Mid Sweden University

This essay has addressed the tacit notions of masculinity that inform the characterisation of the male protagonists in the novels The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise. Masculinity in Fitzgerald’s novels is shaped by violence, dominance over women, heterosexuality, physical strength, and prosperity. The male protagonists in the novels adhere to what are ostensibly traditional attributes of manhood, albeit in different degrees, and the male characters measure their power and manliness against these five components.

Most importantly, however, Fitzgerald’s highlighting of these characters’ imprisonment opens a door to awareness. By showing how the male characters’ imprisonment to masculinity not only keeps them prisoners within themselves, but also within their contemporary society, Fitzgerald manages to undermine the contemporary notion of masculinity.