The Great Gatsby Female Charcters
Discuss how the female characters are presented in the first four chapters
Myrtle Wilson, Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchannan are three important protagonists in the novel, The Great Gatsby. Through the contradicting wealth and prosperity of the eggs and the valley of the ashes, they significantly highlight the different attitudes of women of different social statuses in the ‘roaring 20’s’.
Living in an ‘elaborate’ colonial mansion’ Daisy Buchannan is presented as being wealthy, delicate and subtly pretentious. The ostentatious house she lives in immediately gives the reader an insight to her character that not only is she a perfectionist, but grand as well as imposing. The interior appears to be a reflection of Daisy’s womanhood and femininity as it is described as being ‘bright rose – coloured’ as well as containing ‘deep pungent roses’. Being dressed’ in all ‘white’ perhaps could signify daisy’s ‘purity’ and innocence, the author continues to elude to her having an angel – like aura by describing her dress’ fluttering and rippling’ as well as her ‘drifting’ round. Not only could this be interpreted as a representation of her delicacy, but it could also have spiritual connotations; that in fact she is not real and truly living life. Instead she is a presence spectating on life, watching the time pass by. The verb choice ‘drifting’ suggests that she is looking for something long lost that will never be found and it is at this point where we begin to pity her and see in fact she is a dimensional character with many sides to be revealed.
As the novel continues to unfold, there are subtle hints that make the reader doubt weather Daisy is fully content in life when she is described as being ‘saddened’ and this cheerful ‘paralysed with happiness’ persona in fact is just an illusion. This alludes to the idea which makes us question whether it is just a facade and she is playing a role, and lives to live up to Tom’s expectations. It becomes clear that her life lacks
Myrtle Wilson, Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchannan are three important protagonists in the novel, The Great Gatsby. Through the contradicting wealth and prosperity of the eggs and the valley of the ashes, they significantly highlight the different attitudes of women of different social statuses in the ‘roaring 20’s’.
Living in an ‘elaborate’ colonial mansion’ Daisy Buchannan is presented as being wealthy, delicate and subtly pretentious. The ostentatious house she lives in immediately gives the reader an insight to her character that not only is she a perfectionist, but grand as well as imposing. The interior appears to be a reflection of Daisy’s womanhood and femininity as it is described as being ‘bright rose – coloured’ as well as containing ‘deep pungent roses’. Being dressed’ in all ‘white’ perhaps could signify daisy’s ‘purity’ and innocence, the author continues to elude to her having an angel – like aura by describing her dress’ fluttering and rippling’ as well as her ‘drifting’ round. Not only could this be interpreted as a representation of her delicacy, but it could also have spiritual connotations; that in fact she is not real and truly living life. Instead she is a presence spectating on life, watching the time pass by. The verb choice ‘drifting’ suggests that she is looking for something long lost that will never be found and it is at this point where we begin to pity her and see in fact she is a dimensional character with many sides to be revealed.
As the novel continues to unfold, there are subtle hints that make the reader doubt weather Daisy is fully content in life when she is described as being ‘saddened’ and this cheerful ‘paralysed with happiness’ persona in fact is just an illusion. This alludes to the idea which makes us question whether it is just a facade and she is playing a role, and lives to live up to Tom’s expectations. It becomes clear that her life lacks