F. Scott Fitzgerald's the Great Gatsby

by Harold Bloom

A critical review of the work features the contributions of Joseph B. Wagner, Ronald Berman, Elizabeth Preston, and other scholars, discussing the themes and characters of the novel.

Genres: Literary Criticism, Classics, Literature

230 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[Jovana Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like literary criticism and The Great Gatsby - you will like this book, obviously.

Critical interpretations from Barbara Hochman(this one, in particular, made me wonder why doesn't she do critical writings on more books because honestly, masterful writing and insight), Winifred Farrant Bevilacqua, Janet Giltrow & David Stouck were wonderful to read and gave me so much to think about, definitely the ones that appealed to me the most.

At this point in my life, I came to realize that I will, unmistakably, read anything that has anything to do with The Great Gatsby, so catch me reading more Gatsby related books in the future.

[Patricia Kurz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the 2013 movie before reading the book. Glad I did it in that order, as I would have been disappointed by the movie. The book is rich in nuance, careful and really underplayed; the movie is opulent, excessive and gorgeous. Both great, in different ways.

The archetypal story appeals on every human level, the lessons and revelations are powerful.

I missed reading it in my school years, but its power now (at my advanced age) is exhilarating. Terrific. I see why it is required reading. Men, women, youngsters, some violence, some romance, lots of life lessons about single-mindedness, being blind to what is looming before you, the shortness of life and the rush we should all feel to make this the best life, the fullest life possible. Fabulous.

[Sinovuyo Nkonki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book when I read it as a set work in 2nd year and loved even more the second time around. F. Scott FItzgerald's writing style is so descriptive, genuine, sincere and really brings the story alive. I read it a second time in anticipation of watching the movie and seeing how well Baz Luhrman would interpret the book into the movie. I have to say, he did an amazing job! He quoted the book, stayed true to the way surroundings and characters were described and fleshed out by the author. He added modern music but he did it so tastefully, I understood it and appreciated it. If I were the author, I'd be extremely proud of the cinematic version of my story.

[Richie Kercenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a valuable guide that can help the scholar not only to understand the work, but also to shape a personal interpretation of Gatsby's acts, his fame, the relationships between the different characters in the novel, and finally to solve the riddle of what made Gatsby great in the first place.

Apart from the section which summarized the chapters, and which I found a little bit less interesting than the rest of the book, I appreciated the different critical views imbedded by Bloom. There are so many theories and standpoints, and the reader is left with the utmost liberty to adopt, discuss, or refute any number of them. Overall, a good companion to the student of literature.

[Nathaniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ended up skimming the vast majority of this one; it is definitely not the most enjoyable out of the Gatsby trio of Bloom's MCI essay collections (the 1986, 2004, and 2010 editions each have very different contents appended to Bloom's introduction). I certainly wouldn't call this one in particular a "comprehensive" critical guide, as there's a heavy focus on Fitzgerald's various inspirations for The Great Gatsby in other published works. While this is a reasonable and valuable point from which to curate a collection of essays, it's not to my taste.

Letha Audhuy's "The Waste Land Myth and Symbols in The Great Gatsby" is the best of them, in my opinion, and it goes into more detail on that comparison than I've seen elsewhere. Unfortunately, that particular essay is also in the 1986 edition, so this one is pretty useless to me overall.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Please note that the 1986, 2004, and 2010 editions of the Gatsby Bloom's MCI each have very different contents appended to Bloom's introduction. I have not read this same exact book 3 times.)

I'm a huge fan of the cover design on this one. Very vividly 80s. 10/10.

The only essay I enjoyed from the 2004 version is included here in the '86 — as are a few that I did NOT like. Alas. Keath Fraser's "Another Reading of The Great Gatsby" is also included, an especially lovely essay that I want to print out and tape to my wall and which is solely responsible for the 4th star I've given the book.

Much like with most essay collections, the rest of them are kind of hit-or-miss. Oh well.

[Monty J Heying · Rating 1 out of 5]

The three-page Introduction by Harold Bloom is excellent, particularly his comment: "Critics differ as to whether the theme of the novel is 'the withering of the American dream,' as Marius Bewley argued, or else a celebration of a Romantic hope in America despite all the ugly realities."

But Bloom's excellence is followed by several sections that could have been written by a freshman undergraduate and they are riddled with errors. These sections are titled: Biographical Sketch, The Story Behind the Story, List of Characters and Summary and Analysis.

Why someone of Dr. Bloom's stature allowed his name to be associated with such a flawed distortion of literary analysis is beyond my comprehension.

Following is a partial list of problems in these sections:
1. Only the Introduction is by Prof. Boom, the rest is a compilation of articles and unattributed analyses that could have been written by first-year undergraduates. This is where the Holes are.
2. P. 18 - Nick is called a "money manager," but he was only a novice bond salesman.
3. P. 19 and 20 - In two places it asserts that Gatsby's parties were "solely to attract Daisy," which is unsupported in the text.
4. P. 19 - Gatsby's bio lacks any mention of his criminal behavior.
5. P. 20 - It refers to the Plaza Hotel meeting as "a drunken lark," which is flat wrong. They left with the bottle still unopened. They had intended to make mint juleps, but things got out of hand before they could open the bottle. As they were preparing to leave: "...Tom got up and began wrapping the unopened bottle of whiskey in the towel."
6. P. 44 & 92 - It says Gatsby showed the policeman "a Christmas card signed by the commissioner." It was a business card, not a Christmas card. You don't carry a Christmas card around in your wallet.
7. P. 72 - It says Tom and Daisy "left for Europe" after the murder. The text does not state where they went.
8. P.73 - It incorrectly says "only Owl-Eyes shows up" at the funeral. Nick, Gatsby's father and a few servants were there as well.
9. P.128 - It says Daisy commits vehicular manslaughter, which is wrong. All the eyewitnesses say it was a man driving, not a woman. It is only Gatsby who says Daisy was driving, and he's a demonstrated serial liar. Furthermore, it is doubtful that Myrtle would have kept running toward the car if a woman were behind the wheel. (What's curious is it is Nick who fabricates the lie, and Gatsby simply goes along with it.)

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

These collection of essays are particularly good for anyone who might be teaching canonized works or just simply wants to look a little more into a work they enjoy. Like any other book that attempts to understand art, this book has some essays in it that doesn’t hit the nail on the head all the time. The focus of a few of the essays is a bit of a stretch, and many of them attempted to investigate what books Fitzgerald might have been taking into account when he wrote “The Great Gatsby”. At times it was very interesting to get that insight, but at other times it seemed off. For example: There’s an essay that is a bit of a stretch in comparison (because it’s a common motif more than a direct comparison), but then no essay that compares it to “Wuthering Heights”, which is obvious in a lot of ways (at least just in some of the conflicts and character roles), and I’m sure someone’s written an essay on it. Still, there were enough interesting facts about Fitzgerald’s life for it to be a good book in the collection of any Gatsby fan. On one hand, it humbles anyone attempting to produce art because it lets us know that everyone has had a piece of work or an author that they’ve studied. On the other hand, we’re once again reminded of how great a work the piece is and how—with many faults of its own, a big feat in literature was accomplished. I don’t really like books that tear a book up so much that you just can’t enjoy it on some levels, and this book didn’t do that, so I was pleased.

[Asb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read "Ellis Island" about the Irish arriving in 1920s America, I followed it up with a different aspect of America in that era. Quite enjoyed this but was DISMAYED at reading some of the spoken words. I had thought that it was a new modern annoying manner of speech from our youth but in this book there were the following: "... when she gave me the bill you'd of thought ...", "... if I hadn't met Chester, he'd of got me ...", "... if we'd of raised the blinds we'd of seen daylight", "How could she of been like that?"

So I suppose the youth of today can say that if it was good enough for Fitzgerald then it is good enough for them!

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spent considerable time on this recently (June, 2012).

Liked especially essay by Brian Way ("The Great Gatsby") and "The Waste Land Myth and Symbols in The Great Gatsby" by Letha Audhuy.

Ron Neuhaus on "Gatsby and the Failure of the Omniscient 'I'" took me into issues of the impact of point of view on writing and suggested ideas that should sharpen my own reading going forward. (Is the narrator likely to have known what he/she says?)

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon second reading, I was struck with the hallow characters, which--I think-- if not intended, at least an appropriate side effect. I read it when I was a teen and now that I am nearing the ages of the main characters, I find them more pathetic than ever, but still representing New York life in a way. I suppose now that I am older, tragic love stories seem to me imprudent and unsatisfying for all the dizzy romancing that happens. I've learned those lessons. What next?

[Sophia Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

probably the best book iv ever read..its one of those you either love it or hate it.I t captures all the aspects of humanity so well,from love, wealth, fame, frivolity,time,denial,failure.its great and it adresses the issue of morality and is really thought provoking....what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but to lose his soul???

[Uros NoLastName:D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book perfectly shows the drama in the 1920 , involving love, deception, money and murder. There is also a great amout of suspense once you get near the end.
This incredible book changed the way I think of life alost a hundred years ago. I would definetly want to share this book to anyone who can read.

~:P

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two standouts for me in this collection: Pastoral Mode and Language in The Great Gatsby by Janet Giltrow and David Stouck, and Barbara Will's The Great Gatsby and the Obscene Word (sections III and IV in particular).

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, I appreciate the English professors waiting on my nightstand to enlighten me...

[Kathleen McKim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Selections cover a wide range of topics, but are a bit short.

[Kaialaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this book.
Gatsby the type of man that I want fall in love with them..
I'm ready for my 2014 Gatsby to sweep me off my feet.

[Eli]

Shed new light on my understanding of the book (which by the way I read only once about 2 or 3 years ago.). Very helpful.

[Ethan]

This book explained the symbolism in "The Great Gatsby" and is very well written.That is shown in the way he place the word like a painter making a masterpiece.

[John McCreery · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are moments of breathtakingly beautiful prose. "Why is it great?" finds answer in reading.