The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

The general effect which I received from the “The Great Gatsby” was bitterness. All along Tom showed nothing but harsh feelings for Gatsby. He was determined to expose the true character that Gatsby really was by exposing the truth behind the ways he made his money and became as rich as he was. Daisy herself felt bitterness toward Tom even though throughout the movie she seemed unaffected by the fact that Tom was having an affair with Myrtle.

This effect of bitterness was well produced through the characterization, acting and the ending. Daisy seemed to be the type of character who didn’t really express all her feelings of bitterness toward Tom. Instead she would bottle up these feelings. She knew all along that Tom was seeing someone though she would not let out her feelings, she would just continue to live her life as though this affair was non-existent. Tom being the character that he was, was the complete opposite of Daisy. After learning from Daisy that she never really loved him he would constantly try to “put down” Gatsby and try to expose him as the sham that he really was. He made fun of the way that Gatsby called him and Nick “old sport” and found out of the illegal ways in which he made his money and exposed it to him in front of others.

The acting of Daisy was especially great because for the most part, (especially in the beginning where Nick learns of Tom’s affair at Daisy’s home) you are able to see how the affair deeply hurts Daisy and that she is angered even though she does not say a word about it at the dinner table. Though undoubtedly the greatest demonstration of bitterness in the movie was shown through Tom. Wilson only found out that Gatsby was in the car that killed Myrtle through Tom. This ultimately led Wilson to kill Gatsby along with himself at Gatsby’s home. Tom knew of the consequences of telling Wilson who was in his car that day. His bitterness was so great at that point that he probably wanted Gatsby gone at all costs.

I disliked this movie, especially the ending where Tom and Daisy take a trip to rekindle their love. The characters in the movie didn’t show any signs of humanity. For two people who were just responsible for the deaths of three others, they didn’t seem to show much remorse, and I couldn’t see how they could even consider staying together after what they’d just been through. It didn’t seem to make sense to me the way these characters acted, how Daisy or Tom never lashed out at each other when they learned or each others’ affairs, instead they took it as a small loss. In all, I found that given the simplicity of the movie itself, the characters themselves were very complicated and difficult to understand.