Know how women are presented in The Great Gstsby Be able to explore a view in depth using relevant textual support Undertstand how to plan and structure a response to section A Part b of the exam ID: 635379
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Slide1
Women and Sympathy
Objectives
Know how women are presented in ‘The Great Gstsby’
Be able to explore a view in depth using relevant textual support
Undertstand how to plan and structure a response to section A (Part b) of the examSlide2Slide3
The Question
What do you think about the view that there are no women in ‘The Great Gatsby’ with whom the reader can
sympathise
?Slide4
A Way In…Think about your character in the following ways:Destination
Nick’s interpretation of the character – bias?
Their actions and motivation
How they are physically portrayedThe context of the novelHow they influence other charactersSlide5
Pro-MyrtleShe has dreams and aspirations – she doesn’t want to live on the edge of society forever “on the edge of the wasteland”Her husband is un-intelligent, meek “like he was a ghost” can’t give her what she needs
In ch7 her husband locks her up and is violent
She is stuck in a dismal life in the metaphorical fallout of the Jazz Age
Has been stuck in this situation with a hapless, spineless husband for the past 10 yearsSlide6
Pro-MyrtleShe sees Tom as her way out Her death is a sad and violent event – waste of life.She wants to be happy and
fulfil
her dreams.Victim of consumerism – she cannot be expected to live in the Valley of the Ashes dreaming her life away.
She is a pawn in the careless games of the rich; talking the brunt of the consequences of their games.Slide7
Anti-MyrtleShe comes across as very flirtatous ‘She carried her flesh sensuously’; ‘wet her lips’; ‘Looking at him flush in the eye’
It is hard to
sympathise with her because she’s happy to be treated like a dog by Tom to get ahead in the world
She is cheating on her husband who clearly loves her.She doesn’t want to stay poor so she uses Tom – power hungry. Slide8
Anti-MyrtleShe is selfish – only cares about herself.Treats George badly “spoke to her husband in a soft, coarse voice.”Using Tom as an escape route – only cares about money and wealth
She doesn’t have good motives and is willing to cheat to get what she wantsSlide9
Pro-DaisySubmissive – doesn’t question or fight against Tom when she know he has another womanMen at the time wanted wives like this
Trapped – victim of her class. Has to keep up appearances in a loveless marriage.
Physically potrayed
as sweet, pure, innocent “her white dress”, “rippling and fluttering”, “charming little laugh”Slide10
Pro-DaisyCar accident: she was in a a vulnerable state - had been drinking all afternoonShe just wants to be happy / contentHer husband is having an affair
She is aware of what is happening but is powerless to do anything about it.
Tom is the dominant one in the relationshipSlide11
Anti-DaisyNick’s descriptions of her are bias – she is romanticisedShe is lazy and has no motivation – symptomatic of her class
Cheats on her husband
She is fickle – loved Gatsby but couldn’t be bothered to wait
Weak and dependentStereotypical – fulfills a gender role but never seen with baby or cookingSlide12
Anti-DaisyTerrible influence on Gatsby – her careless actions result in his deathShe is childish and lazy – no motivation, never had to work hard to achieve anything, everything been given to her and she just accepts it.
She is self-consumed – does not care about anyone else other than herself
She cheats – says she loves two men.Slide13
Pro-JordanShe’s over-shadowed constantly by DaisyShe is very judged – liar, cheat – Nick’s biased opinion.She has little choice contextually – female character – independent (un-married, against expectations of society)
She is judged and then abandoned by Nick
Her appearance makes her seem strong and independentSlide14
Pro-JordanShe is loyal and can be relied onIn ch7 when Nick is fed up of everyone he says suddenly “that included Jordan too” In the novel she has been Nick’s love interest and he just takes everything out on her.Slide15
Anti-JordanShe likes to gossip “Don’t talk. I want to hear what happens”She listens to all the gossip and wants to know what’s going on, even if it’s about her friends. She can’t be trusted – she is dishonest and tries to fit in with society
Nick sees her as careless – representative of the rich – cheats and doesn’t care about the consequences.Slide16
From what we have learnt today about the three women characters complete a response to the
question.
What do you think about the view that there are no women in ‘The Great Gatsby’ with whom the reader can
sympathise?