Blog Post #9: The Classics, Revisited

When examined through the Feminist lens and the Marxist/Economic lens, The Great Gatsby can be understood and interpreted as more than just a classic piece of literature, but a novel that brings about many issues in society in the past and in the present. While exploring this text through the Feminist lens, it is illustrated to the reader that women are not equal to men. The Marxist/Economic lens depicts that money has a great influence on who holds the power, and that there are superior and inferior groups of people presented by this novel.

The first indicator that women are not equal to men in this book is a quote from Daisy Buchanan, “I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (p. 21) Daisy is describing her hopes about her daughter and she basically states that the best way to go through life for a girl in their society is to be beautiful and simplistic.  Towards the beginning of the book, Tom’s mistress, Mrs. Wilson, was repeating Daisy’s name to show him that she could say whatever she wanted and that he couldn’t control her. “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.” (p. 41) When Mrs. Wilson tried to challenge Tom’s “authority” over her, he broke her nose as if it was nothing. Even more, the only people who reacted to it were the women; the men proceeded on as if nothing had happened.

In this book I believe a large issue that really portrays men and women as unequal is both Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s extramarital affairs. When Tom has an affair with another woman, society doesn’t make a big deal out of it, nor do his friends, it is considered to be almost a normal thing. When Daisy and Gatsby’s love is rekindled, Tom blows up and it is considered to be some ridiculous thing. In general the women are also portrayed as very fickle and inferior to men. In this book they live in a society that finds no value in the women’s intelligence, and it is okay for men to cheat, but unacceptable for the women. These issues that are brought about by looking through the Feminist lens are issues that also sometimes appear in our modern day society as well.

Through the Marxist/economic lens it is apparent that the most power is distributed among the people who have the most money, and the least power to the less fortunate. Tom Buchanan’s ego about his power is made clear within the first 20 pages of the book. “’Well, these books are all scientific,’ insisted Tom, glancing at her impatiently. ‘This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us who are the dominant race to watch out or these other races will have control of things.’” (p. 17) Tom thinks that he is better than everyone else, and that even merely people of his race are superior and they need to remain in control of things and people. This is also illustrated by the way that Tom treats Mr. Wilson. He treats him the way he feels and considers him unimportant because he is someone that does work for him and he is not wealthy.

It is clear throughout the novel that both Tom and Daisy are in love with money. I believe the main reason Daisy stays with Tom even after both of their affairs, is because he gives her security, wealth, and everything that comes along with it. It’s almost as if both Tom and Daisy retreat to each other and hide behind their money as a sense of security for them. More evidence on the emphasis of importance of money in this book is that money is Gatsby’s motivator. Mr. Gatsby hates poverty and has a strong desire to be wealthy, which is why he acquires his wealth in illegal ways. He is desperate for wealth and desperate to win Daisy back, he believes that if he has money, then Daisy will want to be with him. Because after all, everybody wants money. Even in modern society this is the case for many, people are fueled by money and security, and do not want to be with someone who cannot provide that for them.

Overall, when examining The Great Gatsby through the Feminist lens and Marxist lens, many societal issues are explored and revealed that are apparent in the characters’ society set in the past, and our modern-day society. How women are portrayed in the book, unequal and fickle, and especially how Daisy is portrayed is illustrated and understood at a much deeper level. While looking through the Marxist/Economic lens, it is understood who has all the power and control, and who knows it. The importance of money is explored through Gatsby’s motives, and Daisy’s desire and love for money, security, and the materialistic way she lives. These issues about money are still present in our society today, because money is what makes the world go ‘round.