Foil

Jordan Baker and Daisy

Jordan Baker can be viewed in opposition to Daisy. While Daisy wishes to be admired and adored, while she carries the dreams of the past into the present, Jordan is far more practical. Tom and Gatsby see Daisy as an angel, something to be protected and put on a pedestal; Jordan Baker would be damned before she’d let anybody do that to her.

Tom Buchanan and George Wilson

Tom is in many ways the opposite of Wilson. While George is weak and passive, Tom is physically strong and controlling. This is clearly the reason for Myrtle’s attraction to him; she feels he has a certain masculinity that her husband lacks. There is also the issue of social caste, as Tom is a wealthy member of the upper echelon and Wilson is working class. Myrtle likes this about Tom, as well, declaring that she married George not knowing of his poverty and status. You could even argue that Myrtle is attracted to Tom’s violent nature, since she later berates her husband for being a "coward" and begs him, "Beat me!"