Title of Your Report (word count) In a world driven by an ever changing image of the “ideal woman” the decisions and desires of women are often entangled in the evolving web of societal pressures. The desire to fullfill societal expectations can overhwhelm a woman’s decision making and thwarp her view on her relationships. Both Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby and Jig in Hills Like White Elephants are heavily influenced by societal expectations of women in their lives.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a novel about the self-made splendor and wealth of Jay Gatsby and his pursuit of his first love Daisy Buchanan. It follows the complex relationship between Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan whilst also exposing the moral issues
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This ideal combined with her privileged childhood perpetuated Daisy’s desire to marry a wealthy man. Daisy and Gatsby’s love is described throughout the novel as genuine and fulfilling but Daisy still chose to marry Tom Buchanan. Her own desires are shaded by expectations which lead her to marry for stability and wealth instead of love. This lack of love in Tom and Daisy’s relationship is shown throughout the novel but most noticeably by Tom Buchanan many adulterous affairs. Daisy’s view of herself and women in general portray how affected she is by the societal expectations of the time. Early in the novel she speaks about her hopes for her daughter and states “I hope she’ll be a fool - thats the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (Hemmingway 17). This quote reflects that she acknowledges the perceived conceptions of women at the time and even believes them herselves. She believes a woman’s beauty and ignorance is her best …show more content…
Although never explicitly stated, the assumption of the reader is that the procedure the couple is conversing about throughout the story is an abortion. Very uncommon at the time but encouraged and argued for by the American the woman is conflicted by this decision of whether or not to have the procedure done. During the argument between the American man and Jig, he points out that, “We can have the world”(Hemmingway 231). This alludes to the life the couple could have if she got the procedure done but Jig responds with, “No, we can't. It isn't ours any more”(Hemmingway 231). This poignant statement reveals that she is aware of the American’s desires as well as what is expected of her. Jig represents the societal norm of a woman to choose motherhood instead of the free life that the American