Gender roles play a significant role in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The characters in the novel adhere to traditional gender roles, with men expected to be strong, successful, and dominant, and women expected to be beautiful, graceful, and submissive.
One of the main examples of gender roles in the novel is the relationship between the main character, Jay Gatsby, and his love interest, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby is a wealthy, successful man who is known for throwing lavish parties and living an extravagant lifestyle. Daisy, on the other hand, is a beautiful and wealthy woman who is expected to marry a man of similar social status. Despite her initial attraction to Gatsby, Daisy ultimately chooses to marry Tom Buchanan, a wealthy and powerful man, because he is a more suitable match for her according to societal expectations.
Another example of gender roles in the novel is the portrayal of Tom Buchanan as a strong and dominant man. Tom is physically and socially powerful, and he frequently exerts his dominance over others, particularly his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Tom is also depicted as being unfaithful to his wife, Daisy, and he uses his wealth and power to manipulate and control those around him.
Women in the novel are also expected to adhere to traditional gender roles. Jordan Baker, a professional golfer, is an exception to this expectation, as she is a successful and independent woman. However, Jordan is depicted as being cold and calculating, and she is not able to form genuine connections with others due to her focus on her career and social status.
Overall, gender roles play a significant role in The Great Gatsby, with men expected to be successful and dominant and women expected to be beautiful and submissive. The characters in the novel either adhere to or challenge these traditional gender roles, leading to conflicts and misunderstandings within the story.
Marriage and Gender Roles Theme in The Great Gatsby
Women, sadly, were viewed as property in previous times. Wilson, in response, locked up Myrtle in her room after discovering her actions. Daisy says about her daughter: "I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" page 21. Anthony argues people who formed the Union, men and women, should both be allowed to vote. Another type of oppression that women faced in the twenties was being political oppression.
Gender Roles In The Great Gatsby
The great gatsby believes that one can acquire happiness through the accumulaton of wealth and power. Scott Fitzgerald emphasizes growing freedoms Female Characters In The Great Gatsby Essay 1296 Words 6 Pages 2. Women appeared to be greatly liberated when compared to the previous generations. The three main women characters in the novel: Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, and Jordan Baker, all have things in common but can be vastly different; they reflect the view of women in the early 20th century. The Great Gatsby portrays the characters Daisy, Myrtle, and Jordan as stereotypes of women during the 1920s, which is shown through their behavior, beliefs, and ultimate fates and their personalities display both powerful and potentially harmful stereotypes of women at this time. She does not wait for the man to direct her.
The Great Gatsby: The Role and Depiction of Women
Even Nick, the most sensible character in the novel, refuses to give Jordan the upper hand in the hand. For instance, Myrtle is shown as incredibly sensual, paying particular attention to her physical features and the revealing attire she dons throughout the book. He objected to his wife engaging in the same behavior as he did. Fitzgerald uses images of the character Jay Gatsby, excessive wealth, and immoral actions with the characters to portray. A woman so accustomed to money and privilege, yet a hole in her heart prevents her from happiness. Because women have come a long way since then. Work Cited Fitzgerald, F.
