Tom does mean paint first, for he is energetic and career-minded, telling his father that he needs more than marriage to occupy him. His mother and father both recognize that he is not witty but a sympathetic listener to his father’s wit. He has a clear mind which brings practical results with charming lucidity. He is popular because he does not try to outshine others.
He is a realist, seeing that he needs more than beauty in a wife and that he must use his energies to create a society based on energy and intelligence. He combines Silas’ aggressiveness with Bromfield’s good breeding to form a more solid American citizen for society.
