Fitzgerald's Portrayal Of Women In The Great Gatsby

Words: 1080
Pages: 5

The Great Gatsby is based on the 1920s. It was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald wrote the novel to describe what the time period was like. He uses Gatsby’s parties to demonstrate how wild the nation was during the decade. He also demonstrates the importance of wealth during the time. Women in the 1920s experienced an extraordinary outbreak. They developed a new morality and glorified youth. They became more independent by joining the workforce. Along with these things, they also developed a new sense of style. Women in this type period began wearing bob haircuts, dresses an inch above the knee, makeup, and panty-holes. The women dressed as previously described were called Flappers. Prohibition started in the early 1920s. It banned …show more content…
One example is how he portrays new money and old money. Old money is money that has been inherited. In the novel, old money lived in East Egg. They are more conservative with their money and not as flashy. They do whatever they want to without fear of being judged. People with old money were Daisy, Tom, and Jordan. New money is money that has been recently earned. It is more compassionate and open to the lower class. New money also desires the approval of old money people. They live in West Egg in the novel. Nate and Gatsby are examples who live West Egg. Gatsby demonstrates his compassion to the lower class through his openness of home parties. He was flashy with his cars and parties to attempt to prove his worth. Another point that Fitzgerald provides is that you cannot cheat your way to the American dream. The American dream is to one day be rich. Myrtle tries to cheat the dream by having an affair with Tom. She has everything that could want for a while until it all catches up to her and she gets hit by a car and dies. His next point is that money cannot buy you love, friendship, or happiness. Love is demonstrated through Gatsby’s obsession to win Daisy over again. He works his way after the war to become rich so that Daisy will love him again. When he is finally with her again, she goes back to Tom after she hits Myrtle and kills her. Gatsby is surrounded by people all of the time …show more content…
In Tom and Daisy’s relationship, they were both unfaithful. Tom had an affair with Myrtle while Daisy had an affair with Gatsby. Their relationship was also based on money and not love. On the day of their wedding, Daisy was drunk and was willing to not marry Tom but changed her mind when she began to admire the necklace he got her. Myrtle and Tom’s relationship was also based on money, but she loved him too. The relationship was only about sex and power for him. It was demonstrated when Myrtle died and he did not care too much. Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship was just based on what happened in the past. Gatsby is obsessed with her, but she only likes him because he is now rich, his social gain, and because of the attention she gets from it. It is demonstrated by when she makes Tom jealous in the hotel room. Nick and Jordan’s relationship was just based on social class so it was convenient for them to be