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The Great Gatsby Women

1861 Words8 Pages

The era of 1920s is known for flapper dresses, extravagant lifestyles, and reformation of women. Before this time, women were treated as property and did not have their own voices in politics and their personal lives. With the start of the 20th century, women yearned for a change. They wore shorter dresses, became more reckless, and took control of their lives. F. Scott Fitzgerald was a renowned author during the 1920s who provided commentary about the changes of women. In his works The Great Gatsby, “Winter Dreams”, and “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”, Fitzgerald shows how women 's attempts to gain independence during the 20th century initially fail due to society 's construction. Majority of the drama that occurs in The Great Gatsby is due to one …show more content…

After meeting for the first time in years, Daisy begins to love Gatsby due to his interest in her, but cannot bear to leave the overbearing Tom. Pelzer, also, elaborates that when Gatsby goes off to war and Daisy meets Tom years before,“[She] has been purchased with an expensive pearl necklace, the promise of the comfortable white life of privilege that she desires more than Gatsby” (Pelzer par. 2). Daisy chooses Tom for his status and wealth, and she yearns for a life of comfort. Leland S. Person, the author of the piece “‘Herstory’ and Daisy Buchanan” explains that by choosing Tom, Daisy’s life will be molded by Tom’s force (Person par. 6). Daisy is treated as an inferior to her husband for numerous years and to be able to abandon a relationship that bashes her self-esteem, is extremely …show more content…

Bernice’s dull life and outlook on it is changed when Marjorie informs her, “‘What a blow it must be when a man with imagination marries the beautiful bundle clothes that he 's been building ideals round, and finds that she 's just a weak, whining, cowardly mass of affectations!’” (Fitzgerald, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” 5). Marjorie wants Bernice to become an interesting person who does not live for the chance to please a man. When Bernice asks her cousin, “‘Don 't I dance all right?’ Marjorie responds, ‘No you don 't-- you lean on a man; yes you do-- ever so slightly” (Fitzgerald, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” 6). Marjorie’s reaction shows that she wants Bernice to be independent and not have to rely on a man, even for a simple task as

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