Tom Buchanan’s Most Famous Quotes

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is the embodiment of old money arrogance, racial prejudice, and emotional cruelty. Though not the protagonist, his presence looms large over the novel. Tom's quotes reveal his worldview—entitled, bigoted, and unapologetically selfish. Below are some of his most famous lines, each offering a window into the mindset of one of literature’s most polarizing characters.

“Civilization’s going to pieces.”

Tom Buchanan makes this declaration early in the novel, setting the tone for his reactionary and racist beliefs. He expresses this opinion while holding a copy of The Rise of the Colored Empires, a fictional book that promotes white supremacist ideas. His comment reflects not only his personal prejudices but also the broader anxieties of the white elite during the 1920s, a time of shifting social dynamics. Tom sees himself as a defender of a crumbling social order.

“I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife.”

This line is one of Tom’s most explosive moments. He delivers it during the tense confrontation in the Plaza Hotel, referring to Jay Gatsby. Tom sees Gatsby as an outsider who has overstepped his boundaries by pursuing Daisy. The phrase “Mr. Nobody from Nowhere” encapsulates Tom’s disdain for Gatsby’s lack of old money pedigree and his belief in the superiority of inherited wealth and social status.

“She’s not leaving me!”

Tom shouts this during the same Plaza Hotel scene when Daisy is pressured to say whether she ever loved Tom. Though Daisy wavers, Tom asserts his claim with force. This quote illustrates his sense of ownership over Daisy—not as a person, but as a possession. It reveals his controlling nature and his inability to see her as an independent individual with her own desires.

“I may be old-fashioned in my ideas…”

Tom says this during his confrontation with Gatsby, attempting to justify his worldview as traditional and moral. He contrasts himself with Gatsby’s idealism and Daisy’s emotional conflict. This line underscores Tom’s self-perception as a man of principle, even as his actions—affairs, racism, and manipulation—reveal a deeply flawed character.

“Women run around too much these days…”

This statement captures Tom’s patriarchal view of women. He believes in rigid gender roles and feels threatened by women who assert independence or sexuality outside of his control. It’s a reflection of his broader fear of change and loss of control, not just in his personal life but in the world around him.

“Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions…”

This quote comes during the Plaza Hotel confrontation as well. Tom uses it to condemn Gatsby’s vision of love and happiness, framing it as a threat to traditional values. In Tom’s mind, institutions like marriage and family hierarchy are sacred—less because of their emotional value and more because they uphold his privileged position in society.

“Go on. He won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.”

Tom says this to Daisy after Gatsby tries to convince her to leave Tom. It’s a moment of triumph for Tom—he believes he has won Daisy back not through love, but through force of social position and intimidation. This line reveals his cold confidence in the power of old money and his belief that Gatsby, no matter how wealthy, can never truly belong in their world.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear Tom defend his views in his own words—or challenge him on his contradictions—you can do just that. On HoloDream, he’ll tell you exactly what he thinks about Gatsby, women, and the changing world of the 1920s.