Classism 2

Essay: Classism
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda and The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald Classism is a part of the society we live in as it is based on an individual's wealth and social status. This societal structure is often developed on the basis of classism which allows the occurrence of evil doings and misunderstanding. The two novels, The Great Gatsby, by S. Fitzgerald, and Secret Daughter, written Shilpi Gowda, the similarities of classism are illustrated through illegal activities found in low classes, reflecting upon the gender inequality and class differences. Firstly, people of high class tend to treat people of low class or middle class with a different attitude. They live in high standards which are better than others, so it is hard for them to understand people from lower classes and often mistreat them. Using their power as an advantage, they do not get into any trouble for their unequal treatment. For example, Tom Buchannan is portrayed as a negative character in the novel The Great Gatsby. He is very classist and racist and does not show respect to those of lower class than him.
Sometime toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name. "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai –– " Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. (Fitzgerald,41)
Tom's erratic behaviour toward Myrtle shows how he is abusive towards especially women of lower classes and without fear of hurting them or getting into any trouble with police. Similarly, when Asha, the protagonist in Secret Daughter, interviews the women living in slums of India, asks one of the girls a questions that was offending, "...seeing herself on the screen, how insensitive she was, with her questions about the short hair and school. Parag was only trying to spare those girls some embarrassment, not hamper her interview. "(Gowda 287). Asha does not realize the offensiveness of the questions she was asking and how her question could have impacted someone. She asks certain questions very openly and in a straightforward manner as she knew that she would not get into any trouble with anyone. Asha and Tom Buchannan both show how they overlook people of lower classes than them and through their actions; they make people in their surroundings feel inferior to them. Furthermore, people of low class, striving through poverty, feel that they have no choice but to earn for their families illegally. These people do whatever it takes to find a means of survival, often dreaming to fulfil their greed of being rich and belonging to a higher class. Gatsby, who was tired of his poverty stricken life as a child, tends to leave his house and travels to places to create a new life. Gatsby soon meets Dan Cody along his way, who after his death, gives him $25 000 from his will. This good amount of money gives him an opportunity to start a bootlegging business. It eventually makes him a millionaire in many years and is a great example of someone who goes from ‘rags to riches.’ Likewise, in Secret Daughter, Kavita’s son, Vijay, belonging to a low class family in Mumbai, creates a network of corrupted friends in his school and starts a drug business. However, Vijay decides to hide his drug deal business from his parents but they eventually figure it out when the police raids their home to find the drugs. Vijay is Kavita's only hope for a good future but he, like many people of the low class, escapes his poverty stricken life forever by making money through selling drugs. He does this, not only to survive, but to become rich. Hence, Gatsby and Vijay who originate from the lower classes in their society find an opportunity of having a luxurious life and seize it. Overall, these two characters would happen to have create good outcomes of their life only if they were not classified as poor by their society, and would not create these wrong business ruining their future. Lastly, in certain classes and at certain times, gender inequality also rises as a result of classism. In both of these novels, it is shown how men are dominant over women. They are considered superior , solely because they are the breadwinners and support their family financially. As a result, they tend to make all the decisions themselves and are unjust to women in their household. This negative role is shown through Tom Buchannan, who is of high class and openly has affairs with other women; regardless whether his wife, Daisy, is aware of his infidelity or not. Tom Buchannan's affair is well-known to everyone in his society “You mean to say you don’t know?” said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. “I thought everybody knew.” (Fitzgerald,18). Rumors were spreading around about Tom’s affair, but Daisy being helpless, could not do anything about it. She believed the dispute between them may bring it to a divorce and this would automatically take her off the list of high class people and taking away her luxurious life. Whereas, in Kavita's situation,
Everyone has been overjoyed with the birth of their first son, bringing celebratory sweets, new clothes for the baby, fennel tea to bolster her milk supply. They have showered on her all the traditional gifts, as if this is her first baby, their first child. What about the other times I’ve carried a baby in my womb, given birth, held my child in my arms? Kavita (Gowda,65)
Through this quote, Kavita explains the sorrow she felt about how she had to give up her previous two daughters, one being brutally buried and one given up to an orphanage, because they would grow up to a burden on her husband, Jasu. Jasu would have to give a dowry for his daughter's marriage in her later years. A son, however, would grow up, helping them with their farm and would be a helpful prospect in order for them to have a bright future. This creates a direct connection between gender inequality occurring in low classes and how a girl's life is seen as a burden of money. Nonetheless, both of these novels show the male dominance over females in both high and low classes that leave the women powerless. It shows the extent of corruption in classism and how it can bring about many terrible things that would not take place if it did not exist. In conclusion, every society is based on some sort of classism that depends on the person's wealth and social status. It is root of many awful things that take place and creates a lot of false impression. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald and Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Gowda, both portray the evil occurring in societies today as a result of classism which includes illegal activities committed by people of low class, gender inequality and the class indifferences.