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Book Review for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald

            I read this classic for a book club that I joined this summer. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise. But despite its sad storyline, and lack of a happy ending, it really was a good read.

            Jay Gatz was a young, dashing soldier when he first fell in love with Daisy. The gorgeous socialite was the attraction of many men. When Jay was sent off to fight, little did he know that things would be very different when he returned. Upon his arrival back to the States, he was hit with the shock of the news of Daisy’s marriage to hunky football star, Tom Buchanan. Downcast but not deterred, Jay changes his name to Gatsby, becomes filthy rich through corrupt ways, and purchases the mansion across the lake from Daisy’s house. He wiles away his time throwing big parties, hoping that one day Daisy will come, but only strangers come. Daisy, meanwhile, struggles with an unfaithful husband. The narrator of the story, Nick Callaway, brings the two together at his house next door to Gatsby’s, and they are reminded of their love long ago. Through many events, Tom’s lover is run over and killed by Daisy (on accident), and Gatsby convinces her that she never loved Tom in the first place. In the end, Gatsby is shot in a pool by Tom’s lover’s husband, who mistakes Gatsby for his wife’s killer, and no one attends his funeral. No one.

            You see what I mean about a happy ending, or lack thereof? But I believe that’s not Daisy’s fault. I don’t believe it’s Tom’s fault. I don’t even believe it’s the author’s fault. Gatsby is purely to blame for his miserable fate. He was living in the past the whole time. He continued to believe that deep down, somehow Daisy still loved him. Wake up and smell the coffee, buddy! She’s married! She has a child! GET OVER IT! Phew. Sorry about that. He just disgusted me at some points. All the adultery going on in this book disgusted and saddened me. One thing that I thought of was, “Maybe Gatsby, like many young women today, just loved the idea of love and not the person he believed himself to be in love with.” Getting my gist? Maybe, somewhere along the road, his heart secretly gave up on the idea of being in love with Daisy and started loving the idea of love. I don’t know. Maybe that’s just a female thing. Anyways, some that was very prevalent in this book and something I like was the symbolism in everything. The green light on the dock, the sign for the eye glasses, etc. It was part of what made this book a classic, I think.

 I really enjoyed reading it (despite the fact that I was late getting around to it, and had to speed read to get it done before the book club meeting) and although it was the kind of book that both sobers you and saddens you, I can see why they call it “The GREAT Gatsby.” J