My Response to Tyson's Feminist Reading

Overall, I agree with Lois Tyson's close reading of The Great Gatsby. She begins by claiming what a feminist Tom Buchanan is. She supports her point especially well by when she cites, "Nowadays, people being by sneering at family life and family institutions." (Tyson 120) Tom's use of "family life" and "family institutions" here are hinting at the stereotypical way of American family life. In Tom's world, the woman cooks, cleans, and submits. She is not "naughty" like the women portrayed in The Great Gatsby. Lois Tyson indicates a change of women's behavior in The Great Gatsby, "Women could now be seen smoking and drinking (despite prohibition)." (121) This is all in accordance with what Tom was saying, women are going out of bounds in the book. Nowadays, we would say that women drinking and smoking should never be prohibited. Finally, Lois Tyson clearly indicates an reluctant acceptance on behalf of the men about the "new woman's" behavior. Nick says, "Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply." (123) They have now accepted the change in women, the gender role has shifted. The Great Gatsby gave a good representation of the transition to the new woman, from what it used to be, to the way it is now.