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The Great Gatsby
Now I am a teacher and at one time found myself in a position where I had no choice but to assign my students _The Great Gatsby_. For that act of inhumanity, I humbly beg forgiveness, though I know full well that the teacher who betrays his students' trust in such a way can no more expect absolution than can the Nazi underling, who, acting on his superior's orders, sends a cowering Jew to the gas chamber.And don't you dare tell me I didn't get the book. Since I was supposed to be teaching the thing I read it three times (well, to be frank, two and half times; midway through my third reading, I gave up in disgust, both at myself, for having persisted so long, and at the novel itself). I mean, who really gives a fig for any of the characters in the book? Or for that stupid green light? Oooh, ah, and the Valley of Ashes! How very apocalyptic! And T. J. Mecklenburg, or whatever his name was. How could anybody really give a fig for any of it?I've also seen lots of reviews where high-school students (probably with plenty of help from their teachers) say they must not be smart enough or mature enough to get Gatsby. Not at all, my friends! Believe in yourselves, youth of the world force-fed Gatsby by illiterate curriculum writers! You are neither too stupid nor too immature. Gatsby, at any age, is simply awful. And you can tell your teachers I said so.
The Great Gatsby
This is professor of English George Armstrong's latest book, a look at hypocrisy. It is about a man named Bob, who wins a shaggy-dog contest only to discover that the President refuses to give him his prize money. Despairing, he flies to the Moon, where he meets two adorable aliens. Unfortunately, they end up killing everyone on Earth.Although many believe it to be a masterpiece, I thought this book was retarded.
The Great Gatsby
The great gatsby is probably the best book I have ever read, and certainly the most life changing. I read it recently in class, and connected so well with the characters. It is a book that takes multiple reads to understand fully, because of the amount of symbolism in it. Fitzgerald's words are so beautiful, and his descriptions paint verbal pictures that are truly magnificent. The Great Gatsby is a book I intend to read over and over again. It is am american classic that every person should read at least twice.
The Great Gatsby
There is this handful of books where empathy is actually possible with the first person narrator: Catcher in the Rye, The Bell Jar, Invisible Man, All the King's Men, god forbid - Lolita, throw in Bukowski for good measure, but also The Great Gatsby. These books throw us into their subject by allowing us to understand what it would be like to be in the same scenario, and we can better understand that type of life. I am uncertain what it is that links these, but perhaps the narrators' fear, uncertainty, and continuing effort to figure life out in spite of the knowledge that the effort will inevitably end in failure make them human and part of us. The Great Gatsby lets us live for a moment in the twenties without engaging in any truly great events, despite the title. If only there were one of these for every decade.
The Great Gatsby
"The Great Gatsby" is a novel centered around obsession, extravagance, and the perils associated with these things. The narrator is Nick Carraway, whose seemingly dull life is meant as a contrast with the lives of the other characters. Jay Gatsby is the title character, whose true identity remains hidden for most of the novel. He has created a life for himself: a new identity, a disreputable job, and elaborate parties, all a front to impress the woman of his dreams. Daisy Buchanan lives in fashionable East Egg, with her husband Tom. Their life is consumed by maintaining an outward faade of wealth and perfection. The truth, like Gatsby's life, is much less glamorous. Daisy is bored and restless, and Tom keeps a mistress in the City.Nick, at the beginning of the plot has rented a house on Gatsby's property, and conveniently is also Daisy's cousin. Gatsby comes up with the brilliant idea of recruiting Nick to help him seduce Daisy. Daisy is immediately attracted to the excitement that seems to surround Gatsby. The dangers of his business dealings, and the constant flow of strangers that attend his parties seem so different from her calm life with her husband. Both of them are desperate for some change, and believe that all their dreams will be realized when they are together.Fitzgerald in this novel has created an American classic. His tale of decadence and destruction is an essential work of fiction. He has taken the "roaring 20's", and shown the negative side of luxury and wealth. Although at times he seems to be advocating lewd parties, or adultery, he is merely trying to show what ends come to people who partake in these activities. One cannot help but sympathize with Gatsby. He is a man who is convinced that he must be something other than himself in order to impress the woman he loves. Yet all his efforts prove in vain when he realizes that Daisy would never make him happy, and still his pursuit of her still leads to his death.In reading this I felt that one could not help but enjoy it. The plot lacks dramatic action scenes, but this is made up for with the complex social situations that Fitzgerald showcases. Its appeal also lies in the readers' strange attraction to a character who is less than perfect (Gatsby), and distaste for a character who seems to have the least flaws (Nick).
The Great Gatsby
It tops more than one list of the greatest novels of all time. Sure, it's subjective, but everyone should read this book. I somehow didn't read it in high school, so I picked it up recently. It's great. And the movie with Robert Redford did a nice job of adapting it too.