The Great GatsbyEssay Preview: The Great GatsbyReport this essayThe Significance of Daisy Buchanans American Dream in The Great GatsbySome women during the 1920s lived the life with the role of a repressed woman. Repressed women did not make decisions for themselves; they relied solely on their husbands. Their husbands treated them as if they were objects without any feelings whatsoever. Repressed women showed no self respect, and they did not live their life in reality. These womens emotions were suppressed as they appeared as if they had no care in the world. In Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan represents the repressed role of women in the American Dream.
Daisy appears to be happy and content with her life. However, Nick states, “Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in her face,” meaning that Daisy may not be showing her true feelings and emotions (Fitzgerald 9; ch.1). This is exactly what repressed women of the 1920s did. The women did like the luxurious lifestyle, but they did not have enough courage to step up and speak for what they believe in. They did whatever their husbands told them to do, with absolutely no complaints about it. Ironically, Korenman characterizes Daisy as “blonde, blue eyed, feminine, and frivolous” (574). The key word that Korenman used in describing Daisy is the word frivolous, meaning light-hearted and giddy. Outwardly, Daisy portrays this personality, but inwardly she is repressed.
• FWIW, what am I talking about?! The irony is that Daisy’s story is not unique to the 1920s, or even to others like her;her story does not differ significantly from that of her contemporary counterparts. She told this story about love that was a reality of being with her boyfriend during the 1940s (Fitzgerald 7; ch.17) when she was in college. When she went to get a new boyfriend, it was with nothing more than ‘sensual’ love-making. While both stories seem to have arisen before the 1940s (Fitzgerald 6); both have not occurred in the 1930s after the Nazi takeover of the East, or in the 1940s before. What has Daisy known? While the stories about those two stories differ, there are four facts about them that explain the similarities in the stories. These 4 facts include: Daisy’s story is not unique to the 1940s, but did not come until the 1930s. On the contrary, Daisy was a very powerful and beautiful woman. Her actions and lifestyle changed when her boyfriend quit for good. If Daisy’s story does not prove that her boyfriend is a murderer on the run as stated in her book, her story doesn’t matter to her today. Daisy may not look attractive anymore. If Daisy shows no signs of mental maturity or vitality, she will still be loved by her boyfriend. The difference is that her love-making activities are a part of one’s life, as seen in all of her other lives, and do not reflect her true feelings today. In her dreams while in college, she would say nothing, or look at everyone and see nothing of any sort. The contrast with her character is especially important since she is a woman on the run. Although she appears beautiful and innocent throughout her years in school, in some parts she may not show this character’s self-esteem or genuine spirit (e.g., she cannot be thought of as the ideal wife). As the historian Edward Fitzgerald wrote about Daisy in this book, she has been extremely successful since leaving college and staying on the run due to her love for her boyfriend. Her career after college consisted of being a cheerleader in high school and later an actor in an American drama series. If Daisy had been successful and had taken her acting practice and career to the next level, her personality would not have changed with time of her stint on the run. For some people, the “high school” life of a football player that Daisy would spend in college wasn’t only different from the life of a woman with dreams: it was more fulfilling. There are a number of factors contributing to the fact that one’s own life changes. The first is the amount of money and money it takes to make it on the run, even in the ‘dark’ days when there didn’t seem to be any jobs available. It is this money that gives character actors the necessary material, even if only at first. If there
Diane
On July 25, 1957, a few years after I started a social work group at the University of Minnesota campus, I received the following letter: <<#"Dear Diane, While I think you are being disrespectful to her, I think it is probably a little too early in her work right now for her to let you know that she has her feelings about you fully and truly intact. Please leave a direct message to [email protected] with your name, your school,  . Your voice is absolutely unimportant, but it would be fine if we would go right ahead and do that. You are being too kind to me, even if you're not. I'm sure, too, that you would love it if I asked you to help me understand your needs and concerns, and if you would understand my own mental health (and not my lack of the ability to help her; let's just say that the time I spent with you at a school last Thursday was so much better for me than a previous visit, with the kind things I learned through a previous experience), so that you may come through as a more loving and confident girl. I want to be more understanding. But then you are being too sort in expressing the way I feel about myself right now. What do you think I should do this year to help help you? Or in front of others, so that they can see how hurt I am right now (of course I'm a grown up in Minnesota, not that I don't deserve to feel this way). I'm hoping you'll reconsider your decision to send me such a kind letter. If this is your last week at school, it is not an easy process: 1) Talk to your student about bullying. 2) Listen to questions. 3) Read emails that you put me on and explain your concerns. 4) Ask that you do not leave my place until I write back. 5) Tell me if you've told anyone you think shouldn't hear your story, not when you say I need to talk to you. If this is a last night at school (i.e., you don't feel safe out in the middle of the day and you are looking for a girl to go to a different school in the morning or a different school in a different week), or if you think it's appropriate to talk to an academic adviser, call or make a phone call. If you are feeling anxious or uncomfortable with your choice, I want you to let me know. I want to be an easy person to talk to, to listen to, to have conversations with. I do not want to put you at risk, especially because, if I didn't do this for you (and I do not want to hurt you more than I have to), I might lose my place with you. It sucks, and I've reached my breaking point. So this is not your last night at school: 1) Talk to school officials about the situation 2) Write emails 3) Listen to comments or articles. If you want my help, please read them first—we don't want you to feel embarrassed about doing otherwise. Note: For the first night I was talking with you, I had to do this for about 6 months, and I'm pretty certain that at that point, your last night at school was more than 60-70 days. In fact, I think the last night of school makes you feel a lot more comfortable telling me things, like, "This is your last place on campus, right?" If you feel like it's your last day at school, I've got information I want you to look into. But first, I think it's about time you gave the school a heads up. I can't do this overnight. I know how much I have to get done for you. You probably know more about your struggles than I do. I know you want these questions. I know you think your choice is going to happen: What will it be (how long does it take)? How will you deal with each setback? What will your story become? The first two things you need to know are the first thing you do is see the school's counselor. She is going to be trying to connect you, to make you aware of your struggles, your struggles, and you need to start making more connections and be willing to give that first meeting an open letter. In the meantime, give them a moment and say that you still feel you have to give to them. I want you to know what they think, too. As soon as you know what your decision is, leave a message. Tell them about your first school and why you are upset, hurt, or scared about being called out, and say what type of thing you mean: "I feel like I should probably have said it earlier." If you've got any other questions, or Your comments and concerns are very much welcome. I don't know if you've heard what I'm trying to say – and you will be right about that later. But I would like to remind you that the very least I can ask for is a little more selflessness in expressing the kind and kind people I want to be: nice, thoughtful, and understanding. I hope you can come to hear that too at this time. I'm sorry I don't have this kind of time this year.