Simone Lawson
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the author explores the complex dynamics of masculinity and femininity, reflecting the societal norms and expectations of the time. Through its characters, the novel delves into the traditional gender roles and the power dynamics between men and women, challenging and subverting these notions in intriguing ways. The male characters, such as Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, embody varying degrees of masculinity, while female characters like Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan navigate their femininity within the constraints of a patriarchal society. The novel provides a fascinating insight into the construction of gender identities and the performance of gender roles, revealing the complexities and contradictions inherent in the very nature of masculinity and femininity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Physical strength | Vitality, aggression, and bodily strength |
| Social power | Social standing, primal power |
| Economic power | Wealth, high-paying jobs |
| Mobility | Moving away from home, moving to a city |
| Gender roles | Men work to earn money, women spend it |
| Femininity | Passive, immature, undeveloped |
| Masculinity | Dominance, superiority, freedom |
| Androgyny | Transgressive form of femininity, subverts traditional gender roles |
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What You'll Learn
Nick Carraway's masculinity crisis
Nick Carraway's depiction of masculinity in The Great Gatsby is a complex one, and his character has been interpreted as undergoing a masculinity crisis. This interpretation stems from the ways in which Nick responds to and interacts with other characters, particularly Jordan Baker, Jay Gatsby, and Tom Buchanan, who each embody different aspects of masculinity and femininity.
Firstly, Nick's relationship with Jordan Baker challenges traditional gender roles and essentialist beliefs about gender. Jordan's androgynous name and style blur the boundaries of typical femininity, and Nick's description of her as a "small-breasted girl" serves to enforce his own masculine identity. In this dynamic, Nick patronizes Jordan, rendering her immature and enforcing a power dynamic that silences and marginalizes her. This interpretation of Nick and Jordan's relationship showcases his need to exert dominance and establish his masculinity in relation to Jordan's perceived immaturity and masculinity.
Secondly, Nick's interactions with Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan offer further insights into his masculinity crisis. Nick is aware of the cultural ideologies that equate wealth and power with masculinity, as evidenced by his admiration for Tom's wealth. However, Nick also recognizes the flaws in this hyper-masculine behavior, as demonstrated by his discomfort with Tom's aggression and his choice to seek refuge with the more feminine Mr. McKee. Nick's admiration for Gatsby, despite his feminine qualities, further complicates his understanding of masculinity. Nick ultimately elevates Gatsby as a symbol of American idealism, challenging the notion that true masculinity lies solely in power and wealth.
Additionally, Nick's role as the narrator of the story allows him to direct critical attention to the author F. Scott Fitzgerald's revisions of his "authorial masculinity." Fitzgerald, seeking to cultivate critical esteem, created Nick as a partially involved narrator to address criticisms of his lack of "manly objectivity" and "womanish" romanticism in his previous works. Nick, therefore, becomes a vessel for Fitzgerald to showcase tougher, more masculine authorial traits, while also exploring the complexities of American romanticism.
In conclusion, Nick Carraway's masculinity crisis in The Great Gatsby stems from his interactions with characters who challenge traditional gender roles and his role as a narrator through whom Fitzgerald explores his own evolving understanding of masculinity. Nick's responses to these characters and his position as a narrator contribute to a complex portrayal of masculinity in crisis during a time when America's definition of masculinity was undergoing significant changes.
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The relationship between femininity and passivity
In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the relationship between femininity and passivity, particularly through the character of Jordan Baker. Jordan's androgynous name and style serve as a form of masculinization, setting her apart from the other female characters in the novel. Nick Carraway's depiction of Jordan as a "small-breasted girl" reinforces the association between femininity and passivity, as he uses her immature female physique to establish his own masculine identity.
Jordan's underdeveloped physique not only underscores the perceived passivity of femininity but also contributes to her boyish characterization. By equating femininity with a woman's physical maturity, Nick implies that an immature female body challenges traditional gender identities. This dynamic further highlights the power imbalance between men and women in the novel, with females being silenced and marginalized by male authority.
The concept of mobility, or movement, is also linked to masculinity in the novel. Nick's move from the Midwest to New York City symbolizes his journey toward establishing a masculine self, as mobility is perceived as a masculine quality. Similarly, George Wilson's plan to move west is motivated by his desire to forge a more masculine identity. This association between mobility and masculinity underscores the patriarchal construct's complexities and tensions.
The novel also delves into the notion of masculinity in crisis during the turn of the 19th century to the 20th century. The modern man was now defined in opposition to femininity, creating a sense of crisis for male identity. Fitzgerald himself grappled with these changing definitions of masculinity and his own fit within the confines of traditional gender roles. This introspection is reflected in the characterizations and interactions of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, offering insight into the complex relationship between power, money, and masculinity.
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Jordan Baker's transgressive femininity
Jordan Baker's character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has been the subject of much discussion about gender roles and the performance of femininity and masculinity. As a pro-golfer, Jordan Baker is introduced as a self-sufficient, financially independent woman, which was a relatively new concept for women in the 1920s.
Jordan's androgynous name and physical description blur the lines of traditional gender roles. Nick Carraway, the narrator, describes Jordan as having a "body backwards at the shoulders like a young cadet", with a small breasted girl's physique, and her name, Jordan, does not clearly indicate her gender. This ambiguity challenges preconceived notions of gender and disrupts the male authority of the time. Nick, who is seen to exert his dominance over Jordan by ending their relationship, is undecided about his own gender, and his depiction of Jordan as androgynous suggests that gender is performative.
Jordan's independence and modern style are often looked down upon by other characters in the novel. Tom, a patriarchal capitalist, disapproves of her freedom, and Jordan is also portrayed as dishonest and deceitful, which was often associated with women of lower social status. Despite her independence, Jordan is still subject to disrespect and is regarded inferiorly, especially in comparison to the more subservient female characters like Daisy.
Jordan Baker's character represents a transgressive form of femininity that subverts traditional gender roles. Her existence contradicts the notion that femininity and autonomy can coexist, as she challenges the idea that a woman's identity as female is derived from her value as a future subservient. Jordan's portrayal by Nick highlights the low placement of women and the performance of gender in the 1920s.
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The role of money in masculinity
In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the notion of masculinity in relation to money and economic power. The novel is set during a period of economic transformation, with a significant increase in white-collar jobs between 1870 and 1910, challenging traditional notions of masculinity tied to manual labour.
The character of Tom Buchanan embodies the traditional masculine ideal of physical strength, social power, and wealth. His high standing in society and his ability to provide financially for his wife, Daisy, are markers of his masculinity. However, as the novel progresses, Gatsby's wealth and social status surpass Tom's, threatening his position as the masculine ideal.
Gatsby, on the other hand, represents the self-made man, a pervasive ideal in American mythology. His accumulation of material wealth is a means of proving his masculinity and establishing his place in society. Gatsby's loss of power and descent into the "new material world" highlights how economic power is intrinsically linked to masculinity in the novel.
The character of Nick Carraway also embodies the idea of the self-made man, striving for the ideal of the "well-rounded man". Nick's move from the Midwest to New York City is symbolic of his journey towards establishing his masculine identity. This geographic mobility is seen as a masculine quality, further emphasising the link between money and masculinity.
Additionally, the depiction of Jordan Baker in the novel challenges traditional gender roles. Jordan's androgynous name and characterisation blur the boundaries between masculinity and femininity. Nick's description of Jordan as a "small-breasted girl" enforces his own masculine identity by contrasting it with Jordan's perceived immaturity and boyishness. Jordan's character represents a transgressive form of femininity, subverting the traditional expectation that men will be the breadwinners and women will be dependent on them financially.
In conclusion, money and economic power play a significant role in defining masculinity in The Great Gatsby. The accumulation of wealth and the ability to provide financially are closely tied to the characters' masculine identities. The novel reflects on the changing nature of masculinity during a time of economic transformation, challenging traditional ideals and exploring the complexities of gender roles.
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Femininity as a tool to measure masculinity
In The Great Gatsby, femininity is used as a tool to measure masculinity, with the two concepts presented in binary opposition to one another. This is evident in the characterisation of Jordan Baker, whose androgynous name and style serve to masculinise her. Nick Carraway's depiction of Jordan as a "small-breasted girl" enforces his own masculine identity by rendering her as immature and boyish. Here, Nick establishes femininity as a passive and underdeveloped state in comparison to masculinity.
The novel's portrayal of gender roles is conservative, with men working to earn money and exerting dominance over women. Tom Buchanan, for example, embodies the aggressive and physically strong characteristics associated with masculinity. In contrast, the female characters, such as Daisy and Myrtle, are portrayed as corrupt or immoral, further emphasising the binary opposition between masculinity and femininity.
Mobility is also linked to masculinity in the novel. Nick's move from the Midwest to New York City symbolises his journey towards establishing a masculine self, as mobility is perceived as a masculine quality. Similarly, George Wilson's plan to move west is an attempt to establish a more masculine identity. This illustrates the ambiguities and tensions within the patriarchal construct, as the link between mobility and masculinity is not always clear-cut.
The self-made man is a pervasive ideal in the novel, with both Gatsby and Nick striving to create masculine identities to be accepted in a patriarchal society. This reflects the belief that masculinity must be proven and is not a stable or fixed concept. The loss of power, as experienced by Gatsby, can result in a descent into the borderland where masculinity and femininity merge, further highlighting the use of femininity as a tool to measure masculinity.
Overall, The Great Gatsby explores the complexities of masculinity and femininity, using the characters' interactions to challenge traditional gender roles and the oppressive nature of patriarchal society on both men and women.
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Frequently asked questions
Masculinity in The Great Gatsby is constituted by physical strength, social power, and economic power. Men who are strong, wealthy, and have a high standing in society are considered more masculine, while those who lack these qualities are considered less masculine.
The male characters in the novel express their masculinity through their jobs, physical strength, and social and economic power. For example, Tom Buchanan is portrayed as the primal, powerful man with vitality, aggression, and bodily strength. On the other hand, Gatsby is portrayed as a man of hope, and Nick Carraway is on a journey to find his masculine self.
Femininity in The Great Gatsby is often portrayed as passive and in opposition to masculinity. Women are connected with stasis, while men are linked to mobility. Femininity is also associated with corruption, as none of the female characters are portrayed as pure.
Jordan Baker, with her androgynous name and style, represents a transgressive form of femininity that subverts traditional gender roles. She is described as "incredibly dishonest," and her underdeveloped physique establishes her as boyish. Daisy Buchanan, on the other hand, challenges gender roles by cheating on her husband.
