Use Of Masks In The Great Gatsby

Masks are most often used to obscure one’s face: at a masquerade party, to anonymously commit crimes, etc. The idea of a person hiding their true identity is shown by most of the six main characters within F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. They all have their own characteristics and motivations, but some characters notably use a “mask” or facade to hide their true personalities and intentions. These characters are Jordan Baker, Jay Gatsby, and Daisy Buchanan, who both have a significant influence on the plot of the story. They are all clear examples of characters using facades to fool others, but Daisy shows one of the most drastic illusions to those around her. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan uses her facade as a foolish yet charming

Her need to protect herself is shown to start right after she marries Tom, as Jordan explains “...I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband” (76). Even if this was Daisy using a facade, she was still willing to show affection (and possibly grow to love) to Tom. However, while still on their honeymoon this willingness changes after Tom wrecks his car and is published in the newspapers with another woman, “The girl…with him…she was one of the chambermaids” (77). This revelation causes a shift within Daisy and her psyche, as she continues to put forth a facade of being a loving wife while also being apathetic towards Tom’s actions (mostly his infidelity). This facade was used to try and protect her mind from her loveless marriage, as she continued to uphold society’s standards as she quietly accepted his actions. This evolved throughout the book, as her infatuation with Gatsby came to a head when both men begin to argue. When the group is in New York Gatsby puts Daisy in the middle of the argument, with both men grappling for her as if she were an object. Nick describes her reaction, “...with every word she was drawing further…into herself” (134). She is so terrified of the situation that her “mask” begins to crack. Her facade failing shows that even though her actions were the cause of the situation, she cannot withstand the consequences of her