Tom Buchanan is characterized by an overwhelming sense of entitlement, which drives his selfish behavior throughout the novel. His disdain for others is evident in his relationships, particularly with Daisy and Gatsby. Tom exhibits carelessness when he engages in an extramarital affair, showing little regard for Daisy’s feelings or the ramifications of his actions. His aggressive confrontation with Gatsby underscores his need to assert dominance; he resorts to manipulating the situation to protect his status rather than considering the emotional fallout on those around him. This culminates tragically when Myrtle Wilson, his mistress, is killed in a hit-and-run accident involving Daisy, yet Tom evades responsibility by quickly redirecting blame, reinforcing his role as a careless and manipulative figure.

Daisy Buchanan, too, exemplifies selfishness and carelessness, albeit in a more subtle manner. Her flirtatious nature and eventual decision to drive Gatsby’s car home lead to Myrtle's death, demonstrating a reckless disregard for life. Daisy’s sense of security is rooted in her privilege, allowing her to float through life without confronting the consequences of her actions. Emotional manipulation is another aspect of her character; she invites Gatsby into her life, reigniting old feelings, only to retreat when true commitment is required. This emotional recklessness culminates in her choosing to stay with Tom despite the danger and chaos their relationship causes for others. When faced with the fallout from the car accident, Daisy retreats into the safety of her wealth and social status, abandoning Gatsby to face the repercussions alone. This refusal to take responsibility underscores her fundamentally careless approach to life, indicative of a broader societal disregard for those deemed less fortunate.

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the characters of John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor can be viewed as a mirror of Tom and Daisy’s carelessness. Although John Proctor is initially portrayed as a flawed but overall good man man. Proctor’s actions, thoughts, and relationships show a man who struggles to hold on to his goodness with his own sins and personal conflicts, leading to a downfall that is not as heroic and noble as it may seem. His initial affair with Abigail Williams reveals a selfishness that results in devastating consequences. His lack of judgment and consideration for Elizabeth’s feelings allow the chaos of the Salem witch trials to spiral out of control. Similarly, Elizabeth’s response to the situation, while more passive, reflects a protective instinct that ultimately fails to prevent tragedy. Both characters, through their actions and decisions, display a carelessness about the stakes of their desires and fears, paralleling Tom and Daisy's negligent approach to their lives.

In conclusion, the carelessness exhibited by Tom and Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby finds its parallel in the characters of John and Elizabeth Proctor from The Crucible. Through their selfish actions, these characters navigate their relationships in ways that prioritize personal desires over the well-being of others. Fitzgerald and Miller artfully demonstrate that this carelessness leads to devastating consequences, highlighting a timeless critique of the moral dilemmas faced by individuals caught in the web of their own desires and societal expectations. The exploration of these traits invites readers to reflect on the importance of accountability, empathy, and the far-reaching impacts of one’s actions on the lives of others.

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the character of Elizabeth Proctor illustrates a different aspect of selfishness and carelessness that, while subtle, can become equally destructive. Elizabeth's actions throughout the play reveal a complicated interplay between moral integrity and personal shortcomings. For instance, her coldness towards John Proctor, stemming from his affair with Abigail Williams, fosters a toxic environment that ultimately contributes to John’s turmoil. While it is understandable for Elizabeth to be hurt after John's betrayal, her inability to openly forgive or communicate her feelings leads to emotional distance in their relationship. This coldness is highlighted when she says to John, “I cannot, I cannot,” demonstrating her struggle to reconcile her pain with the need for forgiveness. Her refusal to engage with John emotionally creates an atmosphere of repression that stifles any possibility for healing or redemption in their marriage.

Moreover, Elizabeth’s decision to lie in court when John confesses to his affair with Abigail showcases her misplaced priorities. In a moment meant to protect her husband, she inadvertently condemns him by denying the truth, exclaiming that John only wanted to take responsibility for his transgressions. This lie, while motivated by a desire to shield John, ultimately results in further tragedy and injustice. Elizabeth's actions here reveal a self-protective impulse that, although aimed at doing good, is rooted in an inability to confront the reality of their situation. The consequence of this denial is not just personal but extends to the entire community, as the hysteria and chaos of the witch trials accelerate, claiming innocent lives.

The similarities between Tom and Daisy Buchanan and John and Elizabeth Proctor underscore a universal theme of moral decay and irresponsibility that resonates throughout both The Great Gatsby and The Crucible. All four characters exhibit a profound selfishness that blinds them to the consequences of their actions, leading to destruction and despair for those around them. The characters' lives reveal how carelessness can manifest not only in blatant acts of irresponsibility but also in the subtler forms of emotional neglect and moral compromise. In both narratives, this hubris ultimately serves as a critique of societal values that prioritize self-preservation over the well-being of others.

Later in the play, when Proctor is attempting to redeem himself from his affair, he does so in a poorly executed way. His decision to go after Abigail and expose her and the trials shows a choice to reclaim his honor and name. As he tells the court, “I am no saint,” (Miller, 138) he is showing his flawed nature. However, it is clear his confession comes not only from his guilty conscience but also from his quest to save his wife. Proctor’s conscience did encourage him to speak out for the innocent, but his idea is combined with self-preservation. He had a hard time dealing with the reality that saving others oftentimes meant having to uncover his own immoral actions. With his final decision to confess to witchcraft to avoid his death, he is reluctant, revealing that his self-interest still dominates his decision-making process. Proctor’s failure to fully act with his true self shows a person who is still dealing with his own insecurities. By choosing to be hanged, rather than have to face his shame, he creates irony in the play. He believes he is regaining his good identity, however he is leaving behind chaos and pain within his community and family. Proctor’s death does not contribute to healing, and it does not create a better future for those he leaves behind, like he believed. Instead, it does the opposite by adding to the cycle of revenge and hatred that he once tried to end.Proctor serves as a conflicted and tragic figure whose death is not an action of great compassion but rather a hard reminder of the human ability for moral failure, even in the face of tragedy and hardship. 

Tom and Daisy Buchanan both embody an overwhelming sense of entitlement and carelessness that drives their selfish behaviors throughout the novel. Tom's disdain for others is particularly evident in his relationships, especially with Daisy and Gatsby. He engages in an extramarital affair, exhibiting little regard for Daisy's feelings or the ramifications of his actions, and his aggressive confrontation with Gatsby highlights his need to assert dominance, demonstrating a willingness to manipulate situations to protect his status. This culminates tragically when Myrtle Wilson, his mistress, is killed in a hit-and-run accident involving Daisy, yet Tom quickly redirects blame to evade responsibility, reinforcing his role as a careless and manipulative figure. Similarly, Daisy exemplifies selfishness in a more subtle manner; her flirtatious nature and decision to drive Gatsby’s car home lead to Myrtle's death, showcasing a reckless disregard for life. Rooted in her privilege, Daisy floats through life without confronting the consequences of her actions, engaging in emotional manipulation by reigniting feelings with Gatsby only to retreat when true commitment is required. Ultimately, she chooses to remain with Tom, regardless of the danger and chaos their relationship inflicts on others, and when faced with the fallout from the car accident, she retreats into the safety of her wealth and social status, abandoning Gatsby to bear the repercussions alone. This refusal to take responsibility underscores both characters’ fundamentally careless approaches to life, reflective of a broader societal disregard for those deemed less fortunate.

In conclusion, both The Great Gatsby and The Crucible serve as powerful examinations of the theme of irresponsibility and selfishness, embodied in the characters of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, as well as John and Elizabeth Proctor. Each character’s self-centeredness blinds them to the consequences of their actions, leading to destruction and chaos not only in their own lives but also in the lives of those around them. Tom and Daisy’s blatant disregard for the feelings of others contrasts with the more subtle yet equally damaging self-protective instincts of the Proctors, illustrating that carelessness can manifest in various forms, whether through overt actions or moral compromises. The tragic repercussions faced by all four characters underscore the dangers of prioritizing personal desires over the well-being of others and highlight the critical importance of accountability and empathy in relationships. Both Fitzgerald and Miller force readers to confront these moral dilemmas, urging a deeper consideration of the impact of one’s actions in a world where individual desires often clash with communal responsibility. Ultimately, these narratives remind us that a lack of responsibility can lead to irrevocable consequences, urging us to reflect on our own choices and their potential effects on those around us.