Feminism In the 20s (Josh)

After reading ""...and next they'll throw everything overboard...": a feminist reading of The Great Gatsby""my view of women and how they are portrayed in the novel was actually somewhat changed. Growing up in the 21st century I saw what we would consider today as the the extremes of patriarchy in the novel as quite the setback compared to the modern day, but when read in context they were actually a step forward: the parties at Gatsby's with single women by themselves, the solo driving trips, Jordan's professional sports status, all were quite progressive for the time. I never viewed the increasing independence of women in the novel as any exciting because it still seemed like quite the oppressive system, but Fitzgerald illustrates how women got increasing freedom during this time and how it affected society as a whole which at the time was still deeply patriarchal.

Tom's "double standard for women" is also something tackled in the piece; I agree that it stems from his deep belief in a patriarchal and how it is necessary for women to conform to gender roles in order for it to continue, much like his belief that whites are the superior race and that other races most be kept down for the white man to strive. This point made me realize how examples of deep set and out dated beliefs such as sexism and racism meet the 20th century through out the The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald is commenting in the great change in the 2os and there could be no change greater than the beginnings of the feminist movement in the US and the tearing down of the patriarchal establishment.