The Great Gatsby

Over break from school, I got to read a little bit. Ok, I'll admit, to some knocking out FIVE books in three weeks is a big feat. To me, it just wasn't enough. I could have read a lot more. After the first few books, I got on a kick to read some of the "classics".

So, I got this urge, and I had no idea where to start. I had heard of a lot of books that you should read; had heard of books that were "must reads", the problem was...where do I start? I googled a list, and browsed through it. Well, as you've probably guessed, the first book that stuck out was "The Great Gatsby". They're making a movie of it, again, and I like to read books before I see the movie. Not only that, the book is said to show a man how to be a gentleman. So, I read the book. I took special care to really absorb the literature; to absorb the meaning. To put it bluntly, I throughly enjoyed the book.

At first, I really fell in love with Gatsby. He was a mysterious man, treated his company well, and lived a lavish life. Honestly, I think he is the guy that everyone wants to know, or worse, be. As the book went on, I began to feel sorry for Gatsby. If I were in his shoes, I would be lonely. Knowing that the love of my life is just across the water, unattainable, would drive me mad. Gatsby had many "friends", but only one real friend.

Nick, on the other hand, was a character that took a little bit to grow on me. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about him. As I read the book, I thought the story was going to be about Gatsby, but it is really about Nick. Nick, was a true gentleman. He treated people with respect; he liked them for who they were, not what they had. Reading the book, you really see that Nick is who people should strive to be like.

Why is it a problem for people to want to be like Gatsby, and not Nick?

Gatsby never really understood hardwork, from what I gathered. Sure, he served in WWII with honor, but it is insinuated that Gatsby got all of his money in a shady way. I mean, who else deals with individuals that fix world series and has no "job" but continuously gets phone calls from people all over the world? Nick, on the other hand, was a man who worked for a living. He spent college at an Ivy Leage school, was working now, and trying to make a name for himself. This is something that everyman should do. Not go to an Ivy, per se, but should aquire an education and work to better himself and make a name for him to pass on to his family.

In the end, I was surprised to see how much that book still depicts modern life. Greed, wealth, and material things still make a bigger statement than who the person really is, and it shouldn't. Money doesn't buy sophistication, happiness, or acceptance. Your character will bring you those, and with those you are truely wealthy. I think this was the message Fitzgerald was trying to get across and the pivitol moment that this struck home was when nobody came to Gatsby’s funeral but Nick, Gatsby’s father, and the old drunk man from the library.