A Comparison of the marriage of Tom and Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby) with Willy and Linda Lowm
Uploaded by frollypoo on Jun 13, 2002
The Common Faults of Marriages
Many marriages endure hardships and often result in destruction. In the literary work The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes the material wealth experienced by the upper class during the Roaring Twenties. In particular, Fitzgerald depicts the lives of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, a rich married couple who live a luxurious and carefree lifestyle. Unfortunately, their lack of responsibility ultimately results in the destruction of their marriage and of those around them. In contrast, “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller illustrates the lives of a poor and hardworking couple named Willy and Linda Lowman. Miller focuses on the adversity of the middle class after World War II; he expresses the harsh realities experienced when achieving the American Dream. Like many couples, they make many wrong decisions that cause negative repercussions within their marriages. The existence of destruction in their relationships is apparent in the element of faithfulness, the display of mutual respect for one another and the style of parenting.
The element of faithfulness in the marriage of Tom and Daisy Buchanan is non-existent. For instance, the couple is simply committed to the idea of matrimony and not to the person in which they are wedded. Nick Carraway observes that,
Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table…He was talking intently across the table at her, and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own. Once in a while, she looked up at him and nodded in agreement. They weren’t happy…and yet they weren’t unhappy either. (Fitzgerald 138)
Tom is indifferent to his spouse as is she to him. They only show affection towards one another because they feel it is their duty as a married couple. Furthermore, Daisy is easily persuaded by her lover Jay Gatsby into leaving her husband. During the argument that ensues at the hotel, Gatsby notifies Tom that Daisy will be under his care from that point onward. After much encouragement, Daisy abandons Tom by saying, “I never loved him” (Fitzgerald 126). A woman who is truly committed to her husband does not publicly condemn him. Moreover, Tom is openly unfaithful to his wife, which is illustrated when Tom stops at Wilson’s garage before going into town. Tom casually tells Nick, “‘we’re getting off…I want you to meet my girl’” (Fitzgerald 27). A man who values his marriage does not shame himself by...