Introduction:
The Great Gatsby, written by F.Scott Fitzgerald and published by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1925, relates the story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his never-ending pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a woman he loved as a youth. The basic plot is simplistic, yet it contains thought-provoking issues such as appearance vs. reality, societal unfairness, and the need to relive the past. The Great Gatsby remains relevant in our society for these few reasons, regardless of its publication date or era.
The Great Gatsby was written during the 1920s, also known as the Jazz Age. The famous tale vividly depicts postwar America, jazz music, free-flowing illegal liquor, and, most crucially, a gloomy view of the American Dream. Even though it did not sell many copies on its initial release, it was a complete flop. During World War II, though, it was revived. It was chosen as one of the books to be sent to American soldiers during the war. 155,000 copies had been sent to American soldiers by 1945. This is due to the fact that the story inspired and connected with the young men fighting in World War II.
Summary & Analysis:
Although the novel isn't the greatest ever written, it does contain some powerful truths on human nature. It exposes the classic "American ideal," as well as the ugly foundations on which it occasionally rests: lavish parties, enormous residences on Long Island, European vacations, and long, lazy afternoons.
The concept of love is a captivating aspect of The Great Gatsby novel. According to the simplified plot, love revolves around Jay Gatsby attempting to win over the girl of his dreams. While Jay Gatsby's passion for Daisy Buchanan appears to be obsessive and impure on the surface, it is far from it. Despite the wealth and riches he has gained by gambling and bootlegging, his life remains unsatisfactory.
Daisy is used by the author to represent the past; we see Daisy as Jay's love interest, a woman he couldn't obtain before, and we see the same hopeful view on life. Despite her marriage, he still sees her as an item, expecting that if he works hard enough, he can obtain her. This attitude guided his behavior throughout the story, such as purchasing a mansion only to view the girl.
Daisy and Jay's relationship seemed disastrous from the start. Daisy's husband Tom is also having an affair. Daisy appears to be a weak heroine, always requiring support with an excellent bank balance to suit her demands, as seen here.
Conclusion:
The novel is definitely a page-turner, however, the slightly challenging English makes it difficult to read. Because of the complicated explanation, I sometimes lost my concentration while reading. However, I enjoyed the plot. It demonstrates how a person's obsession may completely blind him to his surroundings.
Daisy's character's messed-up thinking has even made me curse her. The entire plot is disturbing since there is no filter in the portrayal of the characters' feelings. We can conclude that if we don't regulate our emotions, they can lead us to do things we shouldn't be doing in the first place. Although The Great Gatsby is only 200 pages long, do not read it in one sitting. It's the kind of book you should take your time with. Every time you read anything that strikes a chord with you, pause.
My Rating: 6.5/10
