Natalie Sicard

Expository Writing 110

Ms. Johnson

April, 27 2017

Breaking the Gender Stereotypes

The date is May 4th, 1920. A young woman and her brother have just turned 21. They are

both ready to start life out in the United States. What options do they have? The woman could be

just like her mother and marry a wealthy, upper class man that may treat her poorly. On the other

hand, the young woman could cut her hair into a short bob, buy a tight dress and become a

dancer on stage. The brother could become a wealthy business tycoon and live in a luxurious

mansion. Then the brother could marry a woman, but still not feel the need to commit to only

her. Will the young adults choose to follow one of these gender stereotypes, or create their own

personalities? F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, a novel about Nick Carraway, a man

who moves next door to Jay Gatsby; a rich socialite. Nick finds himself in the middle of a tragic

love story involving his cousin, Daisy and a few other main characters. The novel takes place in

the 1920s; when men and womens gender roles were being challenged all around the country.

Some think The Great Gatsby is only a romantic tale, but this is not a correct assumption. This

novel is a satire that comments on certain American ideals such as gender roles. The Great

Gatsby is a satire that references gender roles that were true to the real 1920s such as Flappers,

The Old Generation and wealthy males with poor views towards women.

Throughout the course of the 1920s, women were starting to develop a new, modern way

of living. Fitzgerald satirizes this Flapper personality that modern women were embracing
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throughout the course of The Great Gatsby through the eyes of Jordan Baker. Ms. Baker is apart

of this Flapper group in the 1920s. Jordan is a professional golfer, a career that women outside of

the Flapper group would never even think to pursue. Jordan is also very self-reliant; she is single

and doesnt take anything but respect from any man. She also displays the attitude of a Flapper in

this time period. She is very sassy and confident in herself and the things she is saying

throughout the duration of the dinner party. Secondly, when Nick seemingly disrespects Jordan,

she proceeds to stand up for herself and even insults Nick. Nevertheless you did throw me

over...I dont give a damn about you now, but it was a new experience for me, and I felt a little

dizzy for awhile. (Fitzgerald 177). Jordan makes it very clear that she wants respect from every

man, because she does indeed have it for herself. Fitzgerald does a fantastic job of satirizing and

relating Jordan Baker to a real Flapper in the 1920s. These Flappers wore less clothing and were

no longer avoiding drinking and smoking. Flappers were also intent on finding jobs that a

woman would not typically partake in. Some of these jobs included performers, athletes and

factory workers. The modern flapper was also known to have a sassy, independent attitude (The

Changing Role of American Women in the 1920s). Jordan Baker is a crucial character that

Fitzgerald uses to satirise gender roles (such as Flappers) in the 1920s and The Great Gatsby.

Other women in the 1920s, wanted to live a life of tradition, the same as past generations.

Fitzgerald satirizes this Old Generation way of living that women were sticking with through

the eyes of Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is apart of The Old Generation group in the 1920s. Daisy has

no job; instead she raises her daughter and acts as a housewife to her husband Tom. Tom has no

respect for Daisy as a person and yet she doesnt seem to care. When the couple is hosting a

dinner party, the guests discuss the fact that Tom is having an affair right in front of Daisys
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eyes. Daisy, on the other hand, pretends to be oblivious to the whole idea and refuses to confront

Tom. In addition to this, Daisy states to her cousin Nick that she hopes her daughter will grow up

to be just like herself. And I hope shell be a fool-thats the best thing a girl can be in this world,

a beautiful little fool. (Fitzgerald 17). This meaning that Daisy wants her daughter to be

gorgeous enough to snag a rich husband; ensuring that she will never have to work, only be a

housewife that makes her husband happy. Fitzgerald does a sensational job of satirizing and

relating Daisy Buchanan to someone apart of The Old Generation in the 1920s. The Old

Generation wanted life to follow the same traditions as it had been before the war. These women

typically didnt work; they were housewives and arm candy to their husbands. The Old

Generation didnt have any objectives in life other than to bear children (Rosenberg). Daisy

Buchanan is a critical character that Fitzgerald uses in The Great Gatsby to satirise gender roles

such as The Old Generation in the 1920s.

Male gender roles were quite different than those of women in the 1920s. Fitzgerald

satirizes the wealthy, entitled gender role that men displayed through the point of view of Jay

Gatsby. Gatsby is an extremely wealthy male who owns a mansion with dozens of people

catering to his every need. However, Gatsby did not come into his money in the most respectable

way, yet he still gets to live the life of a king without punishment. Gatsby also seems to think

that he can get whatever he wants; and that is not just referring to objects. Gatsby thinks that he

can obtain Daisy after five years of lost contact. He seems to think that anyone would be

begging to be his wife, so in turn he is doing Daisy a favor by marrying her. When Gatsby is

preparing to see Daisy for the first time in five years after ending on some questionable terms, he

thinks that putting on a big display will push her into his arms. Nick Carraway, (Gatsbys
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neighbor) comments on Gatsbys overdone display for Daisy: The flowers were

unnecessary...Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in.

(Fitzgerald 84). Yet when Daisy is unimpressed by the display, Gatsby is surprised when she

doesnt adorn him with kisses upon seeing him. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald continues to

saturate and relate Jay Gatsby to someone with his gender role in the 1920s. Men had more rights

than women; essentially saying that men held all power in the country during this time. A man

could select any job that he so desired. Once working, a man would make more money and

become more successful in his career than any woman ever would (Biris). Jay Gatsby found in

The Great Gatsby, is a character that Fitzgerald uses to satirise gender roles in the 1920s.

There is another male gender role that men in the 1920s displayed. Fitzgerald satirizes the

disrespectful, ignorant and abusive gender role that (the majority of) men displayed throughout

the point of view of Tom Buchanan. Tom is also a very wealthy man with an enormous piece of

land. In addition to this, he is married to Daisy and treats her with utter disrespect. Tom is having

an affair with Myrtle Wilson; but he doesnt put a lot of effort into trying to hide it. He has phone

conversations with his mistress in front of his wife and brings his cousin to have lunch with

Myrtle. Tom treats both his wife, Daisy, and his mistress, Myrtle like his property which he can

do whatever he wants with. He proceeds to only treat Daisy with an ounce of respect upon

realization that both of his women may be leaving him. Also, when Myrtle does something that

Tom doesnt like, he proceeds to punch Myrtle, breaking her nose. Nick Carraway proceeds to

describe the scene upon witnessing it: Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her

nose with his open hand. (Fitzgerald 37). This shows Toms ignorance towards respecting and

caring for women. During the duration of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald saturates and relates Tom
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Buchanan to someone with his gender role in the 1920s. Men (for the majority of the time) had

little to no respect for women and viewed them more as property than someone they loved. Men

expected women to cater to their needs and do everything in their power to make the man happy

(Biris). One is not implying that all men in the 1920s were like this. However, the average

gender role of a man in the 1920s was described as so. Fitzgerald uses Tom Buchanan to satirise

male gender roles in The Great Gatsby and in the 1920s.

The young woman and her brother who have just turned 21 have two paths in front of

them; fall into the gender stereotypes, or create their own personalities and lives? Which path

will they select? The Great Gatsby references gender roles that were found in the real 1920s such

as Flappers, The Old Generation and wealthy males with poor views towards women. F.

Scott Fitzgerald makes this novel a satire to show that these gender roles were not just myths;

they were in fact people found in society during the time period of the 1920s. This affects readers

even today, because these gender roles havent disappeared completely from the modern world.

The Great Gatsby is more than just a romantic tale, it has a lesson everyone should learn.

WORKS CITED

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribners Sons. 1953.

The Changing Role of American Women in the 1920s.BBC-GCSE Bitesize. BBC. 2014. 21

April 2017.

Rosenberg, Jennifer. Women in the Roaring Twenties. Historpedia. October, 2012. 21 April

2017.
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Biris, Julia. The Fight For Gender Equality. Medium. January, 2015. April 21 2017.