Roles Of Women In The Great Gatsby

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For the first time ever in America, during the 1920s, a shift in the gender norms occurred. The ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women’s suffrage, marked the decade with a breakdown of the traditions governing women. This feminist movement aimed to overcome sexism, however it was accompanied by the unintended consequence of creating just another standard women felt pressured to conform. Meanwhile a profound novel, The Great Gatsby, recognized the rapidly changing social dynamic. A variety of taboos are exposed throughout the novel in order to accurately reflect the era, such as impractical parties, drinking, and the new woman ideology. The female characters, in particular, struggle throughout the novel to maintain their identity …show more content…
However, the pressure on women in the elitist class to uphold tradition was especially high. This is mostly because, as Yancey points out, “many conservative Americans preferred the earlier customs and opposed shocking manners of the younger generation” (Yancey 35). Early in the novel Daisy’s identity is reduced to her husband, a phenomenon not uncommon in the earlier decades. If she hopes to maintain status, she must seek security in a man of equal, or preferably greater, status for survival among old wealth. As Fälth explains, marrying Jay Gatsby, the man she is in love with originally, but is unable to pursue a relationship because he, “does not generate a social status that is similar to Daisy’s...In the end, Fitzgerald acknowledges the influence background has on human relationships. Daisy is an example of this as she chooses to commit to her, in her society, high social status instead of a life with Gatsby” (Fälth 23). Furthermore, Daisy was raised to be a southern belle, or a golden girl, made by her family in their image. She’s a direct result of her environment and the men that love her, a …show more content…
However, the changes the revolution pushed for was important, nonetheless. While women faced hostility from all sides, and dealt with failure, they finally received an active role deciding their lives, instead of an often passive role as in the past. Gender was used as a divide in society for such a long time, so it isn’t unusual that fear struck Americans as the power dynamic men had over women diluted. Today, sexism, while it still exists, has no where near the same presence because women no longer face an extreme pressure to fit into one certain category. Women are able to pursue a career and have children at the same time, without having to conform to a stereotype. Therefore, gender becomes less of a controlling factor when people focus on finding empowerment from their own identity rather than the gender roles surrounding American
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