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How Is Masculinity Presented In The Great Gatsby

941 Words4 Pages

“He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way. Involuntarily I glanced seaward, and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away”. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ epitomises the distinct aspects of the ‘Roaring 20s’, including the inconceivable notion of the ‘American Dream’, a patriotic ideal that entails upward social mobility through hard work and determination. Throughout the novel, characters of all statuses become victims of the corrupted reality of this dream, as a result of their conflicting forms of masculinity as well as the constant pursuit of material success, resulting in their continuous craving of approval. At the outset, the portrayal of differing forms of masculinity as a result of the …show more content…

Whilst Tom personifies the idealised 1920s version of confrontational masculinity, Gatsby subsequently embodies a more traditional, romantic approach. As a facet of their contrasting ideals, Tom's craving for approval stems from his desire to maintain his societal status and power, whereas Gatsby's is driven by his yearning for acceptance and love, most notably from Daisy. Tom’s fear that people “sneering at family life and family institutions” would lead to “intermarriage between black and white” elucidates how he craves dominance and control through his disdain of throwing away ‘family structure’; patriarchal dominance. This is further represented through his use of physical force on Myrtle. This violent act immediately makes his toxicity not only emotional, but also escalated to a physical level. Thus, Fitzgerald endorses his beliefs of male superiority to affirm his need to be the most admired gender and race. Conversely, Gatsby’s obsession with wanting reciprocated love from Daisy reinforces his traditional masculinity. His comment that Daisy's voice was “full of money”, is emblematic of the idealised image of success and achievement

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