The Great Gatsby ~ My thoughts

 

 

 

“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.” 

I feel like I read this book at the right time or the right age. Because I would not have been able to appreciate it completely two or three years ago, requires a certain level of maturity, I guess. I have not been as surprised, amazed and overwhelmed by a book before. Never have I had to ponder so much or align my incoherent thoughts before framing a review. I’m absolutely in love with everything that this book is, or more accurately, everything that I’ve gathered from it.

The Plot centers around the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his obstinate dream to find his way back into the heart of the beautiful-Daisy Buchanan, whose voice ‘is full of money’ But is it just about that? eh, no. The Great Gatsby is a book centered around a fickle and vapid society with loose morals and meaningless lives. It is about dreams, disillusionment, and the shameful tragedy revolving around the same. Surprisingly, none of the characters are likable, or decent in its true sense except maybe Nick Carraway, the narrator of the story and the neighbor to Jay Gatsby. It has flawed characters and a magnificent story, with no bounds to its depth. Fitzgerald’s writing makes me want to stare at the moon all night, it is so frickin beautiful. It contains some of the most gorgeous prose I’ve come across in English Literature.

“Through all he said, even through his appalling sentimentality, I was reminded of something—an elusive rhythm, a fragment of lost words, that I had heard somewhere a long time ago. For a moment a phrase tried to take shape in my mouth and my lips parted like a dumb man’s, as though there was more struggling upon them than a wisp of startled air. But they made no sound, and what I had almost remembered was uncommunicable forever.” 

 

 

 Although problematic, Gatsby was my favorite character. Maybe because he didn’t acquire wealth to delve in the luxuries of life, or maybe because he was just a poor sweetheart on a fruitless quest for love. He was charismatic, unique and believed one could repeat the past. He threw lavish parties but was never seen anywhere in it, he owned a grand house but had never used his own pool..um..technically? But most of all, I found him relatable. Yes, The Great Gatsby was written exploring the Jazz age and in the context of the ‘American Dream’, But is the general theme still not as relevant today? This piece of fiction was like a slap on the face, which wore away the deception of foolish dreams and introduced me to the real world, where even enormous wealth and ‘success’ amounts to only loneliness in the end. **

**Thank you for the rec. Chammu XD

Personally, I find the comparison of this book to Wuthering Heights unflattering, due to my extreme dislike for the latter. No doubt, I’ve discovered another book to add to my favorites list. I strongly recommend it. I understand that classics can be intimidating and boring but The Great Gatsby is short, crisp and has the most impactful and luscious closing lines. 

“Gatsby believed in the green light…”

 

 

Hello! Have you read the great gatsby? What are your views on it? Are there any good books you’ve read lately? I’d love to have a chat about it! Have a lovely day, and keep reading. ❤

~Anushka