The Great Gatsby - Depiction of the Buchanan's in the opening chapter

Tom Buchanan is shown in the opening chapter a man of control and authority as when Nick is referring to having been invited for dinner he refers to both Tom and Daisy as the "Tom Buchanas"(pg8). This is reinforced as Nick approaches the Buchanan's house for dinner and "Tom Buchanan in riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch"(pg9). This stance portrays pride and protectiveness to what is his. He controls Nick right from the moment Nick has stepped foot on their property. "I've got a nice place here,"(pg10) he says and then "[turns Nick] around by one arm"(pg10) and announces that they will "go inside"(pg10).

Daisy presents the opposite persona however. Nick and Daisy are distant cousins, and even barely at that as Nick refers Daisy to an "old friend whom [he] scarcely knew at all". Daisy however, treats Nick as though they are personally very close when she "held [Nick's] hand for a moment, looking up into [Nick's] face, promising that there was no one else in the world she wanted to see."