Throughout 11 AP, we have read many books and passages about women in society. In The Scarlet Letter, we witnessed an adulteress in a Puritan society, which shames her and deems her a sinner. In The Bluest Eye, we witness Pecola's as well as other black females' oppression that results from the judgments of a society ruled by white beauty standards. In both instances, women are oppressed by societies that are dominated by beliefs held during specific time periods. Within the first couple of chapters, it becomes apparent that The Great Gatsby is yet another novel that, like The Scarlet Letter and The Bluest Eye, emphasizes how women are oppressed in a community where unfair standards persist.
In The Great Gatsby, it becomes apparent that Daisy's husband, Tom, is cheating on her. In today's society, we would be surprised if a woman were to stay in a relationship with someone who is unfaithful, but in a setting during the period of Modernism, where people began to become more and more materialistic, the reason for Daisy's choice to stay with her husband is quite evident. Daisy reveals her knowledge that women in the 1920s are oppressed. She tells Nick that the best thing a girl can be in the world is "a beautiful little fool." By expressing her belief that women can only have value if they possess beauty, she reveals that knowledge and wisdom are irrelevant; the only trait that matters is being beautiful, for men will choose to marry those who are. I began to question Daisy. She is aware of the shameful idea that women are seen as objects of physical attraction just like she is aware of her husband's cheating, yet she never feels the need to leave Tom. As quick I was to hate Tom, with his "supercilious manner" and his hubris, I realized that it is not just Tom's fault that Daisy lives an unhappy life, but rather the materialistic nature of women during the time period of Modernism and Daisy herself. The only thing that keeps Daisy in her relationship with Tom is her obtainment of the luxuries that Tom offers. She is comfortable with her lifestyle because she has been given riches.
 
After asking myself why Daisy can't just leave Tom, I began to realize that Tom, whose riches are shared with Daisy, isn't forcing the relationship to continue, but rather Daisy's need to live a high-end lifestyle. Like many women during the 1920s, Daisy's life revolves around the riches that are provided by her husband. The influence of materialistic needs during Modernism keep Daisy trapped in her unhealthy relationship and oppressed women like her.