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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Get ready to immerse yourself in the wild world of the roaring twenties with F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic novel, The Great Gatsby. This timeless tale of love, greed, and the elusive American Dream is a must-read for anyone looking to experience the excesses and superficiality of the Jazz Age. With its vivid characters, intricate plot, and poetic prose, this novel is a masterclass in storytelling. You'll be swept up in the world of Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, and left questioning the very notion of the American Dream. It's a wild ride that'll keep you guessing until the very end.
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The Great Gatsby: Unpacking the Elusive American Dream and the Cost of Living in the Past
summarizeEditor's Summary
The Great Gatsby is a timeless classic that delves into the elusive American Dream and the consequences of living in the past. Set in the roaring twenties, F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel is a poignant commentary on the excesses of wealth, the corrupting influence of power, and the fragility of the human experience. Through the eyes of narrator Nick Carraway, we're drawn into the world of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire with a mysterious past and a penchant for grandeur. As Gatsby's world begins to unravel, Fitzgerald masterfully exposes the dark underbelly of the American Dream, leaving readers to ponder the true cost of chasing one's desires. With its lush prose, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, The Great Gatsby is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the complexities of the human condition.
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HikayeKalitesi8/10
KarakterGelişimi9/10
DönemİçinRelevanlık7/10
I stumbled upon this book in a poster that my son picked out for me as part of a '100 books' challenge. I'd been eyeing it for a while because I wanted to read the book before watching the movie adaptation. It's one of my pet peeves to read the book before watching the film, and I'm glad my son chose it. We've been reading it together, and it's been a great experience for both of us. I was expecting a much longer book, given the movie's length, but it's actually a relatively short 161 pages. I was a bit disappointed when I couldn't find any online summaries or abridged versions, but it turns out that's the actual book.
I read the 161 pages over the course of six days, which might seem like a long time, but it's because the book is not an easy read. It's a thought-provoking novel that makes you think about a lot of things. It's not the best book I've ever read, but it's definitely one that I needed to read to understand certain things about myself. I'll tell you more about it in a bit.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Plot .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
The Great Gatsby is a story about people who seem to have it all - money, parties, beautiful homes, and beautiful faces - but are missing the essence of life, honesty, and the ability to live in the moment. They're hiding behind their glamorous facades and champagne glasses, trying to escape the emptiness within. The story revolves around the enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby, his past, and his all-consuming idea that draws everyone around him in.
The plot is centered around Gatsby's mysterious past and his all-consuming idea, which slowly unravels the lives of those around him. There are a few twists and turns, including some action towards the end, but overall, the book is a slow-burning narrative that's like a long lecture on a warm May evening. It's full of insightful words, interesting reflections, and character development, but it can be a bit dry and meandering at times. I found myself needing to take breaks and process what I'd just read for hours.
The book is more about the internal struggles, illusions, and the slow decay of carefully constructed facades. It's not about what happens, but why things don't go as planned.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Characters .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
Nick Carraway is the narrator and observer. He's the typical 'I'm just a bystander' type who's actually quite involved. He tries to present himself as the moral compass of the story, but sometimes it feels like he's just enjoying the drama from a safe distance. I wasn't particularly invested in him until the end, when he started taking action. If I'm honest, the whole point and moral of the story could have been different if it were told from a different perspective - maybe one that's not as biased towards Gatsby. Nick tends to present events in a way that's favorable to him, and he idealizes Gatsby. So, we're reading his version of the truth, not the actual truth. And maybe Gatsby is great only in Nick's eyes.
I wasn't initially impressed with the neighbor, Jay Gatsby, but it's through his eyes that we see the protagonist, and that's what makes him so fascinating. He's the embodiment of the American Dream, the epitome of what everyone wants to be – glamorous, desirable, and successful. But behind the facade, he's a broken man, crushed by his own ambition to win over the one woman he loves. He's a romantic, a perfectionist, and a man consumed by his past and his desire to relive it. And for that, I think he's a great guy.
Daisy Buchanan is a beautiful, delicate, and utterly empty shell of a woman. She's created to be admired, not to take responsibility. She's the symbol of comfort, and the price she pays is other people's freedom. For her, Gatsby is a ray of hope, a symbol of the good life, and the possibilities that come with it. He's not a great man, but he's great in her eyes, a reminder of the life she wants to live – one where she's carried on someone else's shoulders.
Tom Buchanan is a self-assured, aggressive, and unpleasant man. He's convinced that the world owes him a living, and that he can do whatever he wants with others. It's easy to dislike him. For him, Gatsby is a great deceiver and a great rival, a man who's stolen his wife's heart and his place in society.
Jordan Baker is cold, ironic, and detached. She's played the game before, and she knows the rules. She's not invested emotionally, and that's what makes her so shallow. Honestly, I found her role in the novel to be so minor that I wouldn't have noticed the difference if she wasn't there. She's empty, just like everyone else, and she's also a liar. For her, great things are scarce, and Gatsby is just a guy she's met along the way. But his parties are legendary, and she loved attending them.
·:*¨ ¨*:·. The world around Gatsby, the world that Fitzgerald draws us into, is one of excess and decay, of jazz and alcohol, of wealth and superficiality. ·:*¨ ¨*:·.
He captures the essence of the Roaring Twenties perfectly – a time of reckless abandon, of pretending to have it all, of hiding behind a mask of glamour and sophistication. But behind the glitz and the glitter, there's a sense of desperation, of emptiness, and of a world that's crumbling from within.
At first, the world of the novel looks pretty appealing, but the longer you're in it, the more you want to get out into the fresh air. You know how it is when you go to a party and the decorations are all flashy, the food is fancy, and there's champagne galore - even if you can't get it in the shops. It's exhilarating, I suppose. But then you look around and it's all mannequins - some of them broken, some with rude scribbles all over them. Everyone's smiling, but it's a dead-eyed smile that makes you feel more miserable than merry. That's how I felt. But I'm not a party animal, and I don't do clubs or going out with strangers.
The society in the novel lives in a world of illusions and status, not feelings and values, and you start to feel it pretty quickly. And maybe that's why my patience with all these high-society types and their antics often wore thin after just 10 minutes.
By the way, there was a dry law in place at the time, but the characters in the novel are always drinking. It's not just a period detail - it's a sign of the hypocrisy of society: they have rules, but they're flexible for the wealthy.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Language and narrative style .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
The writing is beautiful, but not exactly easy to follow. The sentences are crafted with care, the language is evocative, and sometimes even a bit over-the-top. The book is short, but it's not a page-turner - more like a series of small, bite-sized chapters. It's not that complicated, but the text requires attention and the right mindset.
If you read it superficially, you can get bored and lose interest quickly. If you read it thoughtfully, looking for the underlying message, you can still get tired of the sheer number of unpleasant emotions you're forced to confront. The ending, by the way, was a bit of a shock. It's all resolution and action, not just pointless showmanship.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Emotions .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
But there aren't really any strong emotions in the book. No excitement, no positivity, no shock or empathy. Just a sense of sadness, a bit of frustration, and a lingering feeling of disappointment - not with the literature itself, but with people, their actions, and their values.
The book doesn't grab you emotionally, but it does make you think - and that, I suppose, is its greatest strength.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Morals and the author's message .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
Main takeaway is pretty clear: you can't live in the past and buy happiness with money. The American Dream in this novel looks like a pretty packaging with no content. Illusions will eventually collapse, and irresponsibility and egoism always have consequences – just not always for those who create them.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Interesting facts .·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
1. Fitzgerald considered the novel a failure. The novel was published in 1925 and initially didn't have much success. During the author's lifetime, 'The Great Gatsby' sold pretty poorly. The real fame came after his death.
2. The novel's title could have been different. Fitzgerald considered many options, including 'The Trimalchio Feast', 'The Wild Lover', 'Around Garbage and Millionaires', and even 'Under the Red, White, and Blue'
3. The characters were inspired by real people Gatsby was partially based on Max Gerlach – an enigmatic millionaire, bootlegger, and party host. Tom Buchanan was largely inspired by Fitzgerald's wealthy and arrogant first husband, Zeyd. Daisy's prototype was Jeanne King – Fitzgerald's first love who rejected him due to lack of money.
By the way
A bootlegger is a person who sells prohibited goods, mainly alcoholic beverages, which emerged during the US Prohibition era, from the English word 'bootleg' (golenee with a shoe), as they hid the liquor in shoes.
4. Today, 'The Great Gatsby' is a must-read in American schools and one of the most cited novels of the 20th century. Ironically, the book about the failure of the American Dream has become a cultural myth.
5. The book became popular due to the war. During World War II, the novel was mass-distributed to American soldiers in cheap editions. That's when 'Gatsby' got its second life and a wider audience.
📖.·:*¨ ¨*:·. Conclusion.·:*¨ ¨*:·.📖
'The Great Gatsby' is not a timeless masterpiece for me, but it's not a waste of time either. It's a neat, smart, and quite cold novel that's more about analyzing than feeling. It doesn't sweep you off your feet, but it stays in your head. It's worth reading – without high expectations and with the willingness to see how empty space can shine. To me, this novel is more about obsession, egoism, and the inability to let go of the past. And the consequences, of course.
I won't give it 5 stars because it didn't give me something I was looking for. Maybe emotions, maybe engagement as a reader. But 4 stars, no less. Maybe in 10-15 years, when my life becomes more calm and routine, I'll enjoy re-reading it over a cup of cocoa and a glass of wine. Or maybe it just didn't click with me as a busy mom of a first-grader 😅
Thanks to everyone, and may your actions be great!
live_helpFeatured FAQ
What is the American Dream, and how does it relate to The Great Gatsby?
The American Dream refers to the idea that anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is represented by Jay Gatsby's pursuit of wealth and status, but Fitzgerald ultimately reveals the dark underbelly of this dream, exposing the corrupting influence of power and the emptiness of material wealth.
Who is the narrator of The Great Gatsby, and what is his role in the story?
The narrator of The Great Gatsby is Nick Carraway, a young man from the Midwest who moves to Long Island and becomes friends with Jay Gatsby. Nick serves as a foil to Gatsby, providing a more objective and moral perspective on the events of the novel.
What is the significance of the green light across the water in The Great Gatsby?
The green light across the water is a symbol of the elusive American Dream, which Gatsby longs to attain. The light represents the promise of something better, but it's ultimately unattainable, highlighting the futility of Gatsby's pursuit.
How does The Great Gatsby relate to modern society?
The Great Gatsby is a commentary on the excesses of wealth and the corrupting influence of power, which are still relevant today. The novel also explores themes of class, privilege, and the American Dream, which continue to resonate with readers today.
What is the significance of the character of Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby?
Daisy is a symbol of the old money and the corrupting influence of wealth. Her relationship with Tom is a commentary on the decay of the American aristocracy, and her affair with Gatsby highlights the emptiness of material wealth and the fragility of human relationships.
How does The Great Gatsby end, and what does it mean?
The ending of The Great Gatsby is a tragic commentary on the futility of Gatsby's pursuit of the American Dream. Gatsby's death serves as a reminder that the American Dream is ultimately unattainable, and that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to emptiness and destruction.
What is the significance of the character of Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby?
Tom is a symbol of the old money and the corrupting influence of wealth. His relationship with Daisy is a commentary on the decay of the American aristocracy, and his treatment of Gatsby highlights the brutal and entitled nature of the wealthy elite.
How does The Great Gatsby relate to the concept of class and privilege?
The Great Gatsby is a commentary on the excesses of wealth and the corrupting influence of power, which are still relevant today. The novel explores the themes of class and privilege, highlighting the decay of the American aristocracy and the fragility of human relationships.
check_circlePros
- •Richly detailed and immersive setting that transports readers to the roaring twenties
- •Complex and nuanced characters that are both relatable and flawed
- •Thought-provoking themes that continue to resonate with readers today
- •Lush prose that's both beautiful and evocative
- •Masterful exploration of the American Dream and its consequences
- •Well-developed plot that's both engaging and suspenseful
cancelCons
- •Some readers may find the pacing a bit slow or uneven
- •The novel's themes and messages can be heavy-handed at times
- •Some characters feel a bit one-dimensional or underdeveloped
- •The ending can be a bit abrupt or unsatisfying for some readers
- •The novel's focus on the wealthy elite may feel a bit alienating or disconnected from modern readers
- •The book's length and density can be overwhelming for some readers
