Feminism

Feminism consists of a range of political movements that all have the common goal of establishing opportunities for women that are equal to those for men. Repression of women by men has been a huge part of history and fact of today. In The Great Gatsby, repression of women is present throughout the entire novel. The women in the novel could represent a variety of things: emancipated women, women in transition, and woman who are desperate to be free yet are essentially repressed. From the very beginning, the novel has a sexist agenda which is revealed through the text’s characterizations of women. The view of women as the standard bearers of traditional values is shown mainly in the novel’s representation of main characters Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson. They all are versions of the New Woman or the new way woman behaved and looked following the period of enormous social change after World War I. This time period consisted of the granting of several rights for women. These women, however, were portrayed as clones of a negative character type: shallow, exhibitionist, revolting, and deceitful. They were characterized as self conceited and shown to be obsessed with ridiculous things. They are portrayed this way through their insincere and narcissistic attention seeking meetings. They are portrayed as lookalike women who have nothing better to do than impress their new acquaintances. In addition, they have become so accustomed to this way of life that it has become a natural feeling and just another one of their feminine weaknesses. Women being portrayed this way in the novel is not right, as they are repressed and shown as shallow individuals.