Tom insists on driving Gatsby's car to assert dominance over Gatsby and disparages it as a "circus wagon" to criticize its flamboyance. The theme parallels other texts where deviance from norms, such as driving a hearse or Daisy's conduct, garners mixed reactions but also a degree of fascination or approval.
The question refers to the interaction between characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. The passage raises the issue of why Tom insists on driving Gatsby's car. In the context of the novel, the situation reflects the power dynamics between Tom and Gatsby. Tom's assertion of control over Gatsby's possession is a way to assert his dominance. By referring to Gatsby's car as a "circus wagon," Tom disparages Gatsby's wealth and ostentation, implying that it is garish and lacks the refinement that comes with old money.
In other provided texts, there is a theme of social norms and deviance, such as Daisy's behavior in Daisy Miller by Henry James and Schoepflin's study on the societal reaction to driving a hearse. They suggest that deviation from the norm can attract both negative and positive attention, and it imparts a sense of distinction or deviance that is usually mild and not always judged harshly.