Women's Role In The 1920s

Prior to the 1920s, society had a very traditional and proper lifestyle, were people maintained a happy home and balanced life. Without the inventions we have today such as televisions, microwaves, ovens, or even washers for our laundry, many time at home was dedicated to cooking and cleaning. Many women were expected to stay at home, do the chores, not voice their opinion, and make life ideal for their husbands. Then, during wars where men were away, women were expected to do work outside the home instead of their usual household chores. At this turning point, women began to recognize their abilities and demand rights as well as break the stereotype that men are more capable than women. After this period of transition in women's role in society, women earned their equality in areas such as voting rights, property rights,

As women gained rights, they began to voice their own opinions and stand for what they wanted. Similarly, Myrtle used her voice and her opinions to get what she wanted. For example, she tells Tom “I want to get one of those dogs” (27), and addresses her wants rather than passively letting men make her decisions for her. She also tells her husband “Get some chairs, why don’t you” (26), which also demonstrates her addressing her wants in a direct way. She also resembles a woman in the 1920s by making her presence known, particularly in her relationship with Tom. Although Daisy tries to hide Tom’s affair, Jordan knows and explains to Nick that “Tom’s got some woman in New York” (15) and says that most everyone knows, because Myrtle doesn’t hide in the shadows. For example, when she calls Tom during dinner time it is her way of demanding recognition and attention. Overall, Myrtle’s prominent voice and actions that she uses to make herself known express an accurate version of a 1920s woman who was fighting for her rights and