My Research Paper Prompt:
Using The Great Gatsby and historical research, show how the rights and expectations of women were beginning to change in the 1920's and how certain characters reflect those changes. You should also explore how certain charaters do NOT reflect these changes and continue to reflect the typical role of the women being subordinate to man, as well as the domineering, sexist male.
My Outline (So far):
I. A. Intro: women have always had the stereotypical role of being a homemaker, housewife, and bearer of children. However, since the beginning of the 1920's, the civil rights and expectations of women started to adapt to current situations.
B. Thesis: F. Scott Fitzgeralds book, The Great Gatsby, has a few developed female characters who continue being a subordinant to men, and other females who push their boundaries and take their new rights to their advantage. There are also famous women in history who have proved themselves to being independent and not having to rely on men, and other women who have chosen to stay in the typical role of a homemaker and housewife.
II. A. How women were seen
B. What women's typical roles used to be
C. When they started to change; Why and how?
D. New civil rights given to women
a. Voting
b. Better pay
c. etc.
III. A. The Great Gatsby female example of being a subordinate to man
B. The Great Gatsby female example of the opposite
IV. A. Examples of real life women that act as a subordinate to man
B. Examples of real life women that act as the opposite
V. A. Restate Thesis
B. Conclusion
I had my teacher look over my outline, and she said it was fine. I just had to tweak the thesis a bit to include the history examples (and I probably will some more once I get female examples). I can only use books, encyclopedia, and credible magazines (from my library at school). Also, the only internet source I may use is scdiscus.org ... It is quite difficult for me to figure out how to use the site when trying to find articles on this subject, for my second and fourth paragraph (see II. & IV. above)...(I can not STAND this site...) However, if I can get some help in finding articles, I will be EVER so grateful! Also, I need help on figuring out which female characters from The Great Gatsby, and also examples on how and why they are that way, to use for my third paragraph (see III. above). Thank you in advance! Feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding this!
