Tom’s act is deliberate and vengeful, ensuring that Gatsby takes the blame for Daisy’s crime and that Tom’s own life remains untouched.

For further exploration of these themes, see the book overview, the ending explained, and the questions and answers.