Great Gatsby Review

I think the problem with asigning this book to high school students is that many of the themes that deal with the human condition are foreign to them. Themes of corruption, time and capitalism are easier to understand. <br><br>The soul of the story revolves around a nobody that has spent his life struggling to make something of himself to somehow re enter Daisy's life--to be what Tom was. The memory of Daisy has haunted him and she has been placed on a pedestal in his mind and he is somehow trying to "relive the past". This is something that is impossible, but not to Gatsby. Because he has made so much money, he thinks that he can have whatever he wants. He throws parties in his huge masion to show his wealth and hopefully have her "wander into one of his parties".<br><br>Of course Gatsby can never fully grasp the relationship that has been built between Tom and Daisy. Gatsby still believes that she can be in love with him. This is self-deception on his part. And the dream he has comes undone by reality.<br><br>Most of the students that read this in grades 10-12 will more fully appreciate it in their 20's, when some of Gatsby/Daisy/Nick's experiences will mean something personally. In the mean time, study the book. Learn whatever you can about one of the greatest works of fiction ever written and be patient.

I totally agree with you on this. You wrote this really well and pulled out specific points from the book, KUDOS for you~! :)

well that was a little harsh you snake...you don't go around tossin people's opinions like that you fag!!!! infact i thought it was great how he took it from that point of view

L, I've read your comments (having just stumbled across this site), and to be honest, I couldn't disagree more.<br><br>I first read TGG in college, on my own (I've never had to read it for an English class), and it took me a whopping two hours. I was blown away. In the subsequent fifteen or so years, I have read the book an average of once a year, and every time I read the book, I come away with a new perspective on it.<br><br>One thing to keep in mind, though, is that sometimes the historical context of TGG gets lost as we move farther and farther away, in time, from the 1920s. I've had an interest in the Roaring Twenties since I was young, though, and perhaps that's why I can read the novel over and over again. If you read the novel from a 21st-century perspective without sufficient knowledge of the historical context to which to attach it, it's easy to see why TGG bored you, but I recommend you reread the book if you happen to be in a class studying the Roaring Twenties; it gives you a perspective most history texts don't.

Nick never thought Gatsby was all that great. "Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn."-pg 6. He does state that Gatsby turns out alright in the end but everything that preyed on Gatsby was what the real trouble was.

oook "hillary LeSwank" For starters, I'm not a yank, I'm an aussie. Secondly of course Gatsby didn't write about the cars specifically to portray this that or the other thing. But in writing about hte time things such as that come up without them being specifically intended. If you can't find anything to annalyse in the book, then perhaps you're not much of an english student? That's not meant to be offensive or anything, it's just a fact that you need to be able to analyse techniques if you want to do well in english. Your oppinions are not the only ones in existance and you shouldn't try to force you're own ideals on other people, neither should I or anyone else. So get down of your high horse and realise you're not the best thing since sliced bread.

First, I think hillary needs to relax. If the opinions of other people get you that worked up you will probably die young and slow. Secondly I thought it may be interesting to mention Fitzgerald is quoted as saying,<br>"the book contains no important woman character and women control the fiction market at present". As we know the women direct the entire book.

It's not so much Gatsby that is corrupt but his dream. It was corrupted because Gatsby had imagined that Daisy was perfect and in reality she was far from it. Daisy was unworthy of Gatsby because she was materialistic, which was acceptible for those of her social class and of the time. She gave up love for social class.

I liked Gatsby even if he was corrupt and all that jazz. It was so sad when no one came to his funeral. Good old Owl Eyes! Poor James. <br><br>Those are my intelligent, carefully thought-out comments. ;)

Gatsby goes to great lengths to decieve Daisy about who he really is. Mind you, has also decieved himself a great deal, but I'll digress from that argument in order to make a quick point.<br> What Gatsby does is borderline stalking. He doggedly follows Daisy to Chicago, after watching the Chicago newspapers for word of her. While his intentions toward her are honest, his methods are clearly not. This makes an interesting comparison to the modern issue of stalking: what is 'love' and what is 'harrassment', and where does one draw the line? Where does one cross it? Has Gatsby crossed it?<br> Maybe this is where his intentions clearly come into play.

In my honest opinion, this book is garbage. I was reading "The Road to West Egg" packet, and I must agree with some of the negative critical comments that the author of TRTWE cited. My English teacher keeps telling me about all the symbolism in the book, when really, the only symbolism that makes sense to me is the fact that Gatsby IS Fitzgerald. They are both self-made millionaires, they both fell for a woman that left them because they were poor, they both made money to win a woman, and the both continue to obsess over this women, for better or worse.<br><br>I'd go on, but I have to finish more garbage work for my English class about the symbolism in this book. What a pile!

shoot i havent read it....im GOING to soon for my ap english class...But im doing a 6-page research paper on francis scott key fitzgerald and from what i have read...I feel that i am really going to LOVE IT!

Do you speak english?!

Be careful when you say 'victimless crime'. I agree with you wholly, but perhaps you could note that alcoholism and general drunkeness created just as many victims in Gatsby's time as in our own. Thank you!

You ignorant sap. Before you even begin to say anything about this masterpiece, read it and understand it. You do not deserve to comment on it considering your sad mental state. Next time you feel like saying something, don't.