The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925). In The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, a man of privilege and power, confronts Jay Gatsby about his business dealings and relationship with Daisy. Tom challenges Gatsby to admit that his wealth is acquired through criminal means, asserting his dominance through aggressive, confrontational tactics.
Tom uses intimidation, personal attacks, and moral superiority to destabilize Gatsby and assert control over Daisy. He frames the interaction as a power play, showing how negotiation in American culture can be as much about positioning oneself as it is about the actual deal. The focus on personal leverage, assertiveness, and direct confrontation exemplifies the American approach to negotiation, where outcomes and power dynamics take precedence over decorum or structure.