onfident man. This confidence however, does not come from his personal achievements, but from his wealth. Tom believes that he is above all moral and earthly laws, and puts himself on the pedestal made of his own arrogance. His self-presumed dominance is evident from his behavior, his manner of talking in a peremptory tone that borders with rudeness, and even from his description: “His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked – ... ‘Now, don’t think my opinion on these matters is final,’ he seemed to say, ‘just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are’” (11). Tom’s need for a mistress does not come from dissatisfaction with Daisy, but from the feeling of power that it gives him. In order to satisfy his vain ego Tom has to feel above the moral values that hold the society intact. Although Daisy Buchanan is not arrogant like Tom, she is affected by the money too. Daisy grew up around money and is used to the material comfort that comes with it. To her any other kind of life would be unimaginable. Even Gatsby, who loves her, understands what kind of person Daisy really is: “’She’s got an indiscreet voice,’ I remarked. ‘It’s full of -----‘ I hesitated. ‘Her voice is full of money,’ he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money---that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it…. High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl….” (127). Since Daisy never had to strive for anything in her life, she does not know the value of things; she never learned to appreciate anything. She is like a sunny winter day – beautiful, but extremely cold. ...
