Great Gatsby Stereotypes

A stereotypical man is one who is dominant, hard working and gentlemen-like towards women. In the novel The Great Gatsby these controversial stereotypes are both broken and reinforced through the vivid story of Gatsby, Nick, Jordan, Daisy and Tom. This eccentric tale, having been based in the 1920s is stock full of glitz and glam and all the enjoyments of such a prospering time. To add to the already present excitement, the novel tells the intricate story of two lovers who were painstakingly separated by the man, Jay Gatsby, departing with the military, leaving his love Daisy to wait around holding onto what glimmer of hope she had left after him being gone for years on end. Daisy eventually moves on to a new love interest named Tom …show more content…
When Tom drags Nick along with him to the city for one of his secret rendez-vous with Myrtle, him and Myrtle get into a fight on the topic of Daisy which escalates to the point of violence. The couple broke out into a yelling match of which Myrtle began chanting Daisy’s name and immediately after “making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (39). Tom neglects to realize the strain their affair is having on Myrtle and acts out in such a way that makes it clear he has no regard for her wellbeing. After a long day and a long argument between Tom, Daisy and Gatsby in the city, the group chooses to return home in order to put an end to the drama. Everyone except Gatsby that is, who chooses to hide in the brush of the Buchanan mansion so that “if [Tom] tries any brutality [Daisy] [will] turn the lights out and on again” (137) as a call for help. Tom is so well known for his cruel outbursts that Gatsby does not even trust him with the treatment of his own wife. Towards the end of the novel, Once Wilson has come to the conclusion that Gatsby is the one who hit his wife with his car resulting in her death, he makes a beeline for Gatsby’s mansion seeking revenge. “The chauffeur... heard the shots” (154) from Wilson’s gun which proved to be fatal to Gatsby. Wilson was not concerned …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald shines a light on the idea of men being considered to be more rightfully entitled than women through their ownership of excess goods and love for showing it off, their cruel behaviours without punishment and their mental and physical control over their women. Although this novel does indeed tell a tragic love story incorporating the harsh realities of life, it also opens up the reader’s mind to what is to be seen beyond that. The actions and intents of the male characters truly gives insight into a time where women were oppressed and men willingly took charge without being questioned. Although a fictional piece, there is much to be learned about social hierarchy history within the gender inequality issues of this dramatic