The Great Gatsby Feminist Lens Essay

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Kayla Sullivan Mrs. Frantzen 11 Honors English 25 March 2024 Misogyny Before the Sun Before the sun's rising, the darkness of night must come, but only through the progression of time can this change in the world occur. The Great Gatsby, written by Scott Fitzgerald, provides a very limited view into the lives of New York's upper class in the 1920s, a dark time for women before the rising dawn of feminism. Historically, women were not treated equally or given the same opportunities as men. A feminist lens highlights how Fitzgerald portrays women as inadequate to men through Myrtle's values, Jordan's status, and Daisy's dependence. In a story written by a man, the female characters are given very stereotypical desires. Myrtle is first introduced …show more content…

On Nick's first night in his new home, he is invited to the Buchanan's house for dinner. It is there that he dines with Tom, Daisy's husband, and sits idly while Tom contacts his mistress only a few rooms away from his wife. Daisy is visibly upset with this common occurrence and eventually leaves the room. When Daisy returns, although seemingly forced, a smile is once again visible on her delicate face. She sits at the table and proclaims, “I looked outdoors for a minute, and it’s very romantic outdoors. There’s a bird on the lawn that I think must be a nightingale coming over on the Cunard or White Star Line. He’s singing away ——”(Fitzgerald 15). Daisy uses this irrelevant topic as a means to hide her turmoil behind a mask of indifference and conversations. Without Tom, she has nothing and can not support herself if he leaves. This dependence leaves her helplessly chained to an unsatisfying life of misery and anguish. When the dinner with the Buchanans comes to a close, Nick finds his cousin outside. Under an open sky and unhidden by a mask of calm grace, Daisy finally reveals how she feels. In regards to her future child, Daisy tells Nick, “I’m glad it’s a

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