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There are many different types of people in this world. Apart from physical features, it is the characteristics of a person that makes him/her original. Nick Carraway the narrator of The Great Gatsby has qualities, which are the complete opposite of those of Tom Buchanan, his cousin-in-law. In the novel, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses the comparison between two cousins to show how their differing characteristics reflect the themes of morality and reality versus illusion.
One of Nick's Characteristics that is incompatible with Toms is that Nick is cautious when speaking. On an occasion when Mr. Gatz said something that Nick disagreed with, Nick still hesitantly, agreed with him, as to not hurt an old man's feelings; as apparent by the following quote: "If he lived, he would have been a great man. A man like James J. Hill. He'd of helped build up the country. That's true, I said, uncomfortably. (Pg. 164) Tom, who is at the other end of the rope, is very careless about what he says; he does not care if he hurts someone. At one time, he was very rude when paying only ten dollars to a dog seller on the street. " Is it a boy or a girl?' she asked delicately, that dog. That dog's a boy. (Dog-seller) It's a bitch, said Tom decisively. Here's your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it. (Pg. 28) This shows that Tom does not care if he hurts the feelings of the person to whom he speaks with. Nick's carefulness when speaking and Tom's Carelessness reveals a lot about their morality. It shows that Nick's morals are high he can not hurt an old man who had just lost his son; whereas Tom's morals are so low, that he hurts a poor stranger walking down the street, who is trying to make a living. The carefulness of speaking shows the theme of morality because it reflects respect for humanity. With the realization that the way one wants to be treated he or she treats the other person with the same respect.