Influence of Women in The Great Gatsby
Female Great Gatsby Journal
Though the Great Gatsby is a male dominated book, there are a few women who have great influences. Daisy Buchannan is the main female character, having romantic relations with both Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Myrtle Wilson is a woman who is married to a hardworking man, but she remained unfaithful throughout the length of the novel. Lastly, Jordan Baker is probably the least mentioned woman but had an equally important role as the others. Fitzgerald used the development of the three women to further the plot and theme of the book and show the treatment and role of women in that society at that time. Daisy Buchannan is introduced in the first chapter at a gathering in her home. Nick describes her as a rich and confident wife. She even calls herself “sophisticated” (Gatsby 17). But she is treated as the lesser of her husband; her face is “sad and lovely” (Gatsby 9) due to being constantly interrupted and her comments pushed aside. As the evening goes on, Daisy begins to appear more unconfident than she thinks she is, naming places she had been to impress Nick. Even when asked about her daughter she describes that she hopes that she would grow up to be “a beautiful little fool” (Gatsby 17). Though she acts like this fact was the normal place for a female, her disposition is shown to want this to be different, showing that even in the lives of the rich and wealthy, women are still treated as lesser individuals.
She, unlike the other characters, has monumental descriptions, sometimes spanning paragraphs. But instead of focusing on her physical appearance, Fitzgerald draws attention to things such as her voice, calling it “a wild tonic in the rain…following the sound up and down before any words came through” (Gatsby 85). When she goes to wash her face, Nick says “with humiliation of [his] towels” (Gatsby 89) Even in everyday conversations, Daisy is ignored, not because she is woman but because of her beauty. Fitzgerald puts these
Though the Great Gatsby is a male dominated book, there are a few women who have great influences. Daisy Buchannan is the main female character, having romantic relations with both Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Myrtle Wilson is a woman who is married to a hardworking man, but she remained unfaithful throughout the length of the novel. Lastly, Jordan Baker is probably the least mentioned woman but had an equally important role as the others. Fitzgerald used the development of the three women to further the plot and theme of the book and show the treatment and role of women in that society at that time. Daisy Buchannan is introduced in the first chapter at a gathering in her home. Nick describes her as a rich and confident wife. She even calls herself “sophisticated” (Gatsby 17). But she is treated as the lesser of her husband; her face is “sad and lovely” (Gatsby 9) due to being constantly interrupted and her comments pushed aside. As the evening goes on, Daisy begins to appear more unconfident than she thinks she is, naming places she had been to impress Nick. Even when asked about her daughter she describes that she hopes that she would grow up to be “a beautiful little fool” (Gatsby 17). Though she acts like this fact was the normal place for a female, her disposition is shown to want this to be different, showing that even in the lives of the rich and wealthy, women are still treated as lesser individuals.
She, unlike the other characters, has monumental descriptions, sometimes spanning paragraphs. But instead of focusing on her physical appearance, Fitzgerald draws attention to things such as her voice, calling it “a wild tonic in the rain…following the sound up and down before any words came through” (Gatsby 85). When she goes to wash her face, Nick says “with humiliation of [his] towels” (Gatsby 89) Even in everyday conversations, Daisy is ignored, not because she is woman but because of her beauty. Fitzgerald puts these