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In “The Great Gatsby” what image does the author use to describe Jordan Baker?

Updated 21 March, 2024
Answer:
In "The Great Gatsby," the author uses the image of a "golden girl" to describe Jordan Baker. This description suggests that she is beautiful, wealthy, and privileged. Jordan is often seen wearing white, which symbolizes purity and innocence. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Jordan is not as innocent as she appears. She is portrayed as dishonest, manipulative, and self-centered.
Detailed answer:

In "The Great Gatsby," F. Scott Fitzgerald uses various images to describe Jordan Baker, but the most notable one is the image of a "new woman" of the 1920s. She is described as having a "hard, jaunty body," "slender, small-breasted," and with "gray eyes." Fitzgerald also depicts her as being independent and self-reliant, contrasting her with the traditional gender roles of the time.

Fitzgerald introduces Jordan Baker as "a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet," which highlights her confident and assertive demeanor. Her "jaunty" and "confident" walk, her "hard" body, and her "cold" eyes all add to her allure as a "new woman" who has broken free from the traditional gender roles of the past. Fitzgerald uses Jordan to symbolize the changing roles of women during the 1920s, when women began to gain more independence and assert themselves more in society.

Furthermore, Fitzgerald describes Jordan as a golfer, which is an unusual sport for a woman to play during the time. He also notes that she cheats at the game, suggesting that she is willing to break the rules to get ahead, which again reinforces her independent and self-reliant nature. Fitzgerald portrays Jordan as a woman who is not afraid to take risks and go against the norms of society.

In conclusion, the image that Fitzgerald uses to describe Jordan Baker in "The Great Gatsby" is that of a "new woman" of the 1920s who is confident, independent, and self-reliant. Through her character, Fitzgerald highlights the changing gender roles of the time and the emergence of a more assertive and liberated female identity.

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