In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," Tom Buchanan has a complex and ultimately self-serving reaction to Myrtle Wilson's death. After Myrtle is killed in a hit-and-run accident by a car driven by Daisy Buchanan (but owned by Jay Gatsby), Tom's primary concern is to protect himself and maintain his social status. He displays a lack of genuine grief or remorse for Myrtle, despite their affair.
Tom quickly shifts into a defensive mode, seeking to blame Gatsby for the incident. He fuels the narrative that Gatsby was driving the car and therefore holds responsibility for Myrtle's death. Throughout the aftermath, Tom shows more concern for how the incident affects his own life and relationships than for the loss of Myrtle herself. This self-centered reaction emphasizes Tom's character as a symbol of the moral decay and corruption present in the upper class during the Roaring Twenties.