Maureen Corrigan - So We Read On - Notes (2)

One of the main characters in Gatsby is Tom Buchanan.  He is married to Daisy, rich, obnoxious, and he breaks things and walks away.  And he has read a book, which is hysterically funny to me.

He is confident, but has never done anything to earn his confidence except that he is rich.  If you met him on the street you would avoid him.  You would not want him at your party.  Fitzgerald could have let Tom dominate the book.  Thank goodness he did not.

We readers know Tom Buchanan.  We have sat next to him on a plane.  He's our retired neighbor down the street, our fellow church member.  Tom is That Guy Who Has Read a Book and who has to tell you all about it.  No discussion.  You have to listen and agree and then let it go.