Compare and Contrast Daisy and Myrtle in “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald

Introduction

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy Buchanan, and Myrtle Wilson are both unfaithful and shallow, despite their differing social classes. By having the female characters in the novel embody the standard archetypes of women during the 1920s era, Fitzgerald conveys the negative impact that societal pressure has on the lives of women.

Body

Comparing Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson's Shallow Nature

The shallow, pampered “golden girl” living in the most affluent area of New York, Daisy Buchanan, has a guaranteed life of luxury but is expected to constantly play the role of a typical wealthy wife.

Daisy embodies many stereotypes of the Jazz Age; she constantly drifts throughout life, even asking Nick at one point, “What do people plan?” (Fitzgerald 11). Daisy’s casual nonchalance characterizes her as a foolish woman that refuses to take life seriously. Her unwillingness to look outside of her bubble of wealth and comfort proves that Daisy is incredibly self-absorbed and shows how one’s life has little purpose if it’s spent revolving around oneself. However, one must realize that Daisy has no choice but to behave this way because she is trapped in an abusive marriage that provides financial security but is mentally taxing. Tom physically hurts Daisy and puts in no effort to hide the fact that he has a lover in New York City. Daisy, given that her role in society is to be the cheerful wealthy wife can do nothing about it. Though the 1920s era showed a push towards normalizing divorce, such changes would not be applicable to Daisy, who is pressured by society to act unconcerned. Daisy’s constant projection of only the enviable aspects of her life parallels the way social media pushes teenage girls today to lead a “perfect” life.

Contrasting Societal Pressures on Daisy and Myrtle

In the same way that girls today are pressured to hide their insecurities and flaunt a perfect lifestyle, Daisy is forced to overlook the abuse she faces and instead act content. Daisy usually does this successfully, yet occasionally displays her deep unhappiness, telling Nick at one point that she “[Hopes her daughter] will be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in the world, a beautiful little fool” (17). Her statement expresses that Daisy hopes her daughter will be naive enough not to realize how awful her life will be if, like Daisy’s, it is controlled by societal norms. At moments like these throughout the novel, readers deduce that Daisy is not actually ignorant of the people around her; she simply chooses to act ignorant because it is her sole way of coping with her own entrapment. For Daisy, it is easier to put on the face society wants her to wear and perceive the life around her in the most shallow way possible. Daisy’s own strive for ignorance and hopes for her daughter’s unawareness encapsulate how turning away from a crisis is often easier than being painfully knowledgeable of it.

Myrtle Wilson’s infidelity with Tom Buchanan is mainly used as an indicator of her egocentric persona and greed, yet it also brings to light the objectification women faced in the 1920s era. Myrtle is extraordinarily materialistic and greedy; she uses her affair with Tom to obtain the wealth she does not have. Myrtle even attempts to act like a sophisticated, wealthy woman, saying of her elaborate dress at one party, “It’s just a crazy old thing...I just slip it on sometimes when I don’t care what I look like”(31). For her to say that about a dress that is definitely not old illustrates how desperately Myrtle tries to fit in with the affluent guests. Myrtle behaves egotistically in her pursuit of wealth, as she evidently does not care about the effects of her relationship with Tom on her husband, George Wilson, and Daisy, Tom’s wife. Yet, as Myrtle takes advantage of people to get what she wants, people take advantage of her as well. Myrtle is constantly treated as an object by those around her. Tom is abusive to Myrtle as well; when she mentions Daisy to Tom as if to question their relationship, he “[breaks] her nose with his open hand” (37). To Tom, Myrtle is solely a sexual object; he is unbothered by how his aggression harms her.

The Impact of Abusive Relationships on Daisy and Myrtle

Myrtle’s acquired wealth from Tom comes at a high price; like Daisy, she is subject to abuse in order to have the wealth everyone in the novel so desperately desires. However, Tom is not the only one who objectifies Myrtle throughout the novel. Even Myrtle’s sister Catherine sees Myrtle’s purpose in life as being just a body by encouraging her relationship with Tom, saying, “[Myrtle] ought to really get away from [George]...They’ve been living over that garage for eleven years. And Tom’s the first sweetie she’s ever had,” (35). Catherine has seen Tom abuse Myrtle and takes advantage of her, later even witnessing him breaking her nose, yet she continues to berate Myrtle into staying there.

Objectified by everyone around her, Myrtle faces judgment that women continue to face today, with the media still portraying women as commodities rather than human beings. Such an outlook is detrimental to a woman’s self-image, as seen through Myrtle’s consent to being treated in such ways. Myrtle’s acceptance of her predicament serves as a sign of her capitulation to societal pressure, highlighting how one often conforms to predestined societal roles because it is easier than trying to break free.

Conclusion

Myrtle and Daisy, though both shallow people, lead miserable lives because of the push to conform to societal norms. Ultimately, societal pressure pushes them to have superficial lives instead of fulfilling ones, prompting readers to consider: do the pros of living a society-approved life really outweigh the cons?

References

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "The Great Gatsby." Scribner, 1925.

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