# Tom Buchanan — The Great Gatsby character guide

> Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

**Role:** major

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

**First appearance:** 0003-i

## Snapshot

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

## Who they are

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.

## Relationships

### [Daisy Buchanan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/daisy_buchanan)

_psychological_

Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.

### [Jay Gatsby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/jay_gatsby)

_rivalry_

They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).

### [Myrtle Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/myrtle_wilson)

_romantic_

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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/nick_carraway)

_social_

They are distant cousins and old acquaintances from Yale, but Nick grows to despise Tom's brutish arrogance and moral carelessness.

### [Jordan Baker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/jordan_baker)

_social_

They move in the same wealthy, East Egg social circles and share a mutual acquaintance through Daisy.

### [Daisy Buchanan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/daisy_buchanan)

_psychological_

Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.

### [Daisy Buchanan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/daisy_buchanan)

_psychological_

Tom exerts a domineering, possessive control over Daisy, who is ultimately psychologically bound to his world of secure wealth.

### [Jay Gatsby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/jay_gatsby)

_rivalry_

They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).

### [Nick Carraway](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/nick_carraway)

_social_

They are distant cousins and old acquaintances from Yale, but Nick grows to despise Tom's brutish arrogance and moral carelessness.

### [Myrtle Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/myrtle_wilson)

_romantic_

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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/jay_gatsby)

_rivalry_

They are direct rivals for Daisy's love, representing the conflict between old money (Tom) and new money/aspiration (Gatsby).

## In the story

### [The Great Gatsby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/the-great-gatsby)

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

### [Chapter I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/i)

Host. Portrayed as physically powerful, arrogant, and espousing racist ideology. His restlessness and infidelity create tension.

### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/ii)

Dominates the gathering, orchestrates the affair with Myrtle, and shows casual cruelty and impatience.

### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/vi)

Openly contemptuous of the party and its guests. Suspects Gatsby is a bootlegger and vows to investigate him.

### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/chapters/ix)

Has left West Egg with Daisy and their baggage, cutting all ties in the wake of the tragedy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters/tom_buchanan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_great_gatsby/characters