Preview

gatsby

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
372 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
gatsby
In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents all three women in a vilifying manner; Daisy is weak and careless, Jordan is dishonest and haughty, and Myrtle is unfaithful. Nick describes Jordan as “incurably dishonest”. This introduces the ideology of distrust of women in the novel. In 1922, American women did not have the same rights as men and were often trapped in oppressive marriages and seen as the inferior sex. This inferiority is reflected through the way in which women have a secondary role in this novel. Nick’s citation concerning the dishonesty in a woman depicts the way in which throughout the novel, women’s flaws are almost exonerated. This citation of Fitzgerald also advocates that, because women do not have the same moral values as men-because they are inferior-it is therefore not their fault. This possible proposition provides an explanation for Jay Gatsby’s ignorance towards Daisy’s vindictive nature, and Nick’s swift forgiveness of Jordan’s fraudulence.

Daisy is presented as the most enigmatic, female character. Although Fitzgerald does much to make her a character worthy of Gatsby’s unlimited devotion, in the end she reveals herself for what she truly is. Despite her beauty and charm, Daisy is merely selfish, shallow, vindictiv

Both idolized the riches and glamor of the age, he was uncomfortable with the unrestrained materialism and the lack of morality that went with it.
Women are still represents as a trophy the type of women desired for this role is what has changed, symbol of the materialist society in the 1920's
Absolutely. Women are another symbol of the materialist society in the 1920's. For Tom, Daisy is a trophy: a rich, lovely, unassuming wife who looks the other way in regards to his adultery. The fact that Daisy has stayed with Tom, in a very comfortable life, is Fitzgerald's way of commenting on what was important to this very elite society in the 20s: wealth and appearance. Myrtle is also a good example of this. Tom uses her

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, the changing and conflicting roles of women and their persistent mistreatment by males emphasizes the struggle for women’s equality in the 1920s. Fitzgerald uses the differences between Daisy and Jordan’s lifestyles to highlight the changing roles of women at the time. Although the female characters in the novel appear to progress toward independence, the persistent mistreatment by male characters stresses the lack of acceptance for women within upper-class society. The lack of strong, independent female characters shows the absence of progression and the mindset that “the best thing a girl can be [is] … a beautiful little fool.” (17). The lack of strong, female viewpoints portray the gender…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Scott Fitzgerald's character Daisy Buchanan in the novel The Great Gatsby is a perfect illustration of a woman in the 1920s. Married to a wealthy man, Daisy is portrayed as a stereotypical house wife with her good looks and aristocratic life style. Daisy is in love with her husband's money and the simplicity and luxury of her living. It is wondered if Daisy is like a role model in this novel, but throughout the novel, she is perceived to be ditsy, boring, and an adulteress to Gatsby. Fitzgerald offers a suggestion to his readers about the blend of her personalities in this quote from the novel, "She's got an indiscreet voice. It's full of-" I hesitated. "Her voice is full of money." He goes on to say that like money, ‘her voice seems to offer everything, but she's born to disappoint and that she is a person better to dream about than to actually possess.' Daisy like most women of the 1920s, doesn't know the means of a true relationship in the sense that she thinks the only way to attract a man or a man of wealth is to have good looks and a shallow personality, just like she has perfected. When talking to her baby daughter, Daisy says, "I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." In reality Fitzgerald has shown us that she is self-reflecting on herself and possibly all women of the time, by being ‘beautiful little…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gatsby’s worth is demonstrated throughout the novel, Gatsby shows the ultimate selfless act at the end of the novel when he agrees to take the blame for the death of Myrtle which ultimately resulted in his own death. Nick asks, “Was Daisy driving?” to which Gatsby responds, “Yes... but of course I'll say I was.” Gatsby does not hesitate when taking the blame, it appears to the reader that he feels it is his duty rather than his decision, his love and dedication to Daisy are at the forefront of his mind throughout the novel. In addition his home and parties are described as “props to woo Daisy” in chapter 5 reinforcing that everything Gatsby has done and created throughout are in order to peruse Daisy and make her happy unlike Tom Buchanan who has no respect for Daisy which is highlighted to the reader by his affairs in particular his affair with Myrtle. Tom is shown by Nick to be an aggressive overpowering figure that is violent towards woman and has no respect for anyone of a lower class or social standing than himself. Tom is described in chapter 1 as having “arrogant eyes” and “leaning aggressively forward”, later in chapter 2 Nick tells us how Tom made a “short deft movement and broke [Myrtles] nose with his open hand” showing him as a violent man. Fitzgerald created the character of Tom as an image of corruption and inequality in 1920’s society; he is representative of the arrogance of the upper class. As readers we have more respect for Gatsby; a…

    • 801 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Her voice is full of money” (Fitzgerald, 120). This quote, said by important personality Gatsby, explains Daisy’s character and demeanor. Daisy Buchannan is one of the main characters in the novel The Great Gatsby. The wife of Tom Buchannan and the dream of Jay Gatsby, Daisy embodies the immoral and shallow values of the upper class East Egg. Although she is not very sincere, to most Daisy is attractive, beautiful, and sexy. What makes Daisy so inviting? She makes a man improve for her in order to get what they want, she has standards and she wants the best, and only the best.…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the main focuses in the novel, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the character of Daisy as she is the goal for which Gatsby strives. Although she is an intricate part of the plot and adds to the many themes of the novel, her character is portrayed as selfish and immature. This essay will prove that Daisy is an empty, shallow, fairy-tale princess who never grows up by discussing: firstly, her rediscovered love for Gatsby; secondly, the relationship between herself and Tom Buchanan; thirdly, her carelessness and lack of thought for anyone but herself.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the novel The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald there is an overt use of misogyny and hypocrisy by Tom Buchanan. While Tom and his party stop by at Gatsby’s house briefly, there’s a moment where the women who is among them asks Gatsby to join them back at her home; for a party. Even though he male counterpart actively rescinds the invitation, Gatsby accepts and goes to get his things. The situation leads Tom to wonder where Gatsby had particularly met Daisy and say, “I may be old-fashioned in my ideas but women run around too much these days to suit me” (Fitzgerald 104). However early on in the novel, Tom takes Nick to frolic with his mistress, Myrtle, (26) and also, during a story it is revealed Tom was in a car wreck with a woman who…

    • 243 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the Great Gatsby Tom is represented as a muscular “brute” of a man with a short temper and little morals, these characteristics are shown throughout the book through his actions, the first being his complete lack of morals as he has an affair with another man’s wife, Myrtle, and even lies to her, saying that Daisy is a “catholic” and she does not “believe in divorce”. This anti-moralistic attitude that Tom employs is directly representative of 1920’s society, as not only was this a time when there was increased sexual independence (especially within women) but it was also a time when morals were dropped and the society as a whole became much more careless. The anti-moralistic arrogance was enthused by the criminal underworld which in many ways was fuelled by the prohibition of alcohol.…

    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Daisy Buchanan is a questionable character who, in ways, lets the reader down. Quickly, the author reveals Daisy’s character when he announces that Tom, Daisy’s husband, has “some woman in New York” (Fitzgerald 15). This news is startling because Daisy knows about the other woman. At this point, the reader can start to wonder what kind of person Daisy is for having knowledge of the affair, but doing absolutely nothing about it. At first the reader could see Daisy as this beautiful, elegant woman, but is then let down given the fact that Daisy is doing nothing about her husband’s affair.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Daisy Buchanan, in Fitzgerald’s 1920s American novel: ‘The Great Gatsby’, is the love of Jay Gatsby and the person he has devoted the last five years of his life to. Initially, Fitzgerald portrays her as pure, attractive and innocent, but gradually reveals her selfish and shallow personality. Ultimately, the reader feels that she is not a worthy objective of Gatsby’s dedication.…

    • 857 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Gatsby

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Narrative exemplar - How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter 8.docNarrative exemplar - How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter 8.doc…

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gatsby

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Gatsby's gardener interrupts a conversation between Nick and Gatsby to tell Gatsby that he plans to drain the pool. The previous day was the hottest of the summer, but autumn is in the air this morning, and the gardener worries that falling leaves will clog the pool drains. Gatsby tells the gardener to wait a day; he has never used the pool, he says, and wants to go for a swim. I think significance of the pool is that it's the only thing that can cool gatsby off emotionally, and also it represents his last attempt…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gatsby

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald the theme that is exhibited the utmost is “money does not buy happiness” Characters that will best exhibit the prosperity shown in story are Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick. Examples from the book help show how these people demonstrate how wealth will not make you happy as a main theme throughout the story.…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    gatsby

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Lynn Wharton’s “Tim O'Brien and American National Identity: A Vietnam Veteran's Imagined Self in The Things They Carried”…

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gatsby

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Anne Lamott once said, “When writers write from a place of insight and real caring about the truth, they have the ability to throw the lights on for the reader.” This means that the author has some sort of experience and/or knowledge in what they are speaking of and is concerned with the real truth. Their writings can open up the reader’s minds and help them to come to realizations. Two works that support this quote are Night by Elie Wiesel and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In each of these works both writers use many literary elements to show how they have experienced what they are writing about and help us readers to come to realizations.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gatsby

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages

    magine the 1920's have been reenacted, a time of swinging parties and when things just did not seem to matter as much as they do now. This may not seem as hard as it sounds. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, paints a picture of what the time period was like. It was a time known as the "Jazz Age", where the economy was on an upswing and money was easy to be had. Prohibition was in affect, and bootlegging was a highly lucrative but shady business venture. Jay Gatsby most likely took part in bootlegging, which is how he accumulated his vast amount of money. Tom Buchanan on the other hand, acquired his wealthy status, by inheritance. He did not earn his money, but his family gave it to him. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby each differ extremely much so on many views and situations that each of them came upon over the course of the novel.…

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays