The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4: chapter 2

I am not really sure I understand Tom Buchanan. In this chapter he is full of contradictions. He married Daisy and I think they were in love at the beginning of their marriage, yet he has a mistress. For this reason I think Tom is the type of person who is never content with what he has. He has a wife and a child but cheats on Daisy with a woman named Myrtle Wilson. From Nick's description and her actions she seemed as awful as her name. Then, when Myrtle mentions Daisy's name he is suddenly protective of his wife: "some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face, discussing in impassioned voices whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name."(Fitzgerald 37) Then when Myrtle kept saying Daisy's name he broke her nose? I think he is crazy as well as irrational. He is the one cheating on his wife. I guess his mistress mentioning his wife's name just made him feel guilty so he punished Myrtle for his.