Jordan Baker's Representation Of Women In The Great Gatsby
The 1920s is a time of technological, economical, and social exploration. Myrtle, Daisy, and Jordan display the full image of what it is like to be a women in New York during the 1920s. They each have a personal struggle with society and the fight between what they want and what is expected of them. Each of these women wants to experience the glamor of the 1920s but has to maintain some of the traditional elegance of a woman. If the neglect to do so, they are treated harshly by society. Daisy shows her struggles with the social status of women through her daughter and relationship with Tom. Jordan proves that being a “new” women of the 1920s comes with a price of judgment and accusations of dishonesty. Myrtle seeks to become a member of the …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s depiction of women in The Great Gatsby readers see women are prepared to emerge into the modern way of life, but society is not ready for the new nontraditional image of …show more content…
Even though Jordan Baker represents one of the “new women” of the 1920s she is still subject to levels of disrespect. She manages herself in a forward thinking way which shows that she possesses self-respect and knows her value as a member of society. Jordan “need not be bothered by a mere summer romance while Nick” (Hays). Her independence is what makes her so powerful, but also causes her to be looked down on by society. When Nick says, “And you oughtn 't to drive at all” he shows how he does not believe that women are responsible enough to drive a car or take care of themselves (Fitzgerald 58). This situation shows that even if women are independent, the social hierarchy will keep them below the status of men. Nick’s opinion on Jordan’s life shows that he, along with the rest of society, is not prepared for women to be fully independent. In reference to one of Jordan’s championship games, Nick says, “She wasn 't able to endure being at a disadvantage” (Fitzgerald 58). This quote from Nick shows that he and the rest of society were aware of the gap in respect and social equality between men and women, they just felt it was justified. Regarding the same championship, Nick accuses Jordan of participating in dishonest behavior without evidence. He assumes from her personality and how she presents herself that she is getting herself into trouble. Nick says that “At her first big golf tournament there was a row that nearly reached the newspapers -- a suggestion that she
The Great Gatsby Women
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Examples Of Daisy In The Great Gatsby
432 Words | 2 PagesDaisy, like the flower for which she is named, is innocent and “perfect” when she is young, much like the original American Dream. However, once the flower blooms it becomes tainted, withered, and, eventually dies. This process is reflected in Daisy’s character development in The Great Gatsby as well as in real 1920’s America. Literary critic Richard Lehan examines parallels of the zeitgeist of the 1920s in The Great Gatsby in his book Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder: … The Great Gatsby, a novel that evoked both the romance and the sadness of that strange and fascinating era we call the twenties”(Lehan 2).
Essay On Women In The 1920s
902 Words | 4 PagesAssociating Coke with this perfect impression helps with the commerce of coke, but the impression contradicts with the traditional gender role of a woman. Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby are the ultimate representations of women in the 1920s. Women were in love with money, and husbands with money were great husbands. Under the prosperous environment, upper class women, who
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Female Characters In The Great Gatsby Essay
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145 Words | 1 PagesReading literature like The Great Gatsby is significant to understand many facts such as society level, to develop understanding about the gender rule, and how men sexually abused females. A literature of Gatsby commonly uncovers events and brings out logic related to cause and effect. The traditional gender roles in the twentieth century maintain the expectation that the women did not have any choice other than stay within the given limit of independence. Reading literature like The Great Gatsby is significant to understand many facts such as society level, to develop understanding about the gender rule, and how men sexually abused females. A literature of Gatsby commonly uncovers events and brings out logic related to cause and effect.
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720 Words | 3 PagesFinally, these women proved to be fairly similar in their particular role in life to achieve happiness. Myrtle desired to live the same life that Daisy did: she wanted a life full of money. Myrtle lived her dreams in the small apartment that Tom kept for them in New York. When Myrtle changed her dresses, at the same time she was also changing her ‘fake’ characters. In some way, she achieved her goal, she ‘reached her dream’ for an afternoon, a better lifestyle, a life like Daisy 's. There was a big difference between Daisy and Myrtle but one thing was common, their unhappiness.
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1193 Words | 5 PagesExploiting the ideologies of feminist criticism, it could be reasoned that The Great Gatsby promotes an obscured masculine agenda. Through Fitzgerald’s treatment of the fundamental female characters in The Great Gatsby, the novel seems to uphold and corroborate with the traditional gender roles, neglecting any positive alternative view in the process. Fitzgerald himself is said to have been greatly affected by an affair his wife Zelda is supposed to have had, during the time the novel was written. Thus it is somewhat understandable he would write with contempt towards certain female characters and their portrayal (Bruccoli,1994). The author’s unwillingness to change his outlook and worldview seems to indicate he, himself, has become a slave to the established male dominated society.
How Does Fitzgerald Treat Women In The Great Gatsby
1447 Words | 6 PagesThe Great Gatsby Women in the 1920s “Inevitably, the daring clothes, the scandalous dances and sensual jazz, the late-night parties and cynical opinions of the young drew the wrath of many members of the older generation” (Britten 28). This is how women in The Great Gatsby attempt to live every day. Daisy, Jordan, and Myrtle strive for a life of luxury. They embody various stereotypes in the 1920s through pleasure, desire, and greed.
Jordan Baker In The Great Gatsby
500 Words | 2 PagesThis is a pure sign of the dishonesty and carelessness that Jordan acquires. It really goes to show that Jordan would ruin someone’s property and then completely lie about it, while with Nick, who was someone she was interested in pursuing a relationship with. It makes one wonder what
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Feminism In The Great Gatsby And Their Eyes Were Watching God
1844 Words | 8 PagesScott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby efficiently depicts the lives of women residing in the East Coast during the 1920’s and makes a clear point of establishing definitive gender roles. Fitzgerald’s work is not an inherently feminist doctrine and focus more on fiscal responsibilities of white individuals, allowing the modern reader to get a more accurate sense of women's roles in society. The Great Gatsby is especially significant in this essay because Fitzgerald is the only male writer discussed and the novel has a male narrator and main character, therefore providing a unique insight on women’s responsibilities and their role at this point in time. The 1920’s were the beginning of a new revolutionary age for women and The Great Gatsby is an iconic piece that is seen as a reflection on this time
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