Reading “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Introduction
The Women of the 1920s
Over the decades following the Civil War, the United States became an industrial powerhouse with the introduction of mass production. Industrialization encouraged more women to join the workforce outside their homes. During World War I, about 4.8 million Americans served in the war, and women took on jobs that men had left behind, such as working in factories, serving as nurses, and managing farms. By 1920, 20% of American Women worked outside their homes.
As more women stepped out of their domestic roles, they reevaluated their rights and demanded gender equality. Women spoke out about social issues they experienced, such as domestic violence and drinking, and formed organizations to fight for their right to vote. If women contributed to the economy just like men, they deserved a voice in political decisions. Their efforts paid off when the United States granted women suffrage on August 18, 1920.
The 1920s, the Rolling ’20s, represents a philosophical and cultural change. Industrialization made many electric appliances available to people and encouraged a materialistic society. As more women entered the labor force, they started redefining their roles and possibilities. Women, like flappers, challenged traditional gender roles and rebelled against ideas of marriage, family expectations, and parental control. Flappers became famous in cities like New York for their bold fashion statements. They wore shorter skirts and bobbed hair and challenged old-fashioned norms. These women symbolized the idea of independence, showing that women could have more possibilities in life.
The women in The Great Gatsby show what life was like during that time. They have unclear morals and are part of the story to show how people care more about money and things than doing what is right. Women seemed more independent than ever. At the same time, they also show the limits women faced in society and the economy. Women’s independence seemed also an illusion. In this blog, I’ll talk about their roles in the book and how they affect the story of The Great Gatsby.
Feminine Power and Vulnerability
The rolling 20s was like a paradigm shift to women’s roles, although these changes were often more surface-level than deep. Many people still disagree with this progressive idea. So, traditional norms and systemic barriers still limit women’s social and economic freedoms. For most women, marriage continued to define their role in society. Women who pursued independence—whether by working, living on their own, or expressing sexual freedom—were often harshly judged and labeled as “immoral.” It was still difficult for women to break free from societal expectations.
The Roles of Women in The Great Gatsby
Daisy Buchanan’s Impact on Gatsby
Daisy Buchanan is portrayed as an antagonist in the book. She symbolizes Gatsby’s ultimate goal, the American dream, where wealth and love intertwine. She drives Gatsby’s ambition to acquire wealth and status. Even Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle and parties are all designed to win Daisy back. Yet, there was a problem. She was from a completely different social class from Gatsby’s and was already married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby sees her as perfection but is blind to her flaws and superficiality, resulting in his downfall and tragic death. Daisy represents Gatsby and his tragic idealism of the American Dream at the same time.
Daisy’s Materialism and Indecision
Daisy is portrayed as materialistic. Daisy doesn’t admire Gatsby; instead, she admires his rich, material possessions. She notices how his mansion looks “like a castle,” loves the beautiful gardens, and gets excited about the smells of flowers and the golden light around the house. She even cries over Gatsby’s shirts, but not because of Gatsby himself—just the luxury they represent. When Gatsby says that Daisy’s voice is “full of money” (p. 75), he sums her up perfectly.
Daisy values only wealth and the lifestyle it brings. In this way, she reflects the materialistic attitudes of many wealthy people in the 1920s.
Daisy comes from an old-money family, growing up surrounded by wealth and privilege. She doesn’t just have money—she almost is money in how she acts and values. For example, when Daisy visits Gatsby’s mansion for the first time, the narrator says, “Daisy came out of the house, and two rows of brass buttons on her dress gleamed in the sunlight” (p. 57). The way her buttons shine in the sun seems like a reminder that Daisy is all about wealth and luxury.
To understand Daisy’s inability to choose Gatsby, we need to think about what life was like for women in the 1920s. Even though women had gained the right to vote and were starting to enjoy more freedom in this era, they were still held back by strict traditional gender roles. Did Daisy genuinely have the option to live independently? She might have been unhappy in her marriage to Tom, but running away with Gatsby—a man with no actual social standing—would have been a huge social and financial risk.
Daisy might seem like she has power, but her life is shaped by her need for wealth and her place in high society. Her choice to stay with Tom shows how much she depends on financial security and how trapped she is by social expectations. While she seems charming and free, underneath it all, Daisy is stuck in a system where men hold the power and women must rely on them.
Emotional and Moral Impact:
Daisy’s inability to make a clear choice and her retreat to the comfort of wealth play a big part in Gatsby’s downfall. She can’t stand up to Tom or fully commit to Gatsby, which shows how empty and shallow Gatsby’s dream really is. Gatsby gives up everything for Daisy, even taking the blame for Myrtle’s death, showing how much his life is centered on a dream he can never truly have. In the end, Daisy runs back to her husband and the security of his money, leaving Gatsby behind.
The Relationship Difference Between Tom and Gatsby
Daisy’s relationship with Gatsby is about reliving the romance of the past, while her relationship with Tom is more like a practical marriage partnership. With Gatsby, Daisy seeks the excitement and thrill of love, but she finds the security and stability she needs with Tom. No matter how rich Gatsby becomes, he can never offer Daisy the sense of safety that Tom provides.
Daisy never seriously considers having a committed relationship with Gatsby. Her hesitation is evident in the book when it says, “She hesitated. Her eyes fell on Jordan and me with a sort of appeal, as though she realized at last what she was doing—and as though she had never, all along, intended doing anything at all” (p. 82). This moment shows that Daisy is unsure of her actions and unwilling to commit to Gatsby fully.
Jordan Baker’s Role
A Mirror to Nick’s Integrity
Jordan Baker has an exciting role in the book. She appears as a Foil to Nick. A foil is a literary device highlighting a particular quality or trait of other characters by contrast. Jordan’s modern independence and moral ambiguity contrast with Nick’s Midwestern values and his struggle with honesty. While Nick prides himself on being “honest” and reserved, Jordan’s deceitful, carefree attitude challenges his worldview. She exposes Nick’s internal conflict about his complicity in the moral failings of the people around him.
Foil to Gatsby
While Gatsby is idealistic and clings to the past, Jordan is pragmatic and lives entirely in the present. This makes her a subtle foil to Gatsby through her impact on Nick, who grows increasingly critical of Gatsby’s refusal to accept reality.
Romantic Influence
Nick and Jordan’s relationship is more casual. Jordan’s dispassionate approach to relationships contrasts with Gatsby’s obsessive love for Daisy, underscoring the futility of Gatsby’s dream. Their relationship is a smaller version of the novel’s bigger idea. Jordan’s independent attitude clashes with Nick’s mid-western traditional values. Ultimately, Nick feels that Jordan let him down, so he breaks up with her when he realizes how careless she is. Nick despises the selfish and immoral behavior of the wealthy people around him and leaves for the West.
Conclusion
Understanding Daisy and Jordan’s roles in this book is critical to understanding the author’s messages behind the story. Their impacts on Gatsby and Nick highlight the complexities of relationship society grappling with rapid social changes in the early 1920s United States.
Daisy motivates Gatsby’s rise, but she also exemplifies the emptiness of his dream. Jordan challenges Nick’s ideas by failing to inspire genuine growth or connection. These dynamics mirror the paradox of the 1920s: a time of progress and rebellion but also persistent inequality, particularly in the expectations and limitations placed on women. I cannot stop feeling Fitzgerald’s cynicism toward women’s independence and the American dream from the plot and the book’s characters.
Something You Want to Think About
The women in The Great Gatsby are judged more harshly than the men. When I first read the novel, I really disliked Daisy. However, this time around, it made me question my initial reaction. Daisy is criticized for her choices, yet Tom’s cheating and Gatsby’s illegal activities are often overlooked or even admired. This seems to reflect the hypocrisy of the 1920s when women’s freedoms were still restricted by a male-dominated society, even though they were making progress in other areas. I think these types of hypocrisy still exist in the world, and I am also a hypocrite for exercising double standards. Do you think this double standard still exists today? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
