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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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The Great Gatsby (original 1925; edition 2004)

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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71,678116013 (3.85)4 / 1308
Amidst the decadence of wealthy Jazz Age society, an enigmatic millionaire is obsessed with an elusive, spoiled young woman.
Member:happyporgus
Title:The Great Gatsby
Authors:F. Scott Fitzgerald
Info:Scribner (2004), Edition: 1, Paperback, 180 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:***
Tags:None

Work Information

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

  1. 176
    The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (themephi, sturlington)
    sturlington: Great novels of the Jazz Age.
  2. 51
    Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (chwiggy)
  3. 41
    Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play by Ellen Mansoor Collier (TomWaitsTables)
  4. 31
    Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood (LottaBerling)
  5. 31
    Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain-Fournier (mountebank)
  6. 31
    The Green Hat by Michael Arlen (Rebeki)
    Rebeki: Also narrated by a shadowy "outsider" figure and set in the glamorous 1920s.
  7. 31
    The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (kara.shamy)
  8. 32
    The Red and the Black by Stendhal (CGlanovsky)
    CGlanovsky: Shady social upstarts rising to prominence in societies dealing with fundamental class upheaval and entertaining romantic aspirations outside their traditional spheres.
  9. 10
    Look at Me by Anita Brookner (KayCliff)
  10. 43
    Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (FFortuna)
  11. 21
    Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor (lottpoet)
    lottpoet: This book features a well-off family, pillars of the community, taking things to quite tragic lengths. It follows an African-American family and so adds colorism and racism to the mix.
  12. 10
    Garden by the Sea by Mercè Rodoreda (bluepiano)
    bluepiano: Garden by the Sea is set in same period & similar milieu & leaves behind a deeper impression.
  13. 10
    The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James (lottpoet)
    lottpoet: similarly has a peripheral narrator showing rich people behaving badly about some of the strangest things
  14. 21
    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (acceptance)
    acceptance: Two short novels of the Jazz age, published in the same year. Fun to compare the two.
  15. 21
    Trust by Cynthia Ozick (citygirl)
  16. 10
    A Whistling Woman by A.S. Byatt (KayCliff)
  17. 33
    Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (Sylak)
  18. 22
    An Unfinished Season by Ward Just (elenchus)
    elenchus: Unfinished Season is set in the 1950s in and around Chicago, but elsewise an interesting parallel to The Great Gatsby in terms of setting and basic plot: class and manners among the society elite, and a young man wrestling with changes in family, caste, and personal relations.… (more)
  19. 11
    The Doll by Bolesław Prus (sirparsifal)
  20. 11
    A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (FFortuna)

(see all 30 recommendations)

1920s (1)
AP Lit (46)
100 (18)
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Showing 1-5 of 1085 (next | show all)
Loved it, can't believe it took me so long to read. They did a surprisingly good job with the movie. ( )
  Linyarai | Mar 6, 2024 |
I didn't remember much of this from high school, and even if I had, then I was 17 with no life experience and these characters were over a decade older, and now I'm 38 with some life experience and the characters are almost a decade younger than I am. So surely a reread would be in order.

The most interesting thing about the book I'd say is the critical reaction and estimation of it. The novel itself I see as well written but with unlikely plot elements for a realist novel and weakness in characterization. I agree with HL Mencken, who said of it "in form no more than a glorified anecdote, and not too probable at that". The reviews of its day were mixed, which seems appropriate.

Now however it has been raised up to the very heights of the literary canon, symbolizing the downside of the American Dream. This despite the fact that becoming wealthy through being drafted into an organized crime syndicate is not, I thought, actually part of the mythical 'American Dream', which has more to do with success through hard work - of which there is none here.

Very well, but it is also symbolic of the Roaring Twenties, they say. Perhaps a very slight segment of that decade, yes, but the 1% is always the 1% in any decade, and today's super wealthy are surely as decadent as this. To be symbolic of a time period is to show the life of the great mass of commoners, which is not The Great Gatsby's concern.

There's the doomed love story, and the fact that Gatsby remade himself for Daisy. Well, it's made clear that he always had a lust to become wealthy and "successful", and this had nothing to do with Daisy; he ran away from his parents and from his background towards his ambition before he ever met her. The love story itself is fairly weak sauce: after they are reunited, about the extent of it is that Gatsby says that Daisy "comes over every afternoon". What happens those afternoons, what is Daisy feeling and weighing up at those times?

Wuthering Heights, it's not.

Not to say it's not a decent short novel. It has its merits, but The Great American Novel... no. ( )
  lelandleslie | Feb 24, 2024 |
I honestly don't recall much about my first encounter with The Great Gatsby, other than not being particularly interested. Back in 9th grade, there were many things I deemed more important than literature.

Now, 40 years later, I find myself with a newfound appreciation for Fitzgerald's seminal work.

This time, the book struck a different chord. Tom Buchanan's not-so-subtle racist jabs caught my attention immediately—something I glossed over in my youth. The dialogues often felt flat, except when our guide Nick Carraway took the reins. It's hard to believe I nearly forgot he was the narrator. His perspective, especially on Jordan Baker, really grabbed me this time. Jordan, a character I barely remembered, now had me hanging on her every word.

Daisy still irked me, and Gatsby's grand persona felt even more fantastical. Tom and Myrtle... I'm still figuring them out. But George Wilson, a mere footnote in my first reading, now intrigued me with his poignant storyline.

Key Themes and Useful Lessons

With countless reviews over its 100-year history, I doubt I can offer new insights into Gatsby. However, on a personal note, the book imparted some lessons relevant to today:

  • The Illusion of the American Dream: Gatsby's quest for Daisy reflects the broader, often illusory chase for the American Dream, reminding us of the importance of grounding our aspirations in reality.

  • Complexity of Human Relationships: Through characters like Nick and Jordan, Fitzgerald reminds us of the depth and complexity inherent in each person, urging us to approach others with an open mind.

  • Confronting Social Issues: The novel's stark class divides and casual racism serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges we face today.

  • The Importance of Self-Reflection: Nick's reflective narration encourages us to ponder the real versus the superficial in our media-saturated world.

Interesting Quotes

Here are two of the book's most iconic quotes:

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." - Nick as Narrator

This final line captures the relentless struggle against time and history, highlighting the often futile effort to escape our past.

"They're a rotten crowd...You're worth the whole damn bunch put together." - Nick to Gatsby.

Nick's affirmation of Gatsby's worth amidst corruption underscores the value of integrity over the moral decay surrounding us.


To my surprise, this re-read was incredibly rewarding, offering insights into both the the human condition and the world around us. I highly recommend it for those seeking deeper self-understanding and societal reflection.

Next on my list are This Side of Paradise and Tender Is the Night.

Post Script: About the Movies

A week after finishing the book, my wife and I embarked on a Gatsby film marathon, starting with the 1974 Robert Redford and Mia Farrow version, then moving on to Baz Luhrmann's 2013 adaptation. The '74 film's fidelity to the book, particularly in dialogue, offered a sense of authenticity I valued. Daisy and Myrtle were as annoying as expected, but Sam Waterston's Nick and Lois Chiles' Jordan stood out, bringing depth to their characters that resonated with my reading experience. (Plus, I've had crust on Lois Chiles since Moonraker.)

The 2013 version, while visually stunning, was a bit over the top. Luhrmann's flair, though impressive, seemed unnecessary for a story already rich in itself.

A tip for high schoolers seeking a shortcut for their book report: the Redford film might just get you an A.

  howermj | Feb 24, 2024 |
I read this book many years ago in highschool. I thought it was a good book back then however reading it as an adult it was phenominal. I would highly reccomend this book. I feel like i git so much more out of it as an adult though. Tgis book is definantly woth the read. ( )
  AshleyPelletier | Feb 20, 2024 |
I first read The Great Gatsby for The Well-Educated Mind reading challenge in 2013; it was unforgettable then and still is this second time. It has been (almost) a century since this tragic story had first been shared.

The Great Gatsby is quintessentially American literature, particularly because it highlights the "American Dream," the unique ideal that with hard work, determination, and ambition, anyone, regardless of status, can succeed. At the time of publication, some in America were experiencing great wealth, and the variance between rich and poor was considerable. Seemingly, the American Dream appeared unreachable for many.

This was a very personal story for Fitzgerald, almost autobiographical; but when I think of one of the important statements made by Nick, our narrator (our eyes), I feel like this story is more universal than personal or just American. The statement is this:
They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up their mess they had made...
A LITTLE STORY FIRST

Tom and Daisy were a married couple living in the opulent end of a fictional town on Long Island. They lived idle lives, lounging away their days. Nick, the narrator, was an essential character who moved into the lower (though still wealthy) end of the area, next door to a self-made man named Jay Gatsby.

Mr. Gatsby had a romantic past with the aforementioned Daisy; though she was wealthy -- and he not -- I think she still loved him as he was, albeit for his great ideas and ambitions. Nonetheless, he was off to the Great War, and by the time he returned to Daisy, she had already married Tom, unwilling to wait for Gatsby. He still believed he could attract her, if he could build up and grow his status in order to sustain her with material goods and wealth -- after all, she loved money.

That was why he purchased property across the Bay from where Daisy lived with Tom. Nick narrated the story as Gatsby's new neighbor, but Nick also knew Tom and Daisy, and it is through Nick that Gatsby arranged for Daisy to come back into his life. She was star struck by his wealth. To some degree.

Those substantial parties that occurred at his mansion were opportunities to draw and capture Daisy. However, for a time, they attracted hordes of boorish, negligent, rich strangers who spread rumors about the host of the residence. Although everyone knew of him and enjoyed his grand premises and material abundance, no one really knew the truth about who Jay Gatsby was. Even Nick struggled with the truth.

SPOILERS:

The tragic turning point in the story materialized when Nick, Gatsby, Tom, Daisy, and Jordan rode into the city with nothing better to do than drink, complain, and argue. Afterward, Daisy and Gatsby returned to Long Island in Gatsby's car. Then, following some moments behind, Nick, Jordan, and Tom, in Tom's car, stopped to see an incident that had occurred near a gas station owned by Wilson, a man Tom knew. The man's wife, Myrtle, had just been struck by a fancy speeding car, killing her instantly. She was Tom's mistress!

Immediately, due to the description of the vehicle, it was determined that it was Gatsby's car which struck and killed the woman. It was only a matter of hours before Tom had told Wilson whom the vehicle belonged to; but Tom never learned (at least that we can tell) what Gatsby had told Nick: that it was Daisy who had been driving.

You can guess what happened next: revenge, murder, and suicide.

Finally, it disgusted Nick that those who recklessly frequented Gatsby's parties and those who considered themselves business partners and the like, now had or wanted nothing to do with Gatsby. No one cared enough to attend the funeral. They abused his mansion, took advantage of his liberality, and walked away without any accountability or care for his life.

SPOILERS ENDED

In the end, Nick had developed a respectable understanding of who Gatsby was. Gatsby set high standards for himself and he worked hard; but he also participated in illegal activity to achieve his new economic status. And while Daisy was his ideal of the American Dream -- after all, he did all this for her -- she chose to stay married to Tom. She eluded Gatsby, just like all the rich party-goers had abandoned him at his death; and Wilson who had a rough time getting ahead (who could not even keep his wife satisfied); and the many others in the City who worked and worked and got nowhere; so too, the American Dream seemed to elude them.

source

BUT IS THIS TRUTH?

Interestingly, the American Dream was not for people like Tom and Daisy because they were born into wealth and status. Instead, they carelessly made messes of other lives -- in this case, Gatsby, Wilson, and Myrtle -- and then they walked away, without conscience, from the lives they ruined. People were disposable to the Toms and Daisies of the world. The same can be said about the rich party-goers since they did not care about what had happened to Gatsby. They just moved on.

This disregard for human life is a bad universal human trait and does not matter if you are wealthy or poor. People are selfish and they use and discard others after they have no more need of them. Other than that, Fitzgerald argued that the American Dream was difficult to attain (period). For Gatsby, his American Dream was behind him, unable to ever reach it. And since his Dream was Daisy, an idol, he set himself up to fail.

The American Dream is subjective because if a people are free, they will form their own absolute of what success looks like, and they will determine the goal. There are many roads to similar goals, too. In addition, one's morality or lack thereof, as well as personal circumstances, abilities, and talents will affect one's outcome. Gatsby, Wilson, and Myrtle did not exactly make right choices, either. And while we only think Tom and Daisy evaded consequences, in reality, destructive decisions catch up to you sooner or later, no matter your status. The truth always is exposed.

Yes, I think there is some truth to Fitzgerald's idea that the American Dream may be enigmatic and becoming more fleeting. Innumerable obstacles and challenges exist for all people. And in the 1920s, there were intentional obstacles to different people groups as well. But I believe those barriers have since been lifted, and frankly, the greatest hindrance to upward mobility today is government, if upward mobility is your Dream. However, as long as one has liberty and independence, he can choose his path, head straight, and at least strive and persevere, God willing. And Nick understood this and was encouraged to know that at least people still believed in the

green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther....And one fine morning... ( )
  GRLopez | Feb 15, 2024 |
Showing 1-5 of 1085 (next | show all)
F. Scott Fitzgerald excelled at this sort of character. Few can write a more vivid neighbor, train conductor or, more usually, bartender.
added by vibesandall | editThe New York Times, Parul Sehgal (Dec 30, 2020)
 
Here are five reasons supplemented by quotes from The Great Gatsby that best explain Fitzgerald’s magnum opus and why it is a timeless classic, drawing legions of readers through ages.
added by vibesandall | editHindustian Times, Sneha Bengani (Oct 3, 2016)
 
American classic captures romance, debauchery of Jazz Age.
added by vibesandall | editCommon Sense Media, Barbara Schultz (Sep 30, 2015)
 
What gives the story distinction is something quite different from the management of the action or the handling of the characters; it is the charm and beauty of the writing.
added by vibesandall | editChicago Tribune, HL Mencken (Jan 23, 2015)
 
Fitzgerald's jazz age masterpiece has become a tantalising metaphor for the eternal mystery of art.
added by vibesandall | editThe Guardian, Robert McCrum (Sep 8, 2014)
 

» Add other authors (55 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Fitzgerald, F. Scottprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Abarbanell, BettinaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Amberg, BillCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bickford-Smith, CoralieCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bradbury, MalcolmIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bruccoli, Matthew JosephPrefacesecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Burns, TomIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bush, KenEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cavagnoli, FrancaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cirlin, EdgardCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Colomb, StephanieEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cornils, L.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cugat, FrancisCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dean, BruceIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Demkowska, Ariadnasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ekvall, ChristianTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ellsworth, JohannaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Folch i Camarasa, RamonTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Gyllenhaal, JakeNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Heald, AnthonyNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hope, WilliamNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Janssen, SusanTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Li, CherlynneCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Liona, VictorTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Meyer, FredIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Meyers, JeffreyEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Muller, FrankNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Murakami, HarukiTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Niiniluoto, MarjaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Nippoldt, RobertIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Olzon, GöstaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pauley, JaneNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Piñas, E.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pivano, FernandaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Prigozy, RuthEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Reynolds, GuyIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Robbins, TimNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schürenberg, Waltersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schürenberg, WalterTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Scourby, AlexanderNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Siegel, HalIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sloan, SamForewordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Soosaar, EnnTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Stephens, ChelseaNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tait, KyleNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tanner, TonyIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tournier, JacquesTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tredell, NicolasEditorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tsaneva, MariaIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wolff, Lutz-W.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Epigraph
Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;
      If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,
Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,
      I must have you!"
—Thomas Parke D'Invilliers
Dedication
ONCE AGAIN
TO
ZELDA
First words
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.
Quotations
Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.
All right ... I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.
This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens, where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud which screens their obscure operations from your sight.
"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me. "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."
I rented a house ... on that slender riotous island which extends itself due east of new york -- where there are, among other natural curiosities, two unusual formations of land. Twenty miles from the city a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and seprated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound. They are not perfect ovals ... but their physical resembalnce must be a source of perpetual wonder to the gullsthat fly overhead.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Amidst the decadence of wealthy Jazz Age society, an enigmatic millionaire is obsessed with an elusive, spoiled young woman.

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Book description
[R.L. 7.3, 8 pts]
Set in the 1920s, this is the tragic love story of Jay Gatsby, a dashing, enigmatic millionaire, obsessed with an elusive, spoiled young woman, Daisy Buchanan.
Haiku summary
New neighbor is rich
and throws wild parties for friends.
The American dream.

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Penguin Australia

7 editions of this book were published by Penguin Australia.

Editions: 0141182636, 0140007466, 0141023430, 0141037636, 024195147X, 1922079553, 0734306865

Urban Romantics

2 editions of this book were published by Urban Romantics.

Editions: 1907832564, 1907832572

 

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