The progressive era in the late 1800s and early 1900s served as a turning point for women regarding the role they play in society. The traditional woman was domesticated and obligated to suppress opinions, both of which resulted in a lack of freedom. Some women and organizations wanted change. They worked to obtain the right to vote, as well as gain economic, political and social equality. In the novels The Great Gatsby and Dracula, the differences of a traditional woman and today's modern woman is seen through several unique characters, all of which are representative of the development of society. Both F. Scott Fitzgerald and Bram Stoker portray this new economic, political, and social freedom that was explored by some women, meanwhile highlighting
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In The Great Gatsby the modern women is portrayed by Jordan Baker. Jordan is an extremely different character compared to Daisy. In fact she is so different from Daisy that characters such as Nick “reject Jordan Baker on the grounds of her moral inadequacy and indifference, but his descriptions suggest a concealed source of antagonism: she is ‘unfeminine’, androgynous, more of a boy than a ‘lady’” (Emancipated Women Of The Great Gatsby). Fitzgerald uses Jordan to symbolize all of the women who were fighting for their equality and independence during this post war time period. This independence is one of Jordan’s biggest attributes. This independence was shocking to all men in the novel. This is seen when Nick meets Jordan for the first time, “At any rate, Miss Baker's lips fluttered, she nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and then quickly tipped her head back again—the object she was balancing had obviously tottered a little and given her something of a fright. Again a sort of apology arose to my lips. Almost any exhibition of complete self-sufficiency draws a stunned tribute from me” (page 9 The Great Gatsby). Nick is beyond astonished by Jordan’s sense of self-sufficiency. Unlike Daisy, Jordan is not dependent on a man, which causes Nick to have mixed emotions toward her, due to her uncommon
In The Great Gatsby the modern women is portrayed by Jordan Baker. Jordan is an extremely different character compared to Daisy. In fact she is so different from Daisy that characters such as Nick “reject Jordan Baker on the grounds of her moral inadequacy and indifference, but his descriptions suggest a concealed source of antagonism: she is ‘unfeminine’, androgynous, more of a boy than a ‘lady’” (Emancipated Women Of The Great Gatsby). Fitzgerald uses Jordan to symbolize all of the women who were fighting for their equality and independence during this post war time period. This independence is one of Jordan’s biggest attributes. This independence was shocking to all men in the novel. This is seen when Nick meets Jordan for the first time, “At any rate, Miss Baker's lips fluttered, she nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and then quickly tipped her head back again—the object she was balancing had obviously tottered a little and given her something of a fright. Again a sort of apology arose to my lips. Almost any exhibition of complete self-sufficiency draws a stunned tribute from me” (page 9 The Great Gatsby). Nick is beyond astonished by Jordan’s sense of self-sufficiency. Unlike Daisy, Jordan is not dependent on a man, which causes Nick to have mixed emotions toward her, due to her uncommon