The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby stands as one of the greatest achievements in American literature, a luminous work of art that captures the essence of the Jazz Age while exploring timeless themes of love, ambition, and the American Dream.
Set in the summer of 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who throws lavish parties at his Long Island mansion in hopes of reuniting with his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Through the eyes of narrator Nick Carraway, we witness Gatsby's tragic pursuit of a dream that has already slipped through his fingers like the green light that beckons from across the bay.
Why This Novel Endures:
- Perfect Prose: Fitzgerald's writing is both beautiful and accessible, with passages so perfectly crafted they've become part of our cultural lexicon: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
- Vivid Characters: From the enigmatic Gatsby to the careless Buchanans, each character is unforgettable and psychologically complex.
- Timeless Themes: The novel's exploration of wealth, class, love, and disillusionment remains startlingly relevant a century later.
- Historical Snapshot: A perfect capture of the Roaring Twenties, with its jazz music, prohibition cocktails, and moral ambiguity.
Fascinating Facts:
- The novel was initially a commercial disappointment, selling fewer than 20,000 copies in Fitzgerald's lifetime.
- During World War II, the Armed Services Editions gave away 150,000 copies to soldiers, sparking its revival.
- The famous cover art featuring the disembodied eyes and lips was completed before the novel was finished, and Fitzgerald told his editor he had "written it into" the book.
- Fitzgerald considered titles including "Among Ash-Heaps and Millionaires," "Trimalchio," and "Under the Red, White, and Blue" before settling on The Great Gatsby.
Why Read It Now:
In our current era of social media facades and projected images, Gatsby's story of reinvention, obsession, and the corruption of the American Dream feels more relevant than ever. The novel asks fundamental questions: Can we escape our past? Is love worth any sacrifice? What is the true cost of wealth and status?
At a mere 180 pages, The Great Gatsby is a swift read that rewards multiple revisits. Each reading reveals new layers of symbolism, from the haunting eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg to the geography that divides East and West Egg. It's a novel that has influenced countless writers and continues to inspire new adaptations, proving that great literature is truly timeless.
Start your journey into the glittering, tragic world of Jay Gatsby below. As Nick Carraway warns us from the very first page, this is a story that will change how you see the world.
Table of Contents
American Literature Introduction to The Great Gatsby
Return to the F. Scott Fitzgerald library.