And...what is the theme of this book?
2007-06-13 17:25:08 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
The Great Gatsby is extremely relevant to and telling of it's time (the 20's), and it has quite a few themes, but I think the biggest is the Economic theme (Gatsby is poor and in love with the rich Daisy, he gets rich and thinks that the rich will accept him, but he's Nouveau Riche, so that's not happening).
F. Scott and his wife Zelda were also "New Rich" and they spent a lot of their time partying and drinking and doing drugs. For all the bad, they were an extremely intense couple, always madly in love. This colors Gatsby, and I always really feel like there is real love between Daisy and Gatsby, unfortunately, it's not meant to be.
F. Scott's novels offer a very candid and real glimpse into The Jazz Era.
You can check this website for more info:
http://www.zeldafitzgerald.com/fitzgeralds/index.asp
2007-06-13 17:47:14 · answer #1 · answered by jedimorgana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a very little book - takes longer to read the Cliff Notes than the book and the book is excellent. The theme of the book is disillusionment - and you can never recapture the past - no matter how much money you have or how hard you try. Another theme is liars - nobody except Tom is who they pretend to be.
The book is a classic because it is written by a world class author in beautiful prose and it addresses the human condition in a way that is timeless. A good test of a classic is asking yourself - could it be updated to today? And this story quite easily could. On the other hand, it is a beautiful look at a time in American history - almost a time capsule of a very brief and strange time.
When it first came out, it was not very well received and didnt sell many copies, but today it is a true classic and a rite of passage kind of book - a book for young people when they are ready to raise the bar from childhood books to adult books. Enjoy it. Pax - C
2007-06-14 00:51:25 · answer #2 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The theme of Gatsby is the decline of the American Dream in the 1920's -- but ,because Fitzgerald's observations of American society are so "spot on", the book still speaks with incredible accuracy about the American Character and the shallow, socially destructive detachment that "class" defined solely by wealth brings. Paris Hilton could have been invented by Fitzgerald - if she weren't so pathetically real. She is quintessentially American- the sort of American the Buchanans are. What makes this book a "classic" is simply that it is a good story with involving characters that still speaks to readers- and probably will for a long time to come. Also Fitzgerald's prose is among some of the most beautiful in American Literature. He is more admired and respected today then he was then.
2007-06-14 10:06:47 · answer #3 · answered by hiztreebuff 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why not read the "Cliff Notes" at the library. If they don't know, no one does. I know it's historical about the 20', I think. Shows the thinking or society at the time and probably at all times, if it's a classic. Deals with the psychology of people too. Problems we all may face. Sayings from Shakespeare have saved me at time or two and I can't even understand Shakespeare half the time..
2007-06-14 00:38:48 · answer #4 · answered by hb12 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The main theme of this novel is the decline of the American dream.
2007-06-14 00:36:48 · answer #5 · answered by imbored311 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Never read the book. But the movie was fantastic and Robert Redford was so gorgeous in it. He an old man now and not so hot looking anymore. LOL
2007-06-14 00:33:31 · answer #6 · answered by Ladybug II 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the theme is the "American dream" and how everyone has the potential to become a 'somebody' even if you are born a 'nobody'.
2007-06-14 00:35:24 · answer #7 · answered by SmOoTh cRiMinAL 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read it and find out!
2007-06-14 01:04:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋