[i've tripped again & things are starting to get interesting]
paper for neltner. worth it? not really.
The way women are viewed in society has changed with the times. Literature, movies, music, and firsthand accounts keep the historical facts accurate. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby for many reasons that are clearly visible throughout the novel; however, the plot centers mainly around Daisy Buchanon, a rich woman who creates a mess out of things by making one man think she wants to be with him, and then turning around and leaving with the other. Daisy does not stand alone in her ways; she is accompanied by Myrtle Wilson and Jordan Baker. Each of these women adds an element to the story that illuminates Fitzgerald's perception of women in the 1920s being materialistic and having to hide their true selves using character, dialogue, and archetypes.
In order for the characters to develop the plot needs to be created, and this particular plot develops the characters in such a way as to illuminate their materialistic ways and their hidden true selves. Daisy Buchanon is described as someone "who had done gay, exciting things just awhile since and that there were gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour," (Fitzgerald 9). The description of her makes her seem as if she is someone everyone would want to be around. In actuality, though, Daisy's character wants the finest things in life, and this makes her shallow and superficial; not unlike Myrtle Wilson. The largest difference between Myrtle and Daisy includes their money; while Daisy has quite a lot, Myrtle does not. Myrtle's lack in money might have had an effect on her today, but in the 1920s, Mrytle's dreams matched those of Daisy's. They have very few things that are not in common, including Tom Bunchanon; Daisy's husband and Myrtle's lover. Tom gave Myrtle just about everything she could ask for. He bought her a puppy, they had an apartment together, and he gave her other things here and there. Upon receiving these gifts, Myrtle received a new attitude, as well, and she began acting as she thought a wealthy person might. This is most exemplified in the scene where she "rejected the compliment by raising her eyebrow in disdain. 'It's just a crazy old thing,' she said. 'I just slip it on sometimes when I don't care what I look like,'" (Fitzgerald 31). Myrtle talks as if the dress, which seems very expensive, means nothing to her. She does this because she believes a wealthy woman acts like this, and she desperately wants wealth and material items. Jordan's personality is not like Daisy's and Myrtle's in the sense that she does not need a husband, or material items bought for her. She can buy her own. At the same time, though, she does not want someone like herself. "'I hate careless people. That's why I like you,'" (Fitzgerald 58). Jordan thinks that Nick is responsible and sees him as someone who could take care of her. All three of these girls show what Fitzgerald perceived about women in the 1920s being materialistic and untrue to themselves.
While the characters themselves play an important role in illustrating Fitzgerald's view of women, the dialogue that the characters exchange has just as much importance in representing the idea that women in the 1920s were materialistic and untrue. Daisy's personality comes through much more in her dialogue, and even in the way Nick and Gatsby describe her voice. Daisy seems like a woman who is mainly interested in material things and money; however, Daisy proves that there is more to her when she talks about her daughter to Nick, "''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 17). Daisy realizes how the world sees women, and she does not want to bring another one into it, but when she did, she decided the best thing a woman could be is a fool. This leads the reader to infer that Fitzgerald believed women were often underestimated and hiding their true selves. Sometimes, however, someone shows really all there is to themselves. Myrtle seems very superficial, and her dialogue only proves this, "'My dear,' she cried, 'I'm going to give you this dress as soon as I'm through with it. I've got to get another one tomorrow. I'm going to make a list of all the things I've got to get…'" (Fitzgerald 36). Myrtle's dialogue shows no more depth to her than what actually exists. She believes she belongs in a material and wealthy world, and so she tries to fit in. Fitzgerald uses Myrtle to show that the truly fake women do exist, and not all are hiding behind their true selves as Daisy. Jordan falls under a different category. With her everything is as it seems, and she does not pretend to be someone else. She stays true to herself throughout the entire book. This is made evident when she is telling Nick how careless she was to "make such a wrong guess, I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride,'" (Fitzgerald 177). She acknowledges her own careless mistake, and this makes her a very honest woman. Fitzgerald used dialogue as a device to show that there is more behind them than what they let on; marking the idea that some women hide behind masks that society willingly accepts while others are really as deep as they let on.
Along with character and dialogue, Fitzgerald uses archetypes to highlight his view of women in the 1920s being materialistic and untrue. Daisy plays two roles: the temptress and the damsel in distress. She is the temptress by the way she speaks, "The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain," (Fitzgerald 85). Her voice being described as "exhilarating" connects her to a siren whose voice attracts men and then the men die; quite like Gatsby. Daisy also plays the role of the damsel in distress when she has to choose between Gatsby and Tom. This represents that she had emotions she had to keep hidden from the others. Myrtle plays the role of the unfaithful wife. She talks about her husband, saying she was crazy for marrying him and that she "'knew right away that I made a mistake,'" (Fitzgerald 35). She cheats on him instead of leaving him, representing the idea that women cannot be trusted. Jordan is a mixture of a damsel in distress who needs someone to support her and take care of her, and yet she has a firm control on her life. In the scene where she is driving with Nick, she talks about how she hopes she never will meet someone just as careless as herself because she hates "'careless people. That's why I like you," (Fitzgerald 58). The fact that Jordan is careless makes her a damsel in distress, yet at the same time she has a firm control of the steering wheel and that shows she is in control of her life.
Characters, dialogue, and archetypes are all good ways to illuminate a belief in a story; however, Fitzgerald does this in a way that can confuse the reader. Over all, Fitzgerald tries to communicate that women in the 1920s were all very different but they all often tried to hide who they really were to get ahead, be happy, and be accepted, and that they were all rather materialistic because of having to hide their true selves.
The way women are viewed in society has changed with the times. Literature, movies, music, and firsthand accounts keep the historical facts accurate. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby for many reasons that are clearly visible throughout the novel; however, the plot centers mainly around Daisy Buchanon, a rich woman who creates a mess out of things by making one man think she wants to be with him, and then turning around and leaving with the other. Daisy does not stand alone in her ways; she is accompanied by Myrtle Wilson and Jordan Baker. Each of these women adds an element to the story that illuminates Fitzgerald's perception of women in the 1920s being materialistic and having to hide their true selves using character, dialogue, and archetypes.
In order for the characters to develop the plot needs to be created, and this particular plot develops the characters in such a way as to illuminate their materialistic ways and their hidden true selves. Daisy Buchanon is described as someone "who had done gay, exciting things just awhile since and that there were gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour," (Fitzgerald 9). The description of her makes her seem as if she is someone everyone would want to be around. In actuality, though, Daisy's character wants the finest things in life, and this makes her shallow and superficial; not unlike Myrtle Wilson. The largest difference between Myrtle and Daisy includes their money; while Daisy has quite a lot, Myrtle does not. Myrtle's lack in money might have had an effect on her today, but in the 1920s, Mrytle's dreams matched those of Daisy's. They have very few things that are not in common, including Tom Bunchanon; Daisy's husband and Myrtle's lover. Tom gave Myrtle just about everything she could ask for. He bought her a puppy, they had an apartment together, and he gave her other things here and there. Upon receiving these gifts, Myrtle received a new attitude, as well, and she began acting as she thought a wealthy person might. This is most exemplified in the scene where she "rejected the compliment by raising her eyebrow in disdain. 'It's just a crazy old thing,' she said. 'I just slip it on sometimes when I don't care what I look like,'" (Fitzgerald 31). Myrtle talks as if the dress, which seems very expensive, means nothing to her. She does this because she believes a wealthy woman acts like this, and she desperately wants wealth and material items. Jordan's personality is not like Daisy's and Myrtle's in the sense that she does not need a husband, or material items bought for her. She can buy her own. At the same time, though, she does not want someone like herself. "'I hate careless people. That's why I like you,'" (Fitzgerald 58). Jordan thinks that Nick is responsible and sees him as someone who could take care of her. All three of these girls show what Fitzgerald perceived about women in the 1920s being materialistic and untrue to themselves.
While the characters themselves play an important role in illustrating Fitzgerald's view of women, the dialogue that the characters exchange has just as much importance in representing the idea that women in the 1920s were materialistic and untrue. Daisy's personality comes through much more in her dialogue, and even in the way Nick and Gatsby describe her voice. Daisy seems like a woman who is mainly interested in material things and money; however, Daisy proves that there is more to her when she talks about her daughter to Nick, "''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 17). Daisy realizes how the world sees women, and she does not want to bring another one into it, but when she did, she decided the best thing a woman could be is a fool. This leads the reader to infer that Fitzgerald believed women were often underestimated and hiding their true selves. Sometimes, however, someone shows really all there is to themselves. Myrtle seems very superficial, and her dialogue only proves this, "'My dear,' she cried, 'I'm going to give you this dress as soon as I'm through with it. I've got to get another one tomorrow. I'm going to make a list of all the things I've got to get…'" (Fitzgerald 36). Myrtle's dialogue shows no more depth to her than what actually exists. She believes she belongs in a material and wealthy world, and so she tries to fit in. Fitzgerald uses Myrtle to show that the truly fake women do exist, and not all are hiding behind their true selves as Daisy. Jordan falls under a different category. With her everything is as it seems, and she does not pretend to be someone else. She stays true to herself throughout the entire book. This is made evident when she is telling Nick how careless she was to "make such a wrong guess, I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride,'" (Fitzgerald 177). She acknowledges her own careless mistake, and this makes her a very honest woman. Fitzgerald used dialogue as a device to show that there is more behind them than what they let on; marking the idea that some women hide behind masks that society willingly accepts while others are really as deep as they let on.
Along with character and dialogue, Fitzgerald uses archetypes to highlight his view of women in the 1920s being materialistic and untrue. Daisy plays two roles: the temptress and the damsel in distress. She is the temptress by the way she speaks, "The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain," (Fitzgerald 85). Her voice being described as "exhilarating" connects her to a siren whose voice attracts men and then the men die; quite like Gatsby. Daisy also plays the role of the damsel in distress when she has to choose between Gatsby and Tom. This represents that she had emotions she had to keep hidden from the others. Myrtle plays the role of the unfaithful wife. She talks about her husband, saying she was crazy for marrying him and that she "'knew right away that I made a mistake,'" (Fitzgerald 35). She cheats on him instead of leaving him, representing the idea that women cannot be trusted. Jordan is a mixture of a damsel in distress who needs someone to support her and take care of her, and yet she has a firm control on her life. In the scene where she is driving with Nick, she talks about how she hopes she never will meet someone just as careless as herself because she hates "'careless people. That's why I like you," (Fitzgerald 58). The fact that Jordan is careless makes her a damsel in distress, yet at the same time she has a firm control of the steering wheel and that shows she is in control of her life.
Characters, dialogue, and archetypes are all good ways to illuminate a belief in a story; however, Fitzgerald does this in a way that can confuse the reader. Over all, Fitzgerald tries to communicate that women in the 1920s were all very different but they all often tried to hide who they really were to get ahead, be happy, and be accepted, and that they were all rather materialistic because of having to hide their true selves.