The Role Of Jordan Baker In The Great Gatsby

As the Roaring ‘20s swung into action after World War I, the role of the average woman started its monumental evolution. After the war, many women began to withdraw from their household duties and were captivated by the idea of having a lavish and carefree lifestyle. This lifestyle, also known as The American Dream, varied from person to person. Most strived for wealth and expensive luxuries, while others sought to find true love and start a family. The variations of this dream can be seen through the lives of Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson. Each of the ladies have different attitudes towards men as well as different goals and aspirations for their lives. In his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses influential,

independent female characters to show how women can take advantage of their circumstances in order to obtain their personal desires.
Daisy Buchanan, who lives on East Egg with her husband, Tom, is captivated by her life of riches; yet, throughout the story, Daisy faces internal adversity as she decides between her feelings of love, which provides her with happiness, or her grand lifestyle, which yields emotional poverty. Due to Tom’s abundance of wealth that has been passed from generation to generation, the Buchanans are labeled as “Old Money,” and, although Daisy is also wealthy, she still uses Tom as a financial backbone to support the cost of her lifestyle. Nick, the narrator, describes Tom and Daisy as “careless people . . . [who] smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money . . . and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald 125). This description is vital to comprehending the extent to which Tom and Daisy are influenced by their wealth. Additionally, this statement insinuates that Tom and Daisy are entitled. Often, this cloud of entitlement that surrounds Daisy causes readers to overlook the great amount of power that she holds as a female character. As Tom’s wife, and also as Gatsby’s love interest, Daisy has the power to not only decide her own fate, but she also gets to decide the fate of the two men. However, while Daisy is more powerful than some might think, due to her adaptation to her social standing, Daisy’s actions are corrupted by the idea of her American Dream, which entails of a careless and luxurious life. At the end of the story, as Daisy vanishes “into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby,” the reader can see that Daisy is not afraid to sacrifice her own happiness in order to gain her dream of wealth (Fitzgerald 102). Furthermore, while many during this time believe that a woman is meant to tend to the needs of her family, The American Dream changes this, as women like Daisy stray from their traditional roles and become unfaithful towards their families, striving for their own personal aspirations (Samkanashvili). This unfaithfulness is demonstrated as Daisy finds love through her affair with her old lover and current neighbor, Jay Gatsby. While visiting Mr. Gatsby, Daisy breaks out into a fit of sobs saying, “They’re such beautiful shirts . . . It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such -- such beautiful shirts before” (Fitzgerald 64). While it seems like Daisy is crying out in awe of Mr. Gatsby’s shirts, in reality, Daisy has realized that she truly loves Mr. Gatsby and knows that she cannot be with him due to his lack of financial stability. Although one might think that both Gatsby and Tom truly love Daisy, unfortunately, as a female, Daisy is objectified by the two men; both see her as an object, as a prize to be won. Tom sees Daisy for her social status and for the extra wealth that she can bring him. Meanwhile, Gatsby sees Daisy as his American Dream as he searches for true love. Additionally, both of the men yearn to have Daisy because of her prestige and desirability among other men (Fischle). As a bootlegger, Gatsby is used to acquiring items immorally and illegally, and Daisy is no different; Gatsby is determined to get her, no matter how unethical it may be. Nick further clarifies this by explaining that Gatsby “despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses” (Fitzgerald 102). Therefore, as Daisy has the power to choose between Tom and Gatsby, she thinks selfishly, choosing Tom because he can offer her financial security, and, consequently, she leaves both Gatsby and herself heartbroken. Because of her position in this situation, Daisy is a strong and dynamic character within the story whose authority over the men is neglected by readers because of the stereotypes placed on her because of her gender and social status; this description of Daisy can also be applied to her close friend, Jordan.
Jordan Baker, the well-known professional golfer from Louisville, who is also Nick’s love interest, defies the traditional idea of femininity and utilizes her independence to achieve personal prosperity as she symbolizes the revolutionized woman of the 1920s.

Jordan is first introduced when Nick goes to visit his cousin Daisy. When Nick walks into the room, Jordan is “extended full length at her end of the divan, completely motionless, and with her chin raised a little” (Fitzgerald 6). Jordan’s confidence radiates from this position, causing Nick to exclaim that he is “almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her by coming in” (Fitzgerald 6). This is ironic and humorous because as the guest, Nick should not feel like he has to apologize for his presence. Then, later at dinner, when Nick is properly introduced to Jordan, he realizes that he does, indeed, know who she is, and he knows her story; Jordan is known for moving “her ball from a bad lie in the semi-final round . . . [and is] incurably dishonest” (Fitzgerald 40). Yet, Jordan’s actions have no consequences, as the scandal is overlooked. Likewise, Jordan’s daring actions do not only apply to her sportsmanship, they also apply to her relationships-- or lack of. Jordan’s fame and career allow her to have the financial independence to do what she pleases, including traveling and partying with several different sexual partners (Froehlich). The extent of her sexual encounters is illustrated when Jordan calls Tom at work. When the phone rings, Nick states, “It was Jordan Baker; she often called me up at this hour because the uncertainty of her own movements between hotels and clubs and private houses made her hard to find” (Fitzgerald 108). This further affirms that Jordan does not concern herself with staying loyal to a man, but, rather, she does what she pleases, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Furthermore, Jordan’s inconsistent lifestyle also applies to her friendships. Jordan is

aware of who Tom is having an affair with, and, yet, she refrains from telling Daisy, even though they are best friends (Samkanashvili). This further aids the reader in comprehending Jordan’s intentions in life, as she lives selfishly and does not consider others’ feelings. Even though many view Jordan as a prime example of a fully developed 1920’s lady, Jordan’s physical appearance sets her apart from other females of the time. While many women of the time are seen as dainty and fragile, because of her career, Jordan is described as having a “hard, jaunty body” (Fitzgerald 40). Nevertheless, despite all of the factors that make her one of the most independent characters in the story, because of her gender, readers seem to judge her actions more harshly than the men’s actions. However, Jordan continues to strive towards her dreams in life and does not let the harsh judgment of those around her affect her; Jordan simply does not care, and she makes sure that others are aware of her disinterest of their opinion. When talking with Nick after a few years of seeing each other, Jordan tells Nick, “I don’t give a damn about you now, but it was a new experience for me, and I felt a little dizzy for a while” (Fitzgerald 123). This statement is powerful as Jordan openly shares her distaste towards Nick without fear of his reaction. It is because of statements and actions like these that women nowadays are more respected within society. As a result of the empowering actions of women like Jordan, females have learned to stand up for themselves and to do what makes them happy, no matter what others think. Alternatively, Jordan’s acquaintance, Myrtle, struggles with her independence and is stuck within the stereotypical confines of her feminine role.