SELFISH PEOPLE IN THE GREAT GATSBY:

The Great Gatsby is set among wealthy, educated

people, who

have lots of leisure time and little concern about people who are not in their social milieu. Nobody's concerned about politics or spiritual matters but everybody cares about how they are perceived socially. Those who do come from other classes seek and envy the glamour and lifestyle that they see in the elite. Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, is able to attain a certain amount of wealth, but he cannot fake education or social behaviors that only come with "old money." The novel's two main locales, West Egg and East Egg, are distinguished also by class. East Egg represents "old money" while West Egg represents the nouveau riche. East Eggers consistently look down on West Eggers for precisely this fact. Class and wealth are virtually indistinguishable from each other, but if a person lacks education, then he is clearly not part of the upper echelon.

A quote showing selfishness is :

Next morning I sent the butler to New York with a letter to Wolfsheim, which asked for information and urged him to come out on the next train. That request seemed superfluous when I wrote it. I was sure he’d start when he saw the newspapers, just as I was sure a there’d be a wire from Daisy before noon—but neither a wire nor Mr. Wolfsheim arrived; no one arrived except more police and photographers and newspaper men. When the butler brought back Wolfsheim’s answer I began to have a feeling of defiance, ofscornful solidarity between Gatsby and me against them all.

This shows that to Nick’s surprise, everyone neglects to honor Gatsby’s memory. It’s tragic for two reasons. In the first place, Gatsby’s life was full of people who didn’t truly care about him. Second, abandoning Gatsby is a sad attestation to how shallow and selfish people can be. Nick’s disgust with everyone who attended Gatsby’s parties, Gatsby’s business partners, and even Gatsby’s one true love seems justified. What do you think?

THE MEN OF GATSBY:

In The Great Gatsby is Tom look on as a big hunky man. He is a football stud and a bully and likes to impose his will on others. He is also abusive, breaking Myrtle's nose with just a quick, reactive hit that takes little effort. However he is also extremely rich.

But he is judged and by the narrator, Nick, repeatedly and often. Thus, one could conclude that in the novel Tom's kind of man is established as what a male should not be. And Nick is what a male should stand for, he shows that he has morals.

Gatsby is very much an opposite kind of man. Gatsby is a romantic and idealist and thoughtful and considerate, for the most part. He mistakenly believes in a past that never really occurred, and dedicates himself to recapturing a relationship that was never really what he thinks it was. Daisy never loved Gatsby as much as he loves her. He is a dreamer, and tries to continuously relive the past.

Though Gatsby is certainly presented in a positive light, and he is certainly a better kind of "male" than Tom, one should be careful of holding up any character in the novel as ideal. This is sophisticated fiction in which people are presented as mixtures of good and bad, if you want to use those terms. Gatsby is not ideal, either. He is, a bootlegger and business partner with Wolfsheim. Which is looked down on.

THE WOMEN OF GATSBY:

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The Great Gatsby, takes place in the 1920's which was a time of rebellious behavior and living life next to the old American Dream. The women of this era are portrayed in two different lights in the novel: defiant and foolish.

Women began to take a step forward in society during the 1920's and this novel explores these phenomena. As women in the novel start to detach themselves from the stereotypical proper and prim manner in society, there are new stereotypes created. In the novel, it is perfectly all right for women to drink and conduct themselves wildly at parties just as men do. They express their views much more, and begin to take control of their newly established place in society. Daisy, the common prim woman, was treated as in inferior for years in her relationship with Tim. She allowed herself to be degraded as her husband committed acts of infidelity. However, Daisy eventually liberates herself when she has an affair with Gatsby. Now, Daisy has found a way to bring Tom under her thumb.

On the other hand, women also are portrayed as extremely foolish, and easily used by men. Myrtle is an excellent example of his, for Tom is using her. To Tom, Myrtle is a game. He uses her for fun, and never intends on having a substantial relationship with her. He goes to her when he pleases, and she will always be there waiting for him. Tom does not treat her with respect, yet she continually returns to his side.

Another view of women shows them as gossipers and out of control. When attending parties at Gatsby's house, the women are intoxicated to where they can no longer walk, or think properly. The women are said to have ripped their dresses, jumped in the fountains and danced wildly. These images are prevalent throughout the novel, yet there are very few moments where men are so vulgar. At Tom and Myrtle's party, Myrtle's sister Catherine and her friends are gossiping the entire time. Catherine gives false information about Daisy, Tom and Myrtle. As well, Jordan Baker, another female character is constantly in the middle of Tom and Daisy's marriage, all the while gossiping to Nick about both of their affairs.

The American dream has a lot to do with the behavior patterns of the women in the novel. It seems that the novel shows women as becoming infatuated with the 'perfect American life.' The women are shown to anything to meet the unachievable standards that the American Dream puts forth. And this recklessness, defiance and foolishness are clearly shown in The Great Gatsby.
all info provided by:
"gatwomen gatdaisy Role of Women in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald." 123HelpMe.com. 02 Jun 2010
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