An Analysis of the Character Daisy in The Great Gatsby
- 1 School of Foreign Languages, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
Abstract
Daisy Buchanan, the central female figure in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal novel The Great Gatsby , has been traditionally characterized by critics and admirers alike as a superficial, vulgar, and materialistic individual. However, this pervasive portrayal fails to account for the intricate social context and personal upbringing that shaped Daisy’s identity. The conventional perception of Daisy not only misrepresents her character but also neglects Fitzgerald’s nuanced stance on women. Critics who adhere to this conventional viewpoint often align themselves with Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator, whose evaluations of the primary characters are inherently influenced by his personal biases and limitations as a narrator. This thesis aims to challenge and rectify these prevailing perceptions by presenting a more balanced and nuanced view of Daisy Buchanan. It is organized into three distinct subsections, each dedicated to a thorough exploration of a pivotal aspect of Daisy’s identity. The thesis concludes that Daisy, much like Gatsby, was a victim of the oppressive and disillusioning social dynamics of the Jazz Age. Despite her apparent wealth and privilege, Daisy faced her own tragic circumstances and struggled to cope with profound sorrow and bitterness in a manner unique to her experiences and personality.
- Berman, R. (2001). Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and the Twenties . The University of Alabama Press.
- Beyer, J. R., & Van Arsdale, N. P. (Eds.) (2009). Appr oaches to Teaching Fitzger ald ’ s The Great Gatsb y . The Modern Language Association of America.
- Chang, Y. X. (2008). The Survey of American Literature (3rd ed.). Nankai University. (In Chinese)
- Ciment, J. (2008). Ency clopedia of the Jazz Age: From the End of World War I to the Great Cras h . M. E. Sharpe.
- Curnutt, K. (2008). The Ca mbridge Introduction to F. Sc ott Fitzgerald . Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
- Curnutt, K. (2009). All That Jazz: Defining Modernity and Milieu in The Great Gatsby. In Approaches to Teaching Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby . The Modern Language Association of America.
- Elkins, M. (2009). Teaching The Great Gatsby through Examining Gender Roles. In Approaches to Teaching Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby . The Modern Language Association of America.
- Fitzgerald, F. S. (2004). The Great Gatsby . Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
- Gross, D., & Gross, M. J. (2008). Un derstanding The Great Gatsby : A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Do cuments . China Renmin University Press.
- Long, R. E. (1981). The Achieving of The Great Gatsby . Bucknell University Press.
- Rielly, E. J. (2005). F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Biogra phy . UMI. https://doi.org/10.5040/9798400649363
- Tanner, B. R. (2008). Joyce an Elements in F. Scott Fitzgerald ’ s The Great Gats by . Academic Press.
- Wilson, B. F. F. (2004). Scott Fitzgerald Says: “All Women over Thirty-Five Should Be Murdered”. In C onversations with F. Scott Fitzger ald . The University Press of Mississippi.