Imagery of Myrtles Life

There are lots of things other than images of Myrtle herself that will help me to understand her character. These are things such as location, era, styling, women of that time and much more. I have researched these things within the text by pulling out some quotes from the novel, but now I am going to generally research imagery that link to these things. These images aren't necessarily from the novel, but are generally represent the things that piece Myrtle's character together.

LOWER CLASS WOMEN OF THE 1920'S

These images show what lower class or working class women of the 20's look like. Myrtle is a lower class woman of this era, so this shows me how Fitzgerald put together the look for his character, and how I can consider putting mine together:

Lower Class Women - 1920's

 The above image shows a group of lower class women from the 1920's. As you can see, class was very much determined for women by their dress. Women tried to dress smartly and expensively like the upper class, but never quite managed to do so. Their outfits were mismatched and items were generally just thrown together. You can see then when you look at the way Fitzgerald has described Myrtle's appearance.

Lower Class Women - 1920's.

 I think this image portrays the lower class women of the 1920's very well. It shows women who aren't quite dressed right, flirting with a man who looks like he is of a bit of wealth. The women look happy and excited, but also as if they are trying to be upper class focusing on their posture and mannerisms. However, they way they seem very outgoing and confident shows that they are of the lower class, because women of the upper class were much more restricted. They certainly wouldn't be seen sitting on a wooden ledge like this, and they more than likely would have been a lot more covered up. 

1920'S LOWER CLASS FASHION:

  Immortalized in movies and magazine covers, young women's fashion of the 1920s was both a trend and a social statement, a breaking-off from the rigid Victorian way of life. These young, rebellious, middle-class women, labeled ‘flappers’ by older generations, did away with the corset and donned slinky knee-length dresses, which exposed their legs and arms. The hairstyle of the decade was a chin-length bob, of which there were several popular variations. Cosmetics, which until the 1920s were not typically accepted in American society because of their association with prostitution became, for the first time, extremely popular.

Reference: Kitch, Carolyn. The Girl on the Magazine Cover. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001. pp. 122-23.

 working-class women looked for modern forms of dress as they transitioned from rural to urban careers. Taking their cue from wealthier women, working women began wearing less expensive variations on the day suit, adopting a more modern look that seemed to suit their new, working class status. Women of the lower class who didn't even really work, like Myrtle, still had to have the same fashion as this. Myrtle's character was a classic example of a 'wannabe' when it came to fashion. She desperately tried to dress like Daisy, but always got it far from correct. She was vulgar two piece colours like pink and red, constantly clashing her outfits and never being successful in what she wore. Here makeup still represented the look of a prostitute, with bright red lip stick and smudged eyes. For what is already perceived to be an ugly character, she didn't help herself when it came to her styling.

Myrtle's style represents her character traits. She is often described as 'vulgar' and thats exactly what her styling portrays. Her mix of colours are bold, probably to make sure she stands out, but instead of making her look beautiful it just draws attention to her lower class background. The fishnet tights she wears and open toe shoes represent the idea of a prostitute, as does her choice for makeup.Makeup wasn't worn before the 20's because it was associated with actresses and prostitution. The relationship between Myrtle and Tom suggest that she is only wanted for sex and that links well with the idea of makeup styling and prostitution around this era. Her outfit is horrendous, but a perfect representation of her character traits.

THE VALLEY OF ASHES:

Throughout the novel, places and settings epitomize the various aspects of the 1920s American society that Fitzgerald depicts. East Egg represents the old aristocracy, West Egg the newly rich, the valley of ashes the moral and social decay of America, and New York City the uninhibited, amoral quest for money and pleasure.

The Valley of the Ashes is first introduced in Chapter 2. It's location is between West Egg and New York City consists of a long stretch of desolate land created by the dumping of industrial ashes. It represents the moral and social decay that results from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the plight of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result. This is where Myrtle is 'stuck'.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/themes.html

'Prostitution' Face Charts:

 From researching the life of women in the 1920's, I have come to some conclusions on the makeup that Myrtle wears. She is known for her black lined eyes, red lipstick and rosey blushered cheeks - nothing that screams 'natural makeup'.  

In Victorian times, makeup was associated with prostitution. Considering this time period was just after the Victorian era, it was only just becoming acceptable for women to wear makeup. Myrtle's character is lower class, so she would have been more likely to do so than other characters like Daisy. I relate this to her class, and her character, because she wants to be like the rich. Actresses wore lots of makeup (even though they were linked with the idea of prostitution) and Myrtle is a big reader of the gossip magazines. She would see the makeup these women wear and then copy the looks, thinking she would be seen as wealthy and beautiful like them. However, the fact she copies them as opposed to the real upper class women who wore barely anything shows her character and the fact that despite what she wants to be, she will always have the traits of a tacky, lower class woman.

Here are some face charts I have found that I think represent her makeup:

 

MAC Face Chart

 

The idea behind these face charts is to have smouldering black eyes and red lips. This has always been the instant thought of prostitution because it is a sexy look. It shows the idea of glamour, but also the idea of attracting attention and trying to look impressive. However, the way thats its designed in these face charts is probably a lot classier than most peoples original idea for the makeup!

1920's Hair Styles:

The popular 1920's hairstyle was the finger waves. Most women has short hair styled this way, but it could also been seen on women with long hair. For me, this is a style I would associate with the upper class women because they can afford the hairdressers and time to get it done. However, apparently some lower class women did the same. I imagine if Myrtle was to have her hair like this then she would be very much wearing it in a more messy style, with a scarf around some of her hair to keep the hair in place. I dont imagine her to have the nicest of hair, probably very curly and out of control because it would show a messy appearance and the contrast between her and the pristine Daisy.