Myrtle's Role In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is an exemplary tale that constitutes the roles women played in the 1920’s. The author demonstrates these positions very well, with the use of characters like Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, and Jordan Baker. These three characters are very important to the novel, but they aren’t as important to the society they lived in. The character that showed what women had to be in order to get by being a poser by the name of Myrtle.
Myrtle is an extraordinary example of a woman who not only lies to those she ‘loves’ but also to those who barely know her. Myrtle’s obtuseness is very apparent, especially when Nick, our main character, states that, “Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume some time before,” (Fitzgerald, 1930). Take particular

notice to the word costume, this word shows that Myrtle is superficial, that she cares so much about looking like socialite because she isn’t one.

Myrtle knows that in order to leave an impression on people she needs a man that’s rich, “… except his wife, who moved close to Tom.” (Fitzgerald, 1930). Myrtle is already married to someone, but because she knows that only socialite women get treated as if they exist, she migrates towards wealthy, men. Myrtle is an example of who people fear to be, but also of what women had to be because of gender inequality in the 20’s.
Daisy is Tom Buchanan’s wife and is faithful through most of the book, even though he doesn’t deserve it. Daisy is easily controlled by men, if only because of their money, and just a small amount of quotes from Daisy herself prove this, like when she told Nick what she said when her daughter was born, “ ‘… She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool--that's

the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’ " (Fitzgerald, 1930). Daisy said this because it was how she was taught by her husband and the prejudices she faces as a woman cause, not only her but other woman, to feel as though their lives and preferences have to be decided by men, especially men with money. Another instance when she proves just how money really does affect how she thinks is when Gatsby, Nick, and Daisy are looking through Gatsby’s shirts, she says, “ ‘They're such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. ‘It makes me sad because I've never seen such--such beautiful shirts before.’ ” (Fitzgerald, 1930). The only reason she’s with Tom is because he has money, he’s able to support her, so when she sees Gatsby’s shirts she realizes she doesn’t need Tom which is what causes her sob, she realizes she can be with someone who makes her happy, but she understands that the only reason she’s allowing herself to fall in love is because Gatsby has money, because as a woman she needs to be with a man who has money in order to get respect in society. Daisy is more than a pretty face, she’s an actress and she’s so good at it she’s convinced herself she’s happy with her life, until Gatsby reintroduces himself to her, Daisy is a spitting image of what women had to be in order to get respect.
Jordan Baker is a wonderful example of women who get what they want without having wealthy spouses. Jordan is a very complex character, who not only uses people but has been rumored to cheat, multiple times throughout the book. In fact, the only reason she isn’t as heavily judged by our narrator, Nick, is because, not only is she a woman, but she’s a beautiful woman.