The Great Gatsby · Character

Tom Buchanan

A brutish former football star whose wealth and arrogance are matched only by his casual cruelty to everyone in his orbit.

major

Also known as Tom, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Thomas Buchanan

First appearance: Chapter I

As a major figure in The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Daisy's husband, an arrogant, physically imposing old-money aristocrat who is openly having an affair.

In the storyThe Great GatsbyOpen this moment free

See Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby Book page

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Tom rules East Egg society with a sense of entitlement so complete it barely registers as effort, keeping a mistress in the valley of ashes while expecting his wife's loyalty. When Gatsby enters the picture, Tom's possessiveness sharpens into something uglier, a need to expose and destroy what he cannot control. His investigation into Gatsby's fortune and his confrontation at the Plaza set the story's final act in motion.

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The fuller portrait of Tom Buchanan sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Tom Buchanan in Chapter I

Character Web

6 connections

A slice of how Tom Buchanan sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Psychological
Rivalry
Romantic
Social

Character groups

Protagonist
The East Egg Set
The Valley of Ashes

+1 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

Gatsby's delusion that he can recapture Daisy shatters here, as he waits all night for a signal that never com…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Daisy Buchanan
psychological · negative
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately… How this plays out →
Jay Gatsby
rivalry · negative
Myrtle Wilson
romantic · negative
Nick Carraway
social · negative
Jordan Baker
social · ambivalent
Meyer Wolfsheim
social · ambivalent
Daisy Buchanan
psychological · negative
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately… How this plays out →
Daisy Buchanan
psychological · negative
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately… How this plays out →
Jay Gatsby
rivalry · negative
Nick Carraway
social · negative
Myrtle Wilson
romantic · negative
Jay Gatsby
rivalry · negative

Daisy Buchanan
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.
Jay Gatsby
They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).
Myrtle Wilson
Myrtle is Tom's mistress, who he uses for gratification and dominates, while she sees the affair as an escape from her dreary life.
Nick Carraway
They are distant cousins and old acquaintances from Yale, but Nick grows to despise Tom's brutish arrogance and moral carelessness.
Jordan Baker
They move in the same wealthy, East Egg social circles and share a mutual acquaintance through Daisy.
Meyer Wolfsheim
They have no direct relationship, representing the separate worlds of old aristocracy and organized crime.
Daisy Buchanan
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.
Daisy Buchanan
Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.
Jay Gatsby
They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).
Nick Carraway
They are distant cousins and old acquaintances from Yale, but Nick grows to despise Tom's brutish arrogance and moral carelessness.
Myrtle Wilson
Myrtle is Tom's mistress, who he uses for gratification and dominates, while she sees the affair as an escape from her dreary life.
Jay Gatsby
They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Tom Buchanan in Chapter I

In the story

Tom Buchanan appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Great Gatsby
Daisy's husband, an arrogant, physically imposing old-money aristocrat who is openly having an affair.
Chapter I
Host. Portrayed as physically powerful, arrogant, and espousing racist ideology. His restlessness and infidelity create tension.
Chapter II
Dominates the gathering, orchestrates the affair with Myrtle, and shows casual cruelty and impatience.
Chapter IV
Described in Jordan's flashback as the wealthy man Daisy married. His infidelity is hinted at with the incident of the car accident with a hotel chambermaid.
Chapter VI
Openly contemptuous of the party and its guests. Suspects Gatsby is a bootlegger and vows to investigate him.
Chapter VII
Confronts Gatsby about his intentions and background. Defends his marriage with specific memories. Discovers Myrtle's death and realizes Gatsby's car was involved, setting the stage for revenge.
Chapter VIII
His arrival in Daisy's life is presented as the 'force' of 'unquestionable practicality' that shapes her decision to marry, providing 'certain struggle and a certain relief.'
Chapter IX
Has left West Egg with Daisy and their baggage, cutting all ties in the wake of the tragedy.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Tom Buchanan unlock in the free preview.

See Tom Buchanan in Chapter I

See Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby