Expectations Of Women In The Great Gatsby

1123 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Character of Jay Gatsby

A woman’s need to pursue society’s expectations of her can corrupt her entire view on relationships and human interactions. In the novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, suggests that an individuals desire to achieve a standard of perfection in society can demoralize them into engrossing only what is best for themselves during conflict. Daisy is the epitome of a woman during the 1920’s, she wants nothing more than the appearance of a perfect family life, so when her future is indefinite she hides behind Tom’s wealth, and certainty to achieve her desires. Daisy’s persona is to conform to the expectations given to her to be a perfect housewife in society, and to fulfill her desire to achieve a standard of perfection within her family. …show more content…

Tom sees right through Jay’s little romance with Daisy as absurd, calling him out as, “crazy!”(125) Since his devotion for her boarders on obsession, creating a visionary life with Daisy, and unrealistic expectations she will never be able to fulfill. Tom sees the affair much differently as just a bump in the road, Gatsby’s expectations of Daisy will put her in unbelievable pressure and will overwhelm her. Overall Tom’s willing to forgive her, and let her continue living the life that she already has been, while Jay wants to change everything about her lifestyle. Daisy responds in between Jay, and Tom’s argument, saying “‘I did love him once − but I loved you too.’” (126) She is confronting her conflict, by trying to rationally infer what her decision should be to resolve this rivalry. By choosing Jay over Tom she would be essentially wrecking her marriage, and the future stability with Tom. She could never live up to Jay’s high expectations of her, and ruin the perfect illusion she has with Tom. Daisy could never give up what she is currently obtaining, and completely disregard the past to benefit Jay. Furthermore, Tom tries to take back Daisy by responding, “in my heart I love her all the time.’” (125) He uses his control …show more content…

After the altercation Daisy overlooks Jay, and his romanticism, because she cannot live up to his expectations. The last time they both catch sight of each other “she st[ays] there for a minute and then turn[s] out the light.’” (140) The absence of light metaphorically represents the end of their relationship, since their affair thrives in the light, when she turns off the light she is rejecting Gatsby for good. Daisy also makes the conscious decision to disconnect herself from Jay, because it would be irrational for her to ruin the illusion of a perfect family - with her husband, Tom - and run off with Jay to start a brand new life. The Buchanan’s feel that they need to escape the chaos, and “go away” (156) leaving everyone behind to gain a fresh start of achieving her desires. Ultimately, with Jay’s murder, and Daisy’s withhold from telling Jay the truth that their relationship is over, her decision is made for her. Daisy hates the idea of choosing, but Jay’s death eliminates the need to choose so she distances herself from him to move on with life. Nick is suddenly aware after Daisy leaves that Tom and her “retreat back into their money of their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together”. (170) This suggests that Tom and

Show More
Related

  • Character Analysis Of Daisy In The Great Gatsby

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Nick visits Daisy she tells him the story of how her daughter was born, “It’ll show you how I’ve gotten to feel about––things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling.” By leaving Daisy behind at a time when she most needs him, Tom loses his value of companionship with Daisy. He no longer fits the three criteria that Daisy feels she needs in a man. Daisy knows that Tom no longer loves her and is having an affair with another woman, but despite all of this, Daisy has no intention of leaving him (20). This is because Tom, despite no longer fulfilling her emotionally, is still better for her financially and socially than if she left him to live alone. If Daisy wants to stay in her class, she has no option other than to stay with Tom. When Daisy finally sees Gatsby again, she suddenly has another option besides staying with Tom. Daisy knows that Gatsby has true feelings of love towards her, but leaving Tom would prove to be risky as it could tarnish her reputation and by extension her social stability. Daisy is now struggling between taking a risk for love and maintaining a safe, stable life she is ultimately unhappy

    Read More

  • The Girls of Fitzgerald

    1376 Words  | 3 Pages

    The great Gatsby gives us an accurate insight into the 1920s zeitgeist regarding the role of women in society. America was in a state of an economic boom and rapid change. Society had become less conservative after world war one. The role of women was revolutionary during this time and although women had a lot more freedom now; they were still confined to their sexist role within society; Men were still seen as the dominant gender. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the extremities of gender and social class, and the lack of independence this brought upon women. This essay will discuss the three major female characters and the ideas that Fitzgerald confronts of female stereotypes of the 1920s.

    Read More

  • Women In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men” (Joseph Conrad). In the Novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the wife of George Wilson, Myrtle, has been cheating with the married man Tom Buchanan. From time to time they escape to an apartment Tom owns, behind each of their spouses backs. As time goes on Daisy, Tom’s wife, obtains the knowledge from Jordan that her previous lover is just across the bay and waiting to see her again. Daisy begins going behind Tom’s back with Jay Gatsby, tangling the characters in a mess of relationships. Throughout the book, women take important roles and change the story, even ultimately leading to Gatsby’s death.

    Read More

  • Archetypes Of Women In The Great Gatsby

    1399 Words  | 3 Pages

    With the increasing popularity of female-oriented post-secondary education, the growing number of women working outside the home in professional occupations and the newly granted right to suffrage, women directly challenged the traditional notions of American Womanhood in the 1920’s. In just seventy one years since the Seneca Falls Convention, feminists in America accomplished sweeping changes for women politically, economically, and socially. Attempting to reconcile the changing concept of womanhood with more traditional female roles, male writers often included depictions of this “New Woman” in their novels. Frequently, the male writers of the Progressive Era saw the New Woman as challenging the very fabric of society and, subsequently, included

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Reality Analysis

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the climax of the fight, while arguing with Jay, Tom states ”You’re crazy!’ he exploded’ I can’t speak about what happened five years ago because I didn’t know Daisy then’[...] and she loves me now’(Fitzgerald 131).Although, Tom isn’t the one who should be talking about “relationship”, he brought up a strong valid point. Tom didn’t know Daisy that much and got married months after Gatsby left for war. Daisy didn’t want to wait for him to return and knew he was still in Europe. She wasn’t interested in Gatsby anymore, but Tom. In search for agreement, Gatsby walked over to Daisy and says” ‘ Daisy, that’s all over now,’ he said earnestly ‘It doesn’t matter anymore, just tell him the truth - that you never loved him and it all wiped out forever.’[...] ‘why how could I love him- possibly?’ ‘ You never loved him’ ”(Fitzgerald 139). Daisy won’t be able to wipe all that out of her memories. Of course, she had to loved tom at some point of their marriage. They had a child and been through so much. When the chaos was over and before Gatsby and Daisy left the room, Gatsby ”began to talk excitedly to Daisy, denying everything, defending his name against accusations that had not been made .But with every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away[...] The voice begged again to’

    Read More

  • Emergence of Women in the Great Gatsby

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the 1920’s, the role women had under men was making a drastic change, and it is shown in The Great Gatsby by two of the main female characters: Daisy and Jordan. One was domesticated and immobile while the other was not. Both of them portray different and important characteristics of the normal woman growing up in the 1920’s. The image of the woman was changing along with morals. Females began to challenge the government and the society. Things like this upset people, especially the men. The men were upset because this showed that they were losing their long-term dominance over the female society.

    Read More

  • Gatsby Essay

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are very similar; they are both put in the position of being with Daisy. Gatsby tries to win her over while her husband, Tom, tries to turn her away from Jay Gatsby in order to have her for himself. However, despite the fact that they are both very wealthy, well settled and living very luxurious lives Daisy chooses to be with Tom over her long lost love; Gatsby, because she and he are better suited for e...

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in The Great Gatsby

    1299 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gender Roles: In some respects, Fitzgerald writes about gender roles in a quite conservative manner. In his novel, men work to earn money for the maintenance of the women. Men are dominant over women, especially in the case of Tom, who asserts his physical strength to subdue them. The only hint of a role reversal is in the pair of Nick and Jordan. Jordan's androgynous name and cool, collected style masculinize her more than any other female character. However, in the end, Nick does exert his dominance over her by ending the relationship. The women in the novel are an interesting group, because they do not divide into the traditional groups of Mary Magdalene and Madonna figures, instead, none of them are pure. Myrtle is the most obviously sensual, but the fact that Jordan and Daisy wear white dresses only highlights their corruption.

    Read More

  • The portrayal of women in The Great Gatsby

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the start of the book we can see that women in the book are

    Read More

  • Daisy Buchanan Manipulation Essay

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    Her only profession is finding ways to keep her husband satisfied. So, that he should procure whatever she currently desires. The constant state of leisure that surrounds her everyday life gets too boring for Daisy. She seeks new, exciting, and passionate beginnings in her life. After all, Daisy Buchannan always gets what she wants. When Jay Gatsby finds himself reacquainted with his lost love, Daisy takes this opportunity to entertain her presently dull lifestyle. Their escapades all suited Daisy, until Gatsby presented Daisy with an ultimatum. She had to tell Tom she never loved him, and then she can run away to live happily with a man who adores her. The idea seemed romantic, until Tom caught on to Daisy’s deception. Of course he would still want her, and he made a few convincing arguments to keep Daisy from leaving him. Daisy left for the Buchannan’s house with Gatsby feeling conflicted and confused about Tom’s promise of a better marriage. In her disgruntled state, Daisy wound up killing Tom’s mistress in a hit-and-run car accident, a true show of irony. She didn’t even stop to see if the person she hit was alright, and she honestly didn’t care. Daisy continued her way home, because her relationship was more important than the death of a human

    Read More

  • Attitude Towards Women In The Great Gatsby

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tom Buchanan and George Wilson have plenty in common with their attitude pertaining towards women in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald throughout the entire novel gives the audience an insight on his thoughts about the nature of man. Fitzgerald portrays men often treating women harshly throughout his novel. For example, there are many violent acts towards women, a constant presence of dominance, and also ironically Tom and Georges over reactions to being cheated on.

    Read More

  • Daisy And Gatsby Forbidden Love

    341 Words  | 1 Pages

    Daisy and Gatsby spend five years away from each other and when they get back together, the circumstances change. Daisy gets married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby has no option except for grabbing Daisy’s attention. The love that the readers realize is passionate however this love changes into a forbidden one because Daisy is now married. Gatsby tries his best to convince Daisy that everything will go back like they used to, but she doesn’t seem to agree. The past cannot be repeated. Tom sees the love between Daisy and Gatsby but he does not say anything until the right time. The circumstances that are happening to both Daisy and Gatsby make their love forbidden. As much as Gatsby is very rich, he does not seem to be enough because he’s new money

    Read More

  • Daisy’s Corruption of the American Dream

    638 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout “The Great Gatsby,” corruption is evident through the people within it. However, we discover with Daisy, initially believed to be a victim of her husband’s corruption—we find she is the eye of the storm. In the story, the reader feels sorry for Daisy, the victim in an arranged marriage, wanting her to find the happiness she seemingly longed for with Gatsby. Ultimately we see Daisy for what she is, a truly corrupt soul; her languish and materialistic lifestyle, allowing Gatsby to take the blame for her foolish action of killing Myrtle, and feigning the ultimate victim as she “allows” Tom to take her away from the unsavory business she has created. Daisy, the definitive picture of seeming innocence is the most unforeseen, therefore, effective image of corruption—leading to a good man’s downfall of the American Dream.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Feminist Analysis

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Mark Twain once declared, “What would men be without women…” This quote is clearly illustrated in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless masterpiece The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is the tragic love story of a poor man who falls in love with a rich girl and spends the rest of his life getting rich to impress her; however, in the end he dies alone without his love fulfilled. Although Fitzgerald’s novel is mainly androcentric, he uses several females each unique in their personalities to highlight the male characters, and to show that although people may have different desires, motivations, and needs they are not that different from each other.

    Read More

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Expression of Temptation, Deceitfulness, and Jealousy in The Great Gatsby

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    The novel The Great Gatsby displays deceitfulness in many of its characters. The deceit brings many of the characters to their downfall. Gatsby had the greatest downfall of them all due to the fact it took his life. In The Great Gatsby , “ Gatsby goes to spectacular lengths to try to achieve what Nick calls ‘his incorruptible dream’ to recapture the past by getting Daisy Buchannan love” (Sutton). Gatsby always had an infatuation with Daisy, Jordan Baker said,”Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (Fitzgerald 83). Gatsby and Daisy did have a past together. While Jordan was golfing, “The Officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at sometime[…]His name was Jay Gatsby and I didn’t lay eyes on him for over four years-even after I’d met him in long island I didn’t realize it was the same man” (Fitzgerald 80). Daisy is now in an abusive relationship with Tom Buchannan, “Nick Carraway attends a small publicly blames Tom for the bruise on her knuckle” (Sutton). When they meet again Gatsby showers Daisy with love and affection, wanting her to leave her husband Tom, but she does not want to in their society. Tom and Gatsby get into an argument and tom tells Daisy about Gatsby’s bootlegging that brought him to his riches. Tom yelled, “He a...

    Read More

More about Expectations Of Women In The Great Gatsby

Open Document