The Great Gatsby Response

Society’s labels often in time confuse an individual’s judgment. Conflict arises between what an individual truly wants and desires for themselves, compared to what society expects from them and pronounces on them o be right and fitting. There are those who this mentality eventually shapes their moral values and believes, and those who work against it to achieve their own independence. Society can only impose its believes, customs, and traditions, however, it relies on an individual if they want to accept and embrace it as a part of their daily living.
“I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (Fitzgerald). Though not serving as a central theme in his selection, the author makes an indirect notion to the views and ideals that woman are subjected to and subject to themselves. It also serves as a demonstration of Daisy’s viewpoint and her character. Based on past and generations of deeply rooted culture, is though as if, females understand their roles before they are even born. Daisy though intelligent if she chooses to be, already places herself in an inferior role before even trying to rise above it. She lounges lazily around the house and views her life to be nothing but boring. This exemplifies the world of women, as when you take a good look into their lives they are rendered as useless. Daisy refers to her hope of her daughter being a beautiful fool. She gives the notion that should a woman be considered beautiful, then it is all she needs to survive in the world of true womanhood. Beauty is the first key to recognition, and daisy made that clear in her statement. Whether a fool or not, her daughter’s beauty will be able to grant her into the same position her mother has. Whether or not Daisy truly believes that she wants her daughter to be a beautiful fool, the fact remains that when she does enter in the matrimony of marriage, her daughter’s intelligence will be looked down on as inferior thus compared to the male dominant figure that she will marry. Daisy lounging on the couch doing zilch shows her submissive to her husband. If her husband requires otherwise, then will her action and gestures shift. Older women such as Daisy does not value women intelligence, as it was not the way societies environment thought her to grow and understand female roles and concepts. Her attitude perhaps gives a glimpse to ways to resurrect her husband’s happiness. This conniving mentality of Daisy, will surely and indeed affect her daughter in the future. Necessity to break free from the cult of true womanhood, and its ideals about being pious, domestic, and submissive, was one of the key factors that led to the bloom and evolution of the 1920’s, especially when woman decided not to be just any woman, but a new woman, who could think for themselves and express their own independence. “That's my Middle West . . . the street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark. . . . I see now that this has been a story of the West, after all—Tom and Gatsby, Daisy and Jordan and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadoptable to Eastern life.” (Fitzgerald). Survival of the fittest is not strongly rooted in the author’s words, however, the power of wealth and possession paints an the perfect illustration. In his selection the author describes society to entail two groups, which are presented from the West and the East. The east perhaps signifies clues of change that will be occurring within future generation, as it exemplifies, a more fast-pace life style where more values are being lost, and wealth becomes the God of the people as they believe that the more wealth a person has, the more happiness will be claimed as their territory. The West however, seem to already claim this wealth with their aristocratic live styles and desires, and view themselves with the highest values and attitude of others that rank below in society. It even causes them to belittle among each other, as every individual strives in their own selfish way to gain more than their neighbor. However, readers come to the understanding that the author or rather protagonist of the story is much more interested in studying and analyzing the ways of those belonging to the west. This attitude of his proves as no surprise, after all, who wouldn’t want to be on the side that flourishes with everything an entity can dream and wish for.