Tom’s Character is seen as the antagonist of the story yet, he has the most “normal” story line of each of the characters. At least, given the social norms of the time. He marries a modes women, someone he thinks would make a good wife. They strive to maintain and grow their wealth while he focuses on his career and travel, then they settle down in a nice community and have a child. Through Im sure infidelity is still frown upon, his affair is not an uncommon practice of the time either.
When Daisy wanted to move back and settled down, Tom seemed resentful, like he wanted to keep his life young, fresh, and free, and Daisy wanted to tie him down. Tom, at least internally, compromised. He agreed to settle down and have a family but internally maintained control by having an affair and still living a “free” life.
Additionally he is depicted as feeling insecure. He used to be this big shot, he ‘peaked’ in high school/college and he wanted to keep running on that high. This has lead him to lean into academics, hopeing that by ‘sounding smart’ and well educated he could fool others into thinking he was more important than he actualy is. He strives to be so rich, or at least give off the image that he is that rich, that he has the time and luxury to spends his time learning philosophy and debating politics. (because having time to do so is a luxury only the rich can afford)
To make matters worse Daisy often tries to go around Tom in conversation and change the topic, subconciously undermineing him, to something that more interest her. To assert a sort of dominace, Tom speaks over her and redirects the subject back to the previous topic or one he would prefer. This is another reason I believe he felt appealed to have an affair. He wanted to find a women that would feed his ego, make him feel manly and wanted. He wanted someone who would listen to his rants while just sitting there looking pretty and since Daisy was very much not that, he looked for that in someone else.
Although, by the end of the book, all these things that Tom had done to sooth his anxieties and insecurities crumbled. The very foundation that he based himself on was starting to fall apart. His wife, someone he felt for certain he had the most control over, ended up betraying him. The women he had the affair with was now dead, her husband found out of her affair and was now looking for the man who bedded her, and at some point comes to the realization that he has to face the consequences of his actions (although he never does). He is also the only person he seems not ‘in the know’, comments about his intelligence as an individual are constantly alluded to, and by leaving him in the dark about most situations in the book he is often left to feel dumbfounded when the story develops and things come to light.
Although I think he deserves it, Tom has everything he had “under his control” taken/changed right before him. Not only is this a sting to his insecurities but it also pulls the rug from under him, leaving him disorientated. This is why I chose the Tower card for Tom. It represents the fall of a building, mainly due to bad foundations. The card is meant to symbolize that if you want a new, better, healthier life style you’re going to need to start from the foundation and if you hav a bad foundation you’re going to need to start over. While that can be a scary thing, it’s also about new beginnings and becoming a better version of yourself.
Tom, unfortunately doesn’t take this step. He doesn’t take accountability for his actions or move towards building a better foundation for himself, he just rebuilds the building that failed and adds more layers to the foundation and because of this his tower will always fall. If he doest take the time to build a new foundation he will always find his tower in rubbles, and that is Tom’s tragedy.
"The Tower represents change in the most radical and momentous sense. It is for this reason that the card itself visually looks so unnerving. But it doesn't necessarily have to be truly frightening or ominous. Because at the heart of this card, its message is foundational, groundbreaking change."
– lucid lamb