The Great Gatsby

When I read The Great Gatsby for the first time, I had a hard time to understand it. Therefore, I read only the first two chapters and stopped reading. I didn’t have any idea about what I had read at all. For me, it’s not interesting as well. And up to then, I wasn’t able to understand or appreciate it. But, then Fr. Bill explained the cultural background of The Great Gatsby, the symbols used by the writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and some initial chapters. I became more interested on it and on later reading, I was able to understand and appreciate it.

When I was getting interested in this novel, I really got the spirit to read and read this novel. Sometimes, I still find some difficulties in understanding what the writer wanted to say, but I also found that Fitzgerald is really a great writer. He used many symbols in The Great Gatsby, such as Daisy’s voice, which is described as an identification with money. He is able to express many ideas only in single short sentences. He knows how to use words effectively, yet efficiently.

The ending of the novel is not the same as I expected, for I was guessing that the novel would end happily. I’d prefer it ends like this: Daisy divorces Tom and marries Gatsby; Tom marries Myrtle; Nick marries Jordan, and they live happily ever after. But it doesn’t. Myrtle and Gatsby die, Jordan goes with another man, Tom and Daisy move out from Long Island and live their life which is artificially happy, and Nick continues his lonely life. Maybe Fitzgerald believes the American Dream or the pursuit of happiness never comes true, especially for those from the high economy class, even for him. Therefore, he makes it also never to come true for these people. What comes to them is a superficial and artificial happiness, and fun at the parties, a luxurious life and such.

The Great Gatsby reflects the culture in the United States at the time when the novel was written. Jay Gatsby represents the new rich group. He comes from the low economy class, but all of a sudden he becomes The Great Gatsby, rich and prosperous, proud and famous, and chasing Daisy, the only woman he wants. Daisy and Tom, Nick and Jordan Baker are also from the high economy class. They all together pursue the so-called American Dream, which never comes true for them. What eventually happens is that their lives are ruined by the American Dream itself. They live an empty and shallow life, so that nothing fulfills their happiness. Their prosperity, wealth and richness cannot buy happiness for them.