In the book Tom and Gatsby are put in very different lights from each other, even early on. Nick dislikes Tom, yet he loves Gatsby, and their traits may have a lot to do with this. Tom is portrayed early on with very few likeable qualities at all. He is basically as close a single human being can get to being the definition of a scumbag. One of the worst things he does though, is cheating blatantly on his wife Daisy. He has a paramour, who is poor and powerless when compared with him that he sees often and loudly. It is stated that all of the rich friends of his, and even Daisy herself know of his cheating ways. This is the definition of disloyalty in a man, as he lies to his wife about being loyal to her, and then even goes so far as
