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Sexism In The Great Gatsby Essay

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The 19th amendment to the American Constitution states “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex” . Despite the apparent equality implied by the change in the legal system, sexism and misogynistic behaviour was – and is – still prevalent in American society. Due to this, it is often evident in American literature that the female characters gravitate towards the idea of becoming free. Whilst each character finds freedom in different scenarios, the desire is still evident. In ‘The Great Gatsby’, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 – five years after the 19th amendment was passed – the character of Jordan Baker perfectly exemplifies the desire for female …show more content…

This quote exemplifies the inequalities faced by women during this time period through the sexist remark made by Tom Buchanan. It also highlights Jordan Baker’s desire for freedom as it illuminates her lifestyle. Written in the same year as the passing of the 19th amendment, Edith Wharton’s ‘The Age of Innocence’ shows the desire for female freedom in the 1870s. During this time period women were expected to continue with the ideals of Republican Motherhood that arose after the Revolutionary War, and continued until the First World War. However, in ‘The Age of Innocence’ the character of Ellen Olenska exemplifies the desire for freedom often supressed and repressed by the women held captive within the society: “‘Does no one want to know the truth here, Mr. Archer? The real loneliness is living among all these kind of people who only ask one to pretend!’” . Ellen Olenska wishes to find freedom in the truth, but is constricted by the illimitable untruth of American freedom. The characters of Ellen Olenska and Jordan Baker a common theme within American Literature: the desire to find freedom. However, neither character is able to find the freedom that they

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