Introduction
Tom contrasts George’s responsibilities in W.S. Maugham’s “The Ant and the Grasshopper” by offering fun, leisure, and personal freedom at any price. The essay analyzes Tom’s traits, deeds, language, and the author’s portrayal, connecting his actions to a studied pattern and showing his influences as a character. Through this lens, Tom’s rejection of societal norms and expectations is essential, as they help him eventually succeed despite his irresponsible and playful approach to life.
The conversations between the brothers also highlight how challenging it is to combine responsibilities and personal goals. This analysis clarifies the story’s topics and sheds light on human nature and decision-making. Tom is a morally ambiguous character, focused on having fun and rejecting traditional norms of capitalist society, focusing on his personal experience much more than on money and the responsibilities to earn them.
General Observation of Tom’s Tendencies
Tom is distinguished from his brother, George, and creates a dichotomy in the narrative by his careless attitude, the pursuit of happiness, and disregard for financial stability. He is motivated by a need for instant gratification and personal fulfillment, but George is committed to responsibility, hard work, and practicality. George frequently finds himself perplexed and annoyed by his predilection for leisure and indifference to the future, which directly contradict his priorities and ideals (Maugham 10).
Tom’s seemingly careless way of living highlights the divergent viewpoints on life and the importance of personal decisions. He is morally ambiguous, as his behavior depends only on his desires, and he likes a luxurious life, free from the limitations of ordinary norms (Black et al. 4). He connects with people easily.
While having no evil intentions, he often uses them for his aims, being proficient in manipulations. Therefore, Tom questions social norms and conventional wisdom by prioritizing fun over financial security, encouraging readers to consider what success and happiness mean and which methods can be used. This main character’s persona offers a singular prism to consider the effects of choosing various life pathways and the complexity of human conduct and ideals.
Evidence of Tom’s Behavior
In the narrative, Tom is portrayed as a man who consistently avoids accountability, choosing to lead a life of leisure and enjoyment rather than adhering to the expectations of success set forth by society. The author describes Tom’s attitude toward work and financial responsibility when he writes, “I have never met anyone to whom it was more difficult to refuse a loan. He made a steady income from his friends, and he made friends easily” (Maugham 10)—claiming that Tom rejects capitalist principles and materialism, stating that his life will depend only on his desires (Chakraborty and Islam 22).
According to this viewpoint, Tom’s actions reflect a lack of desire or forethought and a conscious decision to put his personal happiness and emotional well-being before his material success. By rejecting the traditional measures of success, such as secure work and sufficient finances, Tom tests his brother and society, finally making them face the limits of their ideals and beliefs. He is steady in his pursuit of personal fulfillment despite his brother’s criticism and the potential repercussions of his decisions, demonstrating the fortitude and tenacity that can come with an unusual path in life.
Evidence of Tom’s Speech
Tom’s use of language serves as a reminder that there are other ways to find happiness. Conventional measures of achievement do not always ensure happiness or emotional stability by expressing one’s commitment to living a life of one’s choosing, even if that means defying cultural norms and conventional wisdom. Islam (1182) claims that Tom’s vocabulary provides a window into his thinking and opinions throughout the story.
He expresses his contempt for George’s values, such as financial security and professional achievement, in a light-hearted and dismissive manner (Maugham 9). Instead, he accentuates in his address his dedication to leading a life of his choosing, even if that means going against cultural norms and conventional wisdom. Tom’s actions highlight the importance of being authentic and pursuing happiness despite cultural pressures and expectations. The narrative challenges readers to consider the truth of happiness and success and the applicability of social norms.
Association with a Researched Behavioral Pattern
The psychological theory of classical conditioning, which helps explain how particular habits or preferences arise, can explain Tom’s conduct. This theory holds that behavior is molded by associations between stimuli and responses, with people learning to connect particular experiences with particular emotional or physical responses. In Tom’s case, the feelings and experiences connected to his quest for pleasure and leisure have positively reinforced it. He has grown to value these experiences more than practical considerations like financial security and professional development since he equates enjoyment and personal fulfillment with a carefree existence.
Tom uses his charisma to achieve his goals and communicates freely with various people, obtaining everything he needs from them. His apparent irresponsibility and persistent dedication to living life on his terms are the products of this training process. The narrative also sheds light on the complexity of human behavior and the variables that might affect a person’s priorities and decisions by connecting Tom’s actions with classical conditioning. According to this viewpoint, Tom’s behaviors reflect deeply ingrained patterns of conduct molded by his experiences and emotions. By understanding this relationship, readers can better relate to Tom’s character and appreciate the subtleties of his unique way of living.
Conclusion
Through his actions, speech, and portrayal, Tom personifies pleasure-seeking and present-living influenced by hedonism, anti-capitalism, and rejecting social norms, which proves to be a successful life strategy. This audacious disregard for tradition causes controversy: on the one hand, he is a hero who gains a life free of care and troubles, and on the other hand, he is a morally ambiguous protagonist. Tom is not hesitant to use people, even his brother, if he cannot achieve something by himself, and his sharp, careless language rejects traditional cultural values. His behavior can be understood through classical conditioning, which displays the intricacies of human nature, different values, and the effects of choices.
George and Tom’s opposing worldviews cause tension and inspire introspection on balancing obligation and fulfillment. The narrative serves as a reminder that happiness and success are individualized concepts, and everyone can understand them differently. There are several ways to pursue happiness and success, and Tom’s careless life and rejection of social norms are not the worst. As the final shows, he reaches a larger financial success than his brother when his new wife dies, leaving him her wealth.
Works Cited
Black, Jessica E., et al. “Who Can Resist a Villain? Morality, Machiavellianism, Imaginative Resistance and Liking for Dark Fictional Characters.” Poetics, vol. 74, Web.
Chakraborty, Keya, and Subrina Islam. “Decoding Human Behaviour in Relation to Capital: An Analysis of Maugham’s the Ant and the Grasshopper in Light of Huxley’s ‘Selected Snobberies.’” Shanlax International Journal of English, vol. 9, no. 3, 2021, pp. 21–27., Web.
Islam, Muhammad Reazul. “‘Comparisons Are Odious?” Revisiting the Ancient Fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper Adapted in Maugham’s Short Story.” Journal of English Language and Literature, vol. 12, no. 3, 2019, pp. 1181–1186., Web.
Maugham, W.S. “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. The Language of Literature, edited by Arthur Applebee, et. al. McDougal Littell, 2002.