Gatsby Gender roles Flashcards
‘threw her shoulders back like a young cadet.’
By describing Jordan as a soldier, Nick presents her as strong willed and worthy of respect. Both soldiers and these traits are associated with the typical characteristics of men. Implies Jordans positive traits are synonymous with men.
‘Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply.’
Implies that Jordan’s positive traits are synonymous with women. A women can only be respected if she behaves like a man, even then she is ridiculed or seen as needing controlling.
‘bright passionate mouth’
‘I hope she’ll be a fool, that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’
Daisy is highly sexualised throughout the novel, and also portrayed as vacuous, this was considered attractive during the 1920s, women were objectified, link to lost generation, moral decay and context Zelda
Marius Bewley
‘an emptiness which we see curdling in to the viciousness of moral indifference’…….can be supported with the quotation ‘they were careless people, Tom and Daisy, they smashed up things and creatures.’ Suggests a vacuous nature can develop in to a malicious disregard for mortality, results in the death of Myrtle
Sarah Fryer
‘does feel, she has suffered, and her desire for her daughter to be a fool is a desire to shelter her from the pain she herself has experienced.’ The quotation also supports the argument that Daisy is a victim of societal oppression, expected to be obedient to her husband and restricted from making important life decisions.
’Your wife doesn’t love you,’ said Gatsby. ‘She’s never loved you. She loves me.’”
” Gatsby and Tom argue over Daisy’s affection as if it their decision, without even mentioning her by name. Instead they reference her by her gender, ‘she’. The use of ‘your’ shows how Daisy and other women of the time were treated as property, belonging to their husbands. This links to the materialistic nature of America at the time, contributing to a capitalist society and adding to the novels running theme of the American dream.
“…the dispute ended in a short struggle, and both wives were lifted, kicking into the night.”
can be used to support the claim that Tom Buchanan is a product of his time . His desperation for power and control is a side effect of the materialistic and capitalist society. Tom can only derive satisfaction from relationships in which he has control and power. He enjoys being the source of Myrtle’s happiness, presenting her with gifts and money and buying her a puppy, however he equally enjoys having the ability to take these things away from her. Breaking her nose
‘carries her flesh sensuously’
Myrtle is presented as constantly seeking independence. Her tendency to flaunt her sexuality and engage in adulterous behaviour is suggestive of a rebellion against the constraints of society’s expectations.
“’I’ve got my wife locked in up there,’ explained Wilson calmly. ‘She’s going to stay there till the day after to-morrow, and then we’re going to move away.’” Myrtle cannot leave her room or choose where to live, depriving her of her freedom, and her desperation to escape this oppression ultimately results in her death.
Myrtle cannot leave her room or choose where to live, depriving her of her freedom, and her desperation to escape this oppression ultimately results in her death.
‘There was something gorgeous about him’
an adjective more commonly used to describe women, and he possesses many attributes that could be considered typically feminine. For example, his care over his appearance and his fondness for expensive clothing such as the English silk shirts.
‘extraordinary gift for hope.’
Gatsby is romantically portrayed as a tragic hero, desperately seeking Daisy’s affection. Though all tragic heroes have a hamartia, and Gatsby’s is his unachievable determination to repeat the past. This obsession ultimately leads to Gatsby’s attempt to control Daisy and pressure her into telling Tom she never loved him. Consequently, even the “hero” of the story contributed to the representation of gender inequality during the 20s.
