Jordan Baker In The Great Gatsby

anonymous
3/11/09
Wilson B3
Honor Bound
Vitality of a Woman:
An Analysis of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

No two people are the same in the world we live. Some are different shapes and sizes; others maintain a narrow minded perspective. There are many things that differentiate human beings from one other, but Jordan Baker stands out the most. She a major character throughout the novel, and contributes to the story in the highest degree. She embodies the shallowness and arrogance of people during the 1920’s. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker portrays her showy and arrogant attitude through several incidents, and gives the reader a visual of the life of people during the 1920’s. Fitzgerald
uses every tool at his disposal to bring the character of Jordan to life, and to show her flamboyant and arrogant personality. He uses certain words and literary phrases that give the reader a true visual of what Jordan is like in the novel. The first time we meet Jordan, Nick describes her physical physique very carefully, “she was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet. “Her gray sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan, charming, discontented face” (11). Fitzgerald uses several sophisticated words in this passage that enhance the visual it gives to the reader. Jordan again shows her arrogant attitude by refusing a cocktail from Daisy because she is “absolutely in training” (10). Her arrogance is again showed when talking to Nick, “you live in West Egg,’ she said contemptuously”, this passage is worded the way it is to show Jordan’s view upon Nick’s living arrangements, which are obviously frowned upon (11). Further into the novel, readers will begin to see Jordan’s opinion of herself and how conceited she truly is. While attending one of Gatsby’s many lavish parties, she states she enjoys larger parties much more than smaller parties, because of the large parties’ ability to hold intimacy, in a way that smaller parties cannot. This represents irony because in reality the smaller parties would be the ones where you would find the greatest amount of intimacy. Fitzgerald takes advantage of whenever Jordan Baker is speaking to show her personality and character, thus greatly developing the character throughout the novel. Actions speak louder than words, and define people for who they are, and Jordan Baker understands this to perfection. Jordan deeply takes pleasure in being public and seen by other people, which can be proven time and time again during the many lavish parties. Jordan and Daisy, while lazily chatting at Tom’s house, are wearing extravagant white dresses, which can also prove her need to be seen by others. Then while attending Gatsby’s first of many extravagant parties, Jordan is seen in a whole new light. “Leaning a little backward and looking with contemptuous interest down at the garden” (42). This proves the point brought forth that implies Jordan being arrogant, and that she thinks too highly of herself. Her physique is that of a stuck up lady who envisions herself a goddess in mortal form. She thrives off attention from others, especially from other men. Jordan has a sensational knack for not telling the truth, especially in the incident involving her cheating at a gold tournament. Being a well-known woman golfer, Jordan received a generous amount of publicity from the media, especially when “she had moved her ball from a bad lie in the semi-final round” of the tournament (57). She is a fundamental liar who resources to lying and cheating to get her way, something not particularly uncommon for women for this day and age. Jordan Baker’s actions label her character in more ways than one in the novel, and indefinitely define her personality. Nick, the leading protagonist in the novel, views Jordan’s ways of life and personality in many different lights.
In the beginning of the book, he views her as a cool woman with much underneath the surface. He begins to admire her for her athleticism, her looks, and her personality, which Nick learns is not the personality for him. Towards the end of the book, Nick is confronted by Jordan after they had broken up and she tells him that she is engaged with another man, which Nick doubts. He doubts this because of Jordan’s ability to toy with the feelings of others, especially other single men. She plays with the feelings of men, while having no intention of getting involved in a relationship. This is confirmed when Nick sees her and describes her as having “her chin raised a little jauntily”, which again symbolizes her arrogance (177). Nick views her as a self centered person with a peculiar sense about her, for example when he first sees her wearing a white dress indoors for what seemed like a long time. Finally, Nick finds the errors of his ways and breaks it off with Jordan, ending the damaging toll the relationship had upon Nick’s mental well being. Nick does not recognize her arrogant personality, something he can’t handle, nor does he want to attempt to handle. Early in the story Nick is captured and somewhat intimidated by Jordan but as he begins to understand her true personality, he sees how different she actually
is. Jordan’s ostentatious and arrogant personality reflects the life of women during the 1920’s. She is the type of woman, who enjoys being looked at and admired by others, the type of woman whose personality draws all the attention in a room, and a woman whose conceitedness is unmatched by anyone. She is a unique person, a person who continues to impress the people around her. Jordan Baker is a very special woman because of her ability to draw the reader in, desperately searching for more of her intriguing character.