Sunday, December 2, 2012

How does The Great Gatsby demonstrate the vision of women in the 1920s, especially the "flapper" movement in fashion and its reflection of new freedoms for women?

Jordan Baker, a character in The Great Gatsby, is the epitome of the "New Woman" of the 1920s. The freer, more modern image of women of this time period was often called a "flapper." Jordan is a professional golf player, so she works to make a living, unlike more traditional women of earlier eras. She is described as lithe and muscular, and her thin aesthetic was prized during the 1920s. She is not married and does not have children, so she has the freedom to do as she wishes and is not beholden to others. Nick Carraway, the protagonist and narrator of the book, dates Jordan for a while. He finds out that she cheated to win a golf tournament. This behavior makes her seem more traditionally masculine than feminine, as Jordan is ruthless and competitive about sports. She will do whatever it takes to win. She embodies the freedom of the "New Woman" of the 1920s.

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