women roles Gatsby and grapes

• overall argument 


  Both Steinbeck and Fitzgerald argue for a stable functioning America with women knowing their roles to carry out within society however, Fitzgerald argues that women have too much freedom and society should revert back to traditional women's roles. Steinbeck rejects this view and celebrates women and maternal traits.
• Gatsby 1 - daisy rejects being a mother - freedom 


  "Im glad its a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool". "The officer looked at daisy while she was speaking, in a way every young girl wants to be looked at by someone". "Her voice is full of money"
• Gatsby 1 criitc 


  De Beauvoir "a woman's wings are cut and then she is blamed for not knowing how to fly" De Beauvoir "man is defined as a human being and a woman as a female"
• Gatsby 2 - Daisy choosing Tom over Gatsby - she goes with the old rather than the new - being confined to a man 


  "I did love him once but I loved you too". "I disapprove of him beginning to end". "I never loved him"
• Gatsby 2 critics 


  Fitzgerald 'the book contains no important female character' Evola "American women are characteristically frigid and materialistic"
• Grapes 1 - opposite to daisy as ma Joad loved being a mother 


  "Jesus, I hope ma's cooking sampin". "used to be family was fast. It aint so now. its anybody". "ma gave out food freely to hungry children"
• grapes 1 critic 


  Motely "ma joads growing power as a source of communal strength". De Beauvoir "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman"
• grapes 2 - ma prevents the family split informing the collectivism 


  "women can change better'n a man". "we're the people that live. They can't wipe us out". "we must stick together"
• grapes 2 critics 


  Williamson "to increase ma joads influence is to masculinise her, to decrease pa's influence is to emasculate him" Irvine"women in Steinbecks novel are portrayed as adaptable in times of adversity"
• Gatsby context


  Written in 1920s New York. The economic boom was in the 1920s so there was lots of wealth.
• Women got the right to vote


  1920
• Women's roles


  • Confined to the private sphere
  • Carried out domestic roles called the expressive role
  • Socialised to be passive, obedient and submissive
• 'New Woman' (1890 - 1920)


  Revolutionary as women were independent, physically adept, and mentally acute, and able to work, study and socialised on a par with men
• Flappers in the 1920s


  • Rebellious women who cut their hair short, flirted, danced, smoked and frequently attended speakeasies
• grapes context 


  Written in the 1930s. Women roles moved from having primary domestic roles to being active members of society. They gained employment outside of the household and were often responsible of their families survival. Most of the experiences female characters had took place on the road, which reinforces an idea of the contrast between private and public . The Great Depression in 1929 led to a change of male roles which impacted the women.