Women in the 1920's Vs. Women in the Great Gatsby By: Jadelynn Diaz, Jessenia Vele, Jennilee Mirtil, Kimberly Miller

Central claim "The media of the 1920's was, however, able to transmit flapper styles on a mass scale. But it was not simply a matter of image and style, for behind all the razzmatazz a genuine sense of confusion existed on how to be a modern women."

Supporting evidence – "This restless quest for identity was most intense among white, upper- middle-class, educated young women, many of whom turned to psychoanalysis for enlightenment"(Page53). – This shows that women in the 1920's were very confused about what role they were supposed to play in society. Women during this time were very confused as to what to do with themselves because they were given a sense of freedom to become their own person which is something they were not used to. Because they were given this sense of freedom, they became very confused with who they were.

Connection to the Great Gatsby This connects to the Great Gatsby because the character Daisy shows us the sense of confusion that women felt during this time. Daisy shows us this confusion when she cannot chose between Gatsby or Tom because she does not know who she wants to be with. At first, she left Gatsby because he did not have any money and now that Gatsby does have money she does not know what to do.

Supporting evidence – "The old rules fail to work; bewildering inconsistencies confront her....Slowly; clumsily she is trying to construct a way out to a new sort of certainty in life"(Page 53). – This shows that woman in this time were desperate to find their identity. Although it might have not been easy, they slowly did what they could to create a better life for themselfes.

How it connects to GG – This connects to the Great Gatsby because Myrtle was confused about her love life. She wanted to create a better like for herself by cheating on her husband, George Wilson with Tom Buchanan. Tom Buchanan seemed better to Myrtle because he was a rich man and he had more to offer than George. Tom being rich allowed Myrtle to have more and to be happier.

Supporting evidence #3 – "Zelda Fitzgerald, who had wanted to be a 'mistress of her own fate' by being lighthearted and unconventional, had rejected the dreary option of the 'emancipation' of an older generation because she thought that all it brought was 'a career that calls for hard work, intellectual pessimism, and loneliness.'" – Zelda Fitzgerald wanted to control her own life but did not want the responsibility of being emancipated because she would have to make hard and intellectual decisions so she decided to gain a sense of freedom by being carefree

How it connects to the GG – This quote connects to The Great Gatsby because it talks about women being unsure of their role in society and wanting more but not sure how to go after it, which was a prominent theme in the novel. An example of this is the character Myrtle. She has a life with her husband but it is not lavish like she wants. She wants to feel secure and have all of the things she wants but is unsure of how to achieve that so she goes to Tom for that feeling.

Supporting evidence #4 – “Scott Fitzgerald told his wife, ‘ I would like you to think of my interests. That is your primary concern, because I am the one to steer the course, the pilot…’”(page 52). – This shows how women in the 1920’s had not sense of identity in that there main concern in life was to be submissive towards there husband. This also shows the role of power and gender was seen as patriarchy and how women didn’t have authority over themselves. Which ultimately shows the idea of how what a modern women was not their own.

How it connects to GG – This also connects to the Great Gatsby because it shows how each men in the novel such as, George Wilson, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby have a sense of having a need to control over there wife/mistress in that they control their lives to benefit themselves. Which overall shows how women are viewed as a tool towards men.