I really enjoyed F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. First, it was an interesting point in history and an interesting storyline and plot. I also liked that Frederick’s writing style was sophisticated, but not to the point that it was difficult to read. I also especially appreciated that his characters were so complex—rather than some books students tend to encounter in school where there are “good” and “bad” characters, these were multidimensional characters. Gatsby specifically had so made sides to his character! Between the stories of his past, his love for Daisy, and the rumors that surrounded him, it took me a while to solidify my opinion about Gatsby. Another strong point of the novel was Fitzgerald’s creative symbolism. The use of the green light that turned on and off throughout that novel representing the “American Dream” really added a new dimension to the novel by contrasting the life story of these characters against the stereotypical “American Dream” story. My favorite symbol, however, was Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. The concept of his eyes watching over the corruption of society from his faded billboard like some omnipresent being was so creative and gave the novel greater meaning. Overall, I thought that Fitzgerald’s’ novel, small as it may be, was full of such unique style, complex characters, meaningful themes, and interesting symbols that I really enjoyed every page of it! It is books like these that provide readers with more than a quaint little story or a simple moral lesson, The Great Gatsby allows us to learn about a period of history filled with the romanization of jazz, romance, and the “American Dream” and see it in a whole new light.
I share the interest in the billboard and the multidimensional characters. The billboard had an excellent underlying meaning of which you pick up in your analysis. The eyes were symbolic and caused be to become alert while reading passages that contained the billboard to better identify the real meaning. The use of multidimensional character shows a skilled author willing to spend extra time in creating his characters. On the other hand, I didn't pick up on your analysis of the the "American Dream." I am now intrigued to know your understanding as to why the fluctuating light symbolizes the "Dream" and how it impacts the novel's meaning. In my opinion, the light served as a measurement of Gatsby's relationship to Daisy; how far/close.
ReplyDeleteI saw the "American Dream" as one of the more powerful elements of the novel as well. It was ever-present throughout the entire novel. I feel that it also represented Daisy herself. Gatsby from the beginning of the novel yearned to meet her. I kind of disregarded the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, but now I see that they do have a more powerful meaning than I had thought.
ReplyDeleteI too very much enjoyed Fitzgerald's development of dynamic and multi-dimensional characters. I find that it heightened the reading experience dramatically for me, because characters are the one aspect of a novel, tv show, or movie that I find to be paramount. It was definitely my favorite part of the novel. I also appreciated how the novel highlighted the attitude of the time period nicely.
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