Stereotypes In The Great Gatsby Essay

Thesis: In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays Daisy as the classic American girl, thus Fitzgerald uses social expectations of white women to characterize Daisy as a two dimensional stereotype. In the beginning of the novel, Daisy is introduced as the wife of Tom, together creating the exemplar of American couples; however, these social expectations limit the identity of Daisy as she is served as a complimentary character to Tom. Daisy demonstrates Tom’s power and authority when by diminishing her dignity. She does this when presenting her bruises from Tom in a nonchalant manner: “‘You did it Tom.’ she said accusingly. ‘I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it. That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man,”(Fitzgerald 12). Daisy takes the blame for Tom’s

She perpetuates the stereotype that women can be bought value the materialistic aspects of life the most. This becomes most evident during her time in Gatsby’s mansion, when he shows her the extent of his wealth: “[Gatsby] took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, […] Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. ‘They’re such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. ‘It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before’”(Fitzgerald 92). Daisy’s emotions are triggered by the pure display of wealth, as one would expect from a character whose sole purpose is to abide by social expectations. These social expectations form Daisy into a pure caricature for what a Woman is, as she sobs as she discovers that she could have more if she had married Gatsby. Her life is completely influenced and controlled by social expectations, denying her of any character traits and presenting her as two-dimensional. Fitzgerald uses Daisy as a travesty of women, in order to present the social expectations of