Motivation Of Women In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a classic book, beloved by thousands as they read about the characters and the decisions they make. But what motivates these characters to make the decisions they do? We know all about the desires and motivations of the men in the book, but what about the women? In The Great Gatsby, Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the motivations they have depend greatly on the situations they encounter. Myrtle, Jordan and Daisy all lead very different lives which is shown by the way they act, think, and feel about the things that are happening to them. F Scott Fitzgerald’s message about the three women and the choices they make are a direct result based on the way they live in the book and a reflection of femininity in the 1920’s.

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When understanding the class that she was in and the expectation of her to be a housewife, her decision to have an affair with Tom Buchanan makes a lot more sense. In Chapter 2, Tom takes Nick to meet Myrtle and we read all about the lavish gifts Tom has provided her with. Something her own husband, who was a mechanic, could ever do. The apartment is described as “... a small living room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath. The living room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it, so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of versailles.” This gives you more insight as to why Myrtle would risk having an affair in the first place. It also shows why she would be so threatened by Daisy. Myrtle running out in front of a car thinking it's Tom with Daisy also makes sense in this light. “‘I just got wised up to something funny the last two days’ remarked Wilson. ‘That's why I want to get away. That’s why I been bothering you about the car.’” Wilson tells Tom. With Wilson, Myrtle's husband knowing about the affair and wanting to move west, It makes sense why Myrtle runs out in front of the car when she thinks it’s Tom and his wife. She’s desperate, and is scared of losing the luxury she has received from Tom and him with who she thought was Daisy, pushed her over the edge. It makes sense why Myrtle would mistake Jordan for Daisy. They are from the same social class and Myrtle has never seen Daisy