Review of "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is a classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald centered on the Roaring ’20s in New York City after the end of World War I. Fitzgerald captures the wild party scene and the fragile post-war society in which the world is stuck. The Great Gatsby brings the unsuspecting reader into a world of greed and lust, ruled by self-absorption and narcissism.

To say that this book is full of symbolism is an understatement. Almost everything in this book is either a theme or a motif, so I will discuss those and their meanings lengthily. First, to understand why these themes and symbols exist, it is important to examine the characters and their different personalities and desires.

The narrator of the story, Nick Carraway, is the naive and innocent protagonist who explores the dynamics of Gatsby, Daisy, Myrtle, Tom, and Jordan, and witnesses firsthand how complex and messy their relationships are. He observes Jordan, his girlfriend, being arrogant and deceitful. He observes Tom, Daisy’s aggressive and ultra-masculine husband enforcing his reign and power over Daisy and others in his presence through his behavior. Nick observes Myrtle, who uses her secret affair with Tom to attempt to rise in her social status. He observes Daisy, whose materialistic ways and wealth intrigue Gatsby. Most of all, Nick observes Gatsby himself, who is so mysterious, secretive, and capricious that Nick has a hard time tracking his emotions. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is deep, but it is only motivated, especially at first, by her wealth. He invents a persona for himself, hiding behind the mask of “Jay Gatsby,” until it is revealed how he used to be known as James Gatz. Gatsby uses his new persona to reinvent himself, his status, and how others perceive him.

One of the most important themes in The Great Gatsby is the concept of the American dream to get ahead socioeconomically. Gatsby dreams of marrying the wealthy Daisy. He already uses his wealth to throw lavish parties that build up his reputation to seem even more fabulous. Another motif in The Great Gatsby is the portrayal of the green light. Meaning “go” on a street light, green not only symbolizes the momentum of achieving the American dream, but also further represents how that American dream is defined by money and financial status. Of course, *spoiler alert* the green light and the concept of transportation ultimately destroys Gatsby; when he is in the car with Daisy, she does a “hit and run,” killing Myrtle, for which Gatsby ultimately takes the blame. The presence of alcohol in The Great Gatsby further emphasizes the concept of time and space and what one can do with it. Drinking and partying, a popular social activity during the Roaring ’20s, shows a different, more honest side of the characters when they are intoxicated. It is when the characters are drunk that we see their rawest selves and the entire dynamic of the group shifts. Ultimately, at the end *another spoiler alert* Gatsby is shot for Myrtle’s death by her husband, George Wilson.

I would recommend The Great Gatsby to anyone who enjoys classic literature and likes thinking about symbolism. The Great Gatsby reveals the psychological and social effects, desires, and repercussions that came from the despair and destruction of World War I.