What is the auother fitzgerald trying tell us by making Gatsby get his money illgeal and making Tom inherent his money. What is the message he is trying to give?
Tom and Gatsby are certainly opposite. They are character foils for each other; they bring out what is best and worst about the other. Tom comes from old money. That is he inherited all of it while Gatsby, though dubiously, is self-made. Gatsby is simply a boy from North Dakota without connections, money, or education. While Tom is a product of the Ivy League Gatsby's education is through his "checkered" past. This discourse between Gatsby and Tom reflects Tom's condescending attitude towards Gatsby's "lesser" education and class. This attitude brings out Tom's demeaning class oppressiveness and Gatsby's very genuine world experience. The only way Gatsby, a man of meager upbringing, can achieve his American dream is by illegal ways while Tom is simply given the American dream by birthright.
