Examples Of Sexism In The Great Gatsby

1095 Words3 Pages

Justin Borden
Mrs. Donaldson
English III Honors
18 May 2018
Sexism in The Great Gatsby Since the beginning of time, women have been subjected to sexism by their male counterparts. This has been a problem in not only society, but in literature. For example, in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald is continuously demeaning towards women. In a time full of advancements for women and their rights, F. Scott Fitzgerald presents his own sexism as well as the sexism of the 1920s in The Great Gatsby by portraying powerful women as the stereotypes set by society at the time, making them appear to be less valuable than men, and depicting them as fragile. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald portrays women in a negative and demeaning way, which …show more content…

This is most prevalent through the characters Daisy and Myrtle. According to the Encyclopedia of American Literature, characters Nick feels that women are reckless and do not take accountability for their actions, thus making the women more fragile than men. Fitzgerald reveals his thoughts regarding what is happening in the novel through the words and actions of Nick; therefore, this is Fitzgerald saying that he thinks that women are fragile and incapable of accepting the consequences for their actions. Later on Gatsby recalls that when Myrtle runs out into the road: “Daisy stepped on it. I tried to make her stop, but she couldn’t” (Fitzgerald 143). This serves as a perfect example for Fitzgerald’s belief that women are fragile and do not take accountability for their actions. In the heat of the moment Daisy hits someone with a car and speeds off without giving it a second thought, implying that she could not handle her emotions after the fight with Tom. This ideology that women are incapable of handling their emotions due to their fragility is yet another way that Fitzgerald reveals his own …show more content…

“The Great Gatsby.” The Great Gatsby, Chelsea House, 2006. Bloom's Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=101204&itemid=WE54&articleId=2089. Accessed 15 May 2018. Bruccoli, Matthew J. “Daisy Fay Buchanan.” Student's Encyclopedia of American Literary Characters, Facts On File, 2008. Bloom's Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=101204&itemid=WE54&articleId=94477. Accessed 16 May 2018. Fitzgerald, F S. The great Gatsby. Richmond, Surrey: Alma Classics, 2016. Print. Samkanashvili, Maia. “The Role of Women in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.” Citeseerc.ist, citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1026.7731&rep=rep1&type=pdf. Siddiqui, Mohammad. “Portrayal of Women in The Great Gatsby and The Castle of Otranto.” Dergipark.gov, dergipark.gov.tr/download/article-file/207680. Strong, Rebecca. “The Great Gatsby.” Student's Encyclopedia of Great American Writers, Volume 3, Facts On File, 2010. Bloom's Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=101204&itemid=WE54&articleId=480657. Accessed 17 May

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