English Literature

It is without a doubt that Daisy Buchanan and Mytle Wilson are the two women that largely shape the novel The Great Gatsby by F. ScottFitzgerald, it is but fitting  to give a clos analysis of the two. During the 1920’s women start making bold leaps and forays into roles that were unheard of (Donaldson, 1984 p.43). This is obviously what the novel wishes to highlight and chronicle. The basic similarity between them is their outward characters. Seemingly foolish, callous and shallow; however, upon closer scrutiny, they have separate intentions, drives and complex personalities. They both exhibit deeper substance. They both vie for the attention and love of Tom Buchanan. While Myrtle appears to be the more liberal as portrayed being the mistress of Tom, in effect, she is in fact very practical and looks for ways to enrich herself and make her life more prosperous. On the other hand, Daisy, though appearing to be the wronged woman, is in fact schemey, twisted and unremorseful (Pelzer, 2003 p.178). She casually and very craftily plans the ‘accident’ of Myrtle, she keeps with her the façade of being pure and blameless. Another paradox in the novel in fact, is the portrayal of the women. While they appear to be modern, liberal and bold, they actually fall into the age old categorization of women as scrabbling, bickering, superficial, ego-centric and scornful lots with their own agendas at the forefront. In fact, they fall within the stereotypical portrayal of women, as well as archetypal categorizations; the eve’s who tempt Adam into sin, and cause great chaos, without heed for the bigger effects of their actions, so as long as they heed their personal desires and come to achieve their secret passions and convictions. While the Great Gatsby supposedly portrays women in a more liberalized and brave fronts, it supports the view that in their desire to appear as the women of the age or century, all the more, they slip back and revert to the conventions and entrapments of the women’s age old psyche’s with their bickerings, schemings, plottings, and putting up of facades. It is an irony and a satisfying paradox that supports the age old mystery of a woman’s mind and heart filled with her secret desires.