I have always imagined this novel to be a stupendous read, one that would require a few weeks and thorough mental preparation. The reputation of this book precedes it and the phrase 'great american novel' is bandied about recklessly. The truth of it is that the book is fairly short and very light, a real pleasure to read and not at all something which will test your braincells. I was quite surprised.
The narrator, Nick, is a stockbroker from the west and he helps you to navigate through the other characters, encompassing his own limitations when his character has no idea what is happening. This approach is very natural and welcoming, making the reader feel an even more personal connection to Gatsby as we live the story precariously through Nick's friendship with him.
Jay Gatsby is himself quite the enigma and very little is known of him. He is a roaring socialite who throws grand parties and has many acquaintances but no real friends. His parties and purpose on Long Island are quite puzzling as there seems little point to such a hollow existence but gradually we learn of the real reason behind such a superficial way of life.
He is in love. And is trying any avenue he can to secure the hope that one day the woman he loves will attend one of his glorious events. It turns out that she does, it also transpires that she is Nick's second cousin, and also that she once loved Gatsby back but is now married to a wealthy man with 'old money' family connections.
And this is where it all gets rather complicated and intriguing. There is a rekindled love affair, a mistress, a hit and run, a murder, a break-up and a suicide all within the last 50 pages and really, as the book is so short, it would be a shame to ruin everything here. Suffice to say that a lot happens and the action is compelling if not deeply morally flawed.
The Great Gatsby is essentially the tale of a very lonely, slightly obsessed and rich entrepreneur with delusions of happiness and visions of yester-year running through his head. The genuine friendship he strikes up with our narrator is touching as we eventually learn that it is one of the few real social relationships of his whole life. His utter belief in the goodness of other people is borderline naivety and there is also a sense of innocence about him despite his profession which we understand to be very suspicious, legally.
I really enjoyed this book a lot but the real thinking happens afterward as you begin to dissect the information surrounding Fitzgerald's novel.
It is set in New York in 1922, smack bang in the middle of the prohibition era but you would never guess from reading the book; alcohol seems to flow so readily. From what I've read, the prohibition wasn't such a big deal if you had money and indeed, many budding businessmen made themselves a fortune by joining the bootleggers, Gatsby included, as did many mafia style groups who used the situation to gain immense power.
It is also interesting to note that Fitzgerald admired many of these wealthy people but also struggled with their materialism and shallowness. It has been suggested that this novel was a thinly veiled satirical look at life in upperclass New York and the author certainly uses many real personalities of the time as inspiration for his characters. Perhaps this explains why the novel was not popular when first published in 1925 but gained a following later when republished after World War Two.
Alas, Fitzgerald died in 1940 still believing that the book was a massive failure but it would appear that the majority disagree. It is a good book, an easy read, and eventually, a novel that will inspire some thought. I am very glad to have crossed it off my list and even happier to have enjoyed it so much.
0 comments:
Post a Comment