Literature Page

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Age: Upper high school and up.

Genre: General fiction, Realism, 20th Century classic

Topics for Discussion: Love, perseverance, adultery, dreams and illusions, East vs. West, the Roaring Twenties, new money vs. old money.

Summary: When Nick, the narrator, settles just outside of New York for the summer, he makes the aquaintance of Jay Gatsby, his wealthy neighbor. He soon discovers that Gatsby has long been infatuated with Nick's cousin Daisy, but has not seen her since before the war. Daisy has since gotten married, a fact that does not deter him in pursuing her, especially once he discovers that her marriage is unhappy and her husband unfaithful. Nick finds himself a helpless observer as desires and dreams collide in a crash of epic proportions.

Book Review: When I first read this book in high school, I despised it; the story was sad and immoral, so why bother reading it. As I've gotten older, I've grown to appreciate Firzgerald's ability to develop a story not just through plot, but through imagery and symbolism. Now, every time I read this novel, I gain a new, deeper reading of it--the mark of a true classic.

Multimedia: Two film adaptations are available, both of which I think are very good and faithful to the novel.

Christian Perspectives: As I mentioned already, the characters are far from moral examples; even Nick has his summer fling that crashes towards the end of the novel. The imagery and symbolism provide the main source of value, at least for me; thus, I do think it is worth the time and effort of reading, despite the moral shortcomings.

Links and/or texts for further study:

ILP Online Literary Criticism Collection
eNotes
F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary