Scott Fitzgerald, explores an important theme. Throughout the novel, the theme of social class inequality is shown through the character of Tom Buchanan and his attitudes and actions towards people he thinks are less important than him. It is also shown through the plot with Jay Gatsby as he shows that people with 'new money' are not equal to those who were born into rich families. The theme of social class is also shown through Daisy Buchanan and the setting of 1920's America as she shows the idea that women with huge wealth in that time are trapped because of their wealth. The theme of social class is shown through the characterisation of Tom Buchanan because he is an example of a very wealthy character who mistreats and abuses people in a lower class than him. From the start of the novel, other characters describe Tom as "arrogant" and "aggressive." He behaves terribly and an example of this is when he "broke her [Myrtle Wilson's] nose," which describes Tom's violent actions towards people, even women he is having an affair with because she disobeyed him when he told her to stop talking about his wife, Daisy. Tom's wealth and being in an upper class allows him to think he can do anything he likes and nobody will question his behaviour. He believes this because he is never punished for his actions. Another example of Tom's attitudes towards people of a lower class is his repetitive racist remarks and comments about the "rise of the coloured empire." He is obsessed with a book written by a racist man and throughout the novel, he would say racist things about 'colored' people as he thinks they aren't as important as him because he is in a higher class than them. Tom Buchanan's character is a very good example of how people in a higher social class think it is ok to mistreat people of a lower class due to not having as much money.
The plot with Jay Gatsby shows the theme of social class inequality as it shows the idea that those who were born into rich families (old money) are more important and look down on those who worked for their money (new money).