How Is Patriarchy Portrayed In The Great Gatsby

Patriarchy has been relevant in the world since the beginning of time. Gender inequality is an issue in the world today and it can even be found in literature. Movies and books such as The Great Gatsby portray female stereotypes just as it happens in the real world. The connection between literature and the real world is direct and is portrayed especially well in this book. Women are stereotyped and not allowed to “make their own decisions” which shows how this world has become misogynistic and have made the norm that women are powerless. Gender discrimination is represented many times throughout this book. One specific moment is when Daisy is talking about how the best thing for a girl to be is a fool. Daisy talking, “'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I

Daisy is talking about how the best thing a girl can be is pretty and stupid. She says this because she believes that women can not make a future for themselves so they are best off marrying a rich and powerful man. Not only does this show that the best way for women to make a good living is marrying rich, but it also portrays the belief that men dominate women and no matter what a woman does, the man will always prevail. I believe Daisy also said this to symbolize herself, as she is a young woman who married rich and now has power to her last name that she did not have before. Another way gender roles are defined in this book is portraying women as a sex object. For example when Nick is in Tom’s house and the two women are on the couch. Describing the scene, “The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous couch on which two young women were buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon. They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if