Five reasons 'Gatsby' is the great American novel
Deirdre Donahue, USA TODAY
It's time to revisit that ultimate literary cage fight: Which classic deserves The Great American Novel victory belt. In March, a Publishers Weekly poll crowned To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Other factions agitated for Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, The Sound and the Fury and The Grapes of Wrath.
Set on Long Island and New York City, The Great Gatsby is narrated by 29-year-old Midwesterner Nick Carraway. After coming East to learn the bond business in the summer of 1922, Nick reconnects with his cousin, a Southern debutante named Daisy. She is the wife of Nick's racist Yale classmate, the staggeringly wealthy ex-football star Tom Buchanan. Nick also becomes friendly with his neighbor, a mysterious millionaire named Jay Gatsby. Gatsby's obsession fuels this tale of longing and loss, of dreams and disillusion.
Here are five reasons why The Great Gatsby should rank as The Great American Novel:
1. It's the most American of stories. Encoded at the very center of our national DNA is admiration for the self-made success story, the mythic figure who pursues and fulfills his dream — someone like Jay Gatsby, a "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere" who rises from obscure poverty to immense wealth.
"It's the Great American Dream," says Jeff Nilsson, historian for the bimonthly The Saturday Evening Post. "It is the story that if you work hard enough, you can succeed."
Leading Fitzgerald scholar James L. W. West III agrees. He calls The Great Gatsby "a national scripture. It embodies the American spirit, the American will to reinvent oneself."
West says it is no coincidence that The Great Gatsby is probably the American novel most often taught in the rest of the world. "It is our novel, how we present ourselves. ... [Fitzgerald] captured and distilled the essence of the American spirit."
Yet Gatsby also explores the dream's destructive power. "Americans pay a great price for that dream," says Nilsson.
The Great Gatsby also captures money's power to corrupt, to let the rich escape from the consequences of their actions. Here's Fitzgerald's description of that original 1% couple: "They were careless people — Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money …"
2. The romance of the Roaring '20s. Fitzgerald was the poet laureate of what he named "The Jazz Age," the most raucous, gaudy era in U.S. history.
"The 1920s is the most fascinating era in American culture," says Nilsson. "Everything was changing so much." Youth in revolt didn't start in the 60’s with Woodstock.
It was the 1920’s flappers, cars, sex, movies, gangsters, celebrities, a stock market minting money, everything awash in illegal booze. The wildest parties and bad behavior among the rich and famous today have nothing on the you-only-live-once hedonism depicted in The Great Gatsby.
3. It remains relevant. It offers complicated characters who can be interpreted in fresh ways for new readers. Is Nick in love with Gatsby? Could Gatsby — the other, the outsider — actually be a black man? Often dismissed as a selfish ditz, is Daisy victimized by a society that offers her no career path except marriage to big bucks?
At a recent press conference, the most recent actor to play Gatsby noted its relevancy today. "It is one of those novels that is talked about nearly 100 years later for a reason," says DiCaprio who first read Gatsby when he was 15. "It's incredibly nuanced and it's existential and at the center of this movie is this man who is incredibly hollow."
4. Crazy love. What makes Gatsby magical is his motivation. Although he's made his fortune as a bootlegger and gambler, greed doesn't drive him. Rather he's on a quest to reclaim Daisy.
Still, The Great Gatsby isn't a romance about how a nice millionaire almost wins back the girl of his dreams. It's about a narcissistic obsession with the past. To Gatsby, Daisy isn't a married woman with a daughter. She's an object, something he lost and wants back. Which makes his actions — such as buying a mansion across the water from the Buchanans so he can stare at the green light at the end of their dock — well, kind of creepy and stalker-like.
5. Imperishable prose. Forget the critics, the theories, even the characters. For Fitzgerald's fans, it's the language. "Fitzgerald had a pitch-perfect ear," says West. "There's not one flabby sentence," says Nilsson.
For evocative beauty, what can ever beat the last line of The Great Gatsby, which is engraved on the grave Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda share. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
-Do you agree that The Great Gatsby is “The Great American Novel?” Why or why not?
-If not, then what novel do you think should be considered for that title?
-According to this article, how does The Great Gatsby relate to this idea of The American Dream? And does the book believe in the dream or critique it?
“The Great Gatsby” is a great book to read. It is the most American of all stories, shows great love, throughout the story it remains relevant, picturized America for the Jazz Age around the 1920s. Although all of these factors I do not find the the book to be the “Great American Novel”. It pictured America well for its time period back then, but now it doesn’t picture America as it is today compared to back then it is really different. A book I think represents America is moby dick because it shows the struggle of a man vs a whale he is trying to catch. He is determined to catch the fish and eventually does. Although the Great Gatsby does show the American dream by Gatsby coming from nothing to all the wealth.
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DeleteI don’t agree with “The Great Gatsby” as The American novel. It doesn’t really say much about America. It only talked about the main character Nick, his family, and his wealthy neighbor Gatsby. In the novel it talks about Nick’s cousin Daisy and her husband Tom.Tom and Daisy doesn’t have a healthy relationship. So that pushes him to cheat on his wife with another married woman named, Myrtle. The novel is base on what Nick as to say because he’s the main character and he’s telling the story. He talks about his neighbor, Gatsby and the things he heard. Gatsby is a very wealthy man who keeps a party every night. At his party. No one really gets invited, random people shows up, but there was one thing that gets the readers curious when Nick got a invitation to Gatsby’s party and Nick doesn’t know him neither does Nick knows if Gatsby knows him. According to the second question and what have happened so far in the book. I’d call this novel, “The eyes watch,” because people basically just watch and listen to what people does. According to the article. In some ways it does relate to the American Dream. Gatsby is a very health man and can do whatever he wants but all the rumors that goes around, doesn’t really say how and why he’s rich but he’s living his best life so i can compare that to the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that "the Great Gatsby" is not the great American novel. Yes it shows the American dream in being rich, but it does not show them in a great view.
DeleteI don't agree that "The Great Gatsby" is the great American novel. I do agree that it shows how life was during the Jazz Age and how they lived and what they did. I don't think "the Great Gatsby" showed America in a good way. I mean it shows how shallow people can people when they have money. They feel like they can do whatever they like and don't think about other people or the harm they can do. They think they since they have money they can do whatever they want. They live above moral law like when Nick cheats on his wife. They like to party a lot, where in real life you don't do that. There is no true struggle.
ReplyDeleteA book I think is the great American novel is "Huckleberry Finn". It shows how America was back in the day and the struggles people have and overcome. It shows the character on his adventures and different people. It shows how far we have come from that time period where blacks were segarated and talked down to. It shows rich and poor people. It was more entertaining to read about Huckleberry Finn's adventures than about rich people with no morals.
In the Great Gatsby novel, it only shows how Gatsby spends part of his life but if there's anything about the american dream. It has to do with Gatsby, because he's the richest in the book but it doesn't tells how he got rich and why mean while everyone else is middle class.
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ReplyDeleteI think that The great gatsby is not the great american novel. I think it is a great novel but not the best one that is from America. The book focuses on one time period of america. One of the points in the reading is that is shows what america is all about. It does and doesn’t at the same time. It shows America at its peak. America today is no longer what it was back then. There is no more parties everyday, not everyone is drinking nor is drinking illegal anymore. Partying was normal but now not anymore. The first reason in the reading was that it shows Mr.Gatsby achieving the american dream. Now the american dream has taken a lot of different forms over the years. From everyone being equal to having money and having a big house and being successful. So saying he achieve the american dream is one person’s definition of it and not everyone’s.The fourth point in the reading says that crazy love should be one of the main reasons to be The great American novel. It shouldn’t be. Jay moved across Daisy to be closer to her, that's stalking. The great american novel shouldn’t be having a man be stalking a woman and stay that this is american. The last points was what about fitzgerald fans think. That doesn’t matter since it represents america and not him.
I think that the novel that should represent America is “To Kill A MockingBird” because it represent America today maybe not as modern but the themes and problems in it an be still seen in the modern era.It shows America at one of its most biased time periods ever of how people believe other people more because of color.
I think that The American dream in the Great Gatsby is believed in the book. They do touch upon it for a little bit but I haven’t read the whole thing so I really have no idea. But I believed they didn’t mock it or critique it .
I agree with everything you have said including your closing statement about us not finishing the book just your so you can't judge it.
Deletei believe that the great gatsby is not the american novel, i believe that it is a very good book but i don’t think it is america’s best. i personally like the book, i’m not sure what book would be considered the best for me. the book focuses on the old days of america. meaning the days where everything was completely different. the attitudes, dressing, and opinions have completely changed since that time period of the early 1900s. the book talks about america at its peak in time and expresses the good and bad of the time era. i believe that the great gatsby explains the american dream. it’s not completely mention but it is hinted around
ReplyDeleteThe book still shows a lot about our time period. The facts intertwine the two time periods together. The little facts still happen to this day.
DeleteDo you agree that The Great Gatsby is “The Great American Novel?” Why or why not?
ReplyDeleteYes i agree that it is the american novel because most people back then dreamed of having the money or power or popularity that gatsby had, so people would think it was/ is the great american novel. The 20’s seemed fun and this book really shows you what it was like to have money and fame. Shows how different america has become and how times have changed, no one is as friendly or open back then, just showing up at any party and talk to everyone and anyone.
I don't really agree with you Anthony but I see your point in your response. And I really like you got right to the point when answering. Also the last thing you said is something I actually agree with about how no is friendly or open beck then
DeleteYes i agree
DeleteI agree with you because people dreamed to be like Gatsby and have a bunch of money. That still is people today in society so I believe it is american novel because its society today and back then
DeleteI agree that "The Great Gatsby" is the great american novel because it can show people in my generation that cant talk with their relatives from that time period that the 20's was just parties. They had parties for no reason. This is the time before the Depression. They didnt know that was going to happen but they still had fun. To them they believe the American Dream was to get money and have fun. The Dream changes for everyone. To others it is to be better then your parents. Others its to have money and fun.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby is a very good novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald it shows the lifestyle of 1920’s also called the roaring 20’s. It showed how life was back then and how jazz music was a big thing at the time and was just a big party because everyone was having a great time. And the economy was booming and also talked about the troubles about that time period like the prohibition act which made the production and distribution of alcohol illegal.
ReplyDeleteEven tho this book is good i dont believe its the best because it talks about the life style of 1920’s and now we are in 2018 so it really doesn't matter. And i really can't say which book is better because i really don't read books because they give me no interest and im 100% there are way better books.
I believe that Great Gatsby is the greatest american novel because it gives you an example about how the society was in the 1920’s and how everything is different now compared to then. In the 1920’s girls were flappers, there were parties every night, and people were very rich. The american dream relates to the great gatsby because people wanted to be wealthy, and etc. I believe the book critiques the american dream a little bit but it follows the motto pretty well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your response,I also do think that The Great Gatsby is a great american novel.
DeleteI do think The Great Gatsby is a great American novel. That is because, it was the romance of the Roaring Twenties. People say the 1920s was the most fascinating era in American culture. There were so many parties and bad behavior among the rich and famous people today. In the book The Great Gatsby it also talks about having a big party and people who weren’t invited come over and famous people come too. This book has so many complicated characters, many have different names and are hard to understand. Even tho I have not yet finished reading the novel I do think it’s pretty interesting so far. The book, The Great Gatsby is the perfect symbol on the american dream. This book is an exact representation of what the american dream should be. It talks about the roaring twenties and how life was back then in the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteAustin Macclemmy
ReplyDeleteYes, i feel that “ The Great Gaspey “ is the “Great American Novel” because it give a little bit of every aspect of a lifestyle and overlook of the history of the “Roaring Twenty’s”. People might say that this book focuses on just the old days but if you really look at the little details it still occurs in our time era. The problem of the money and power factor still occurs today it’s not a easy thing to change with the inheritance of money. The book really went in to how the parties were expensive and how there were still social classes. The social classes where just a little more defined but it still shows how the time period was about money inhabitants and working for the money you had.
This book also does show how this country has changed and how the cars have grown to better. How what the rich buys to what the poor buys is different. The book is just an overall good book for both time periods and shows a lot of history behind our country.
I don't agree that "The Great Gatsby" is an American novel. Due to it showing only the aspects of the upper class. The book only focuses on one time period in American history. Life is the upper class is completely different to the upper class now a days. Living in the upper class has more responsibility then those back then. Most people now a days earn the money they make by working hard to get where they're dreams are. Back in the early 20's people's responsibilities were in the gutter they didn't care about how much money they spent or where there loved ones are. The 20's was the age where having a mistress was common and the wives knew about them. I personally think the book "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" is a more interesting and realistic book for this generation. The book idolizes the aspects of life as a struggling person in this type of society. The book is about a girl who is struggling with extreme loneliness, the acceptance of being sexually assaulted and the effort to survive/prosper despite her environment.
ReplyDeleteI think the great gatsby is a great american novel because it goes over about that it keeps a mystery over gatsby and depending if he was a spy or was in the war which keeps it interesting that keeps the story a good one the other ways it does help is it has gatsby trying to get someone back which is nicks cousin which that's probably how he knew who it was because of her and that they were both in the same war during the time. It had alot of stuff that would make the person reading it understand what it was about and feel like they were in the book which the writer did a good job at doing that for the people like us so it is good american novel that they had made. I dont really know if there is a book that i know that is better than the great gatsby because i don’t really read books at all and this one is really interesting and makes me think about what goes on in the book and how it will help us understand which not alot of books or any books do that in theres but i dont really know a book that is better than this on at all so thsi is the best one until i read another one .The great gatsby relates to the american dream because it shows how that if what you have with you you could make a living and accomplish what you want to do in life which would help during what they try to do and that the book and the american dream it is about having a house or what you want which have a wife kids house car other stuff and it didn’t matter if you had money or not you could still do what you want which the great gatsby and the american dream that makes them relate a little bit to one another during them to which that both show about both of them.
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