Anyone for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald?

[[deleted user]]

I love The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald because it so deeply creates an American context of male thinking in a time when men were the leaders of society exclusively. It provides tremendous revelation.

I have seen that The Great Gatsby is a popular novel at Goodreads. I have already read it, and found it very enjoyable. Please post any interest in a book-read or ongoing discussion including whatever aspects of the novel are specifically of interest to you.

I think that The Great Gatsby is symbolic of America itself like Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is symbolic of biological, social, and developmental psychology in America. For this reason, I am hoping to put some work into an extended discussion.

Please post here with any comments.

No spoilers please.

Jasmine

[Jessica]

I just finished this book. It's beautifully written. The scene I particularly was impressed with is Nick's first view of one of Gatsby's parties. The description was fantastic - almost like a camera pan. I could really see what was happening.

I liked the irony of the description of 'Great' in the title. There was nothing 'great' about Gatsby except for his reputation. It's sad, really.

I also liked the fact that every time Daisy is in a scene, she is described with the same words you would use to describe money. She's always shining or sparkling.

[[deleted user]]

Jessica wrote: "I just finished this book. It's beautifully written. The scene I particularly was impressed with..."

Jessica,

Welcome to Critical American Literature, and thanks for your comments!

I agree with your impression of the first visit to the Gatsby house. It is a somewhat shocking visual impression.

My favorite scenes are the morbid ones. I think that they best convey the depraved sense of ultra-wealth at the time. There is the image of driving to New York along the railway tracks--a very suspicious and depressing thought. It seems that the traveling company isn't really good enough to ride with everyone else.

My favorite of all is the extended scene about the car accident. It is a most serious yet immorally captivating scene--the shop owner with the speeding car, the need to get somewhere, and the way out. Maybe we shouldn't say what happened right now! It seems like a spoiler.

I read your review, and noticed your ideas about Mr. Gatsby. Would you like to cover him as a character when we review the book? I think that you understand the depth of his mind well. Thanks again!

Jasmine

[Jessica]

I look forward to discussing!

[Jess]

Hi guys,

I finished the book a few months ago. It had always been on my to-read list, but with the movie coming out it got bumped up to number one. It's hard to say what I thought about it without spoilers ... I do like that it's a classic and accessible to so many people, yet every character is flawed. I wasn't expecting that in such a popular book. It's refreshing that in an age associated with status, money and THINGS, the flaws of each character is what makes them human and gives them more depth. Again, I can't really expand on this without spoilers...

P.s. very excited about this group - it's a great subject, and so many great books to be covered!

Jess

[[deleted user]]

Jess,

The Great Gatsby was copyrighted in 1925 when there were no people without flaws. I agree that this quality is what makes the book good. I think that Fitzgerald's foresight is a quality of the book complementary to the descriptions of the flaws that makes it good, too.

Can you very succinctly and briefly put a few topics from the book that you think are spoilers? Maybe there is a way to have a discussion anyway.

Jasmine

[Jess]

I guess mainly just Gatsby as a character. As people discover who he really is (or isn't!) there's such a coldness that comes over them. I especially felt this with Carraway - he's such a sweet, unassuming kid and yet you felt the distance growing between him and Gatsby. For this reason I think Gatsby is actually the most likeable character in the book!

[[deleted user]]

Could we possibly discuss Gatsby from the perspectives of the places of the book and the people who inhabit them? The narrative hides the truths of the characters and the future of the story using descriptions of the activities at these places. The important dialogs and events are connected with these important places.

While you prefer a discussion of Gatsby, I want to discuss the cultural anthropology of the book. Spoilers are a difficult issue in both cases. I think that discussion topics can be chosen in advance to limit spoiler remarks acceptably.

For me, I would choose three topics. I reference Gatsby in all of them. These are my suggestions: Economic class in America, implications from the formality of communication, and alcoholism. Gatsby is rich, of course; his communication is formal similarly to everyone else's; and he certainly drinks too much!

Also, I view The Great Gatsby as a pivot of styles between the English novel and the American one. Specifically, Fitzgerald uses personal motives like an English writer, and describes a rich, excessive culture for an interested, listening market of readers like an American writer.

Jessica and Jess:
What topics would you like to discuss? Please be specific. Do they coincide with mine?

I am guessing that Jessica would like to discuss Gatsby's masculinity and how its deficiencies affect his social network, and that Jess would like to discuss the men's emotions with special attention to Gatsby. ...only suggestions.

Here is an example of how I could start. Discussion of chapter one could begin with the virtual home of the Carraways. Mr. Carraway's thoughts and emotions would be discussed within the context of his family heritage in the same mood and style as chapter one's narrative. Please comment.

Jasmine