F. Scott Fitzgerald is known as of the most famous writers of the 1920's, an era that he labeled "the Jazz Age." Written in 1925, The Great Gatsby has become one of the greatest literary documents of the period, providing insight into the new emerging culture of the flappers and bootleggers of the thriving speakeasies in the midst of a soaring economy. The novel chronicles James Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful woman who epitomized that period's social values of femininity. Although Daisy initially rejected Gatsby because of his impoverished background, Gatsby's newly acquired wealth through bootlegging transformed him into an eligible aristocrat. Still, Daisy chooses, apparently foolishly, her adulterous husband, Tom, over Gatsby's undying love. Through looking at societal norms, investigating Daisy's awareness of society's expectations, and explicating her reason for choosing Tom one will come to see that Daisy is anything but a fool.

In the...