You are the Critic!
Did you enjoy reading The Great Gatsby? Did you enjoy studying The Great Gatsby? Why/why not? What is your takeaway from the novel? Do you think the novel should be read in high school? Should it be included in the American literary canon? Why/why not?
I really enjoyed reading and studying the Great Gatsby. The overall theme and plot of this story is so interesting and captivating that you can't help but read what comes next. As you uncover all the secrets in between the lines you start to grasp the message that Fitzgerald is trying to convey-- fixating on the past isn't going to give you a future. My biggest Takeaway of the novel is that everyone has their own interpretation of what the American dream is. For Gatsby, it was to turn back time and fix what he did wrong. For everyone else, we have our own definition, and as minorities it makes it very difficult for us to achieve this goal while we see that it is easily handed to others. This novel definitely should be read in high school because it lets teenagers know that instead of dwelling on the past, we should focus on our present and future which is helpful since we are about to enter the real world soon. This novel also should be included in the American literary canon because it speaks on the true meaning of the American Dream. American Literature can be seen in plenty of novels and are considered American literature because of its authenticity to American lifestyles during that time period, and The Great Gatsby showed a lot of authenticity during the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby was a great book to read and study because the structure of the story is way different than most books. The structure truly makes the reader feel like Nick is right beside you and explaining you the story because for example, he tells you the story of Gatsby’s life way before he gets to it when telling the story in order for you to have a deeper understanding of what is going on. It is like someone telling you the outcome first and then telling you the events and decisions that take place in order to understand how everything led to the end.
ReplyDeleteMy takeaway from this novel is that you should dream big, but in order to accomplish your goals that seem like miles away from you, you have to take life step by step. You should always remember your roots and what makes you who you are, but you must remember that your past does not fully define you. You can work your way up in order to reshape yourself into who you want to be. However, materialism should not shape your future. Relationships, friendships, and the people that you meet should help you grow as a person. Money can’t buy you the people that help create moments that are life changing.
This novel should be read in high school in order for teenagers to learn about the idea of morality and the idea that you can’t cheat your way to the top. Fitzgerald presents morals in a way where we understand the choices of the characters and how they affect the outcome of their lives. For instance, Myrtle tries to cheat her way into entering the Old Money class by sleeping with Tom and hoping that he can help her achieve her materialistic ideals. However, greed and materialism led to Myrtle’s death because she tried to run after Tom, but she just ran into the yellow car that was driven by Daisy. Therefore, Fitzgerald conveys that cheating your way up in the social ladder is not right and will lead to consequences in the long run.
This book should be included in the American literary canon because the book conveys the idea of the American Dream. Fitzgerald uses a lot of symbolism in order to convey desire, lack of desire, social classes, and other things. Gatsby represents American Dream because his story connects back to how people try to accomplish their goals whether it is in terms of wealth or just any version of success that a person desires. Gatsby starts off poor, but tries to move up in society by bootlegging even though this was not the right and just way to accomplish his dreams. The American Dream is the reason why many people came to America and this novel helps us dive deeper into the minds of individuals in the 1920s in order to not only understand people’s mindsets, but also the lives of people in the 1920s.
I totally agree with you that This book should be included in the American literary canon because of the role The Gatsby plays in the Great Gatsby. Gatsby symbolizes the American dream. He was fixated on fixing the past, and that got him killed. This story was set in the 1920s and the story clearly depicts what the US was going through during this time and how it affected many people, and that made it a perfect candidate for the American literary canon.
DeleteAfter reading The Great Gatsby, I was very pleased with the book in its entirety. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat (not literally.) It was full of drama and small plot twists, which I like reading about. The secrets between the characters is what really shaped the book. The love triangle between, Daisy, Gatsby and Tom is what I found most interesting. I also found it funny that Nick was the narrator, knowing all of their secrets and making his own judgements on the others. I did enjoy studying the novel as well. It was interesting to learn about. It taught me about society in the 20's and I also learned a few morals. My biggest takeaway from the novel was that if you want something, you have to work for it in an honest and sincere way. This is not what Gatsby did. He was a bootlegger so that's what got him to the top. Eventually it all came crashing down on him. To be honest I feel this novel should be read in high school. Especially here in America. I feel this way because of the valuable lessons taught at the end. Distinguishing the rich from the poor, shallowness of the rich, the American dream, and etc. It's drama is also a reason I feel it should be taught in High schools. Something kids our age would find interesting. I do feel it should be included in the American literature canon because the book teaches us a lot about America. Gatsby, who is thought to represent America teaches us a lot about what America is like. The good parts, the bad parts, the rich, the poor, everything America stands for. He also represents the 1920's and everything that was good and bad about it back then.
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ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby is a book that I enjoyed reading. At first I was skeptical if I would fully understand all of the subtext especially since the book was made in a different time period and writing style has of course changed since then. However once I dug deeper into quotes that we would analyze in class and for hw on my own time, it completely changed my understanding of what Fitzgerald wanted to get across. The story of a man who was unable to grasp what he so desperately desired. Being blindly unaware of how unreal a dream is because of how real it seems is the story of Gatsby. There were times I was so stubborn I would spend almost an hour trying to dissect a quote to fully understand it. But in the end figuring it out was the best part that made it worth the time. The tragic love story, unlike others, were love is really between one person and not the other. A character so desperate for a woman who doesn't love him, he throws everything out the window and goes out of his way to please her in any way possible in the hopes of recreating the past in order for them to be together. However Gatsby's dream was poisoned and was the detriment that killed him. An intricate story with a purpose of distinguishing the west, America before the war and the East, America after the war. Life before the war consisted of family and morals that had family at its base compared to after the war, a world where no one cares for one another and fails to see the point in trying because of the horrible atrocities that occurred during the war, forever changing America but also the American dream. Gatsby's desire changed throughout the book and was a big motivator for his actions. Showing the reader sometimes a dream is just a dream and trying to make it a reality is something little to no one will be able to achieve. The barrier that is created by social class was another point Fitzgerald emphasized, sometimes being so dangerous it can be like getting it by a car. But what I think is a big point Fitzgerald was trying to make, considering how much it relates to his own life is the unimaginable things you will do for “love”. I would highly recommend the Great Gatsby be read in schools and be considered to be a part of some of the best american books because of just how good the book is and how significant the time period was for America at the time.
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DeleteI really like how you highlighted the fact that the war changed the lives of people
Deletesignificantly from caring more about family and morals to losing motivation, ending
up broken, and not understanding the point in trying. I believe that we could have
connected the two kinds of “eras” (before and after the war) a bit more in class.
Now, I wonder if the war caused Daisy to lose hope of being with Gatsby even if she
did receive a letter from Gatsby right before getting married to Tom, but then again I could be giving too much credit to Daisy. The idea of social classes and how they act as boundaries because of the norms and subtexts that people do not understand if they are not part of the specific class was highlighted much more in class. Maybe Fitzgerald just wanted to emphasize the structure of society more than the actual historical context. Also, I know what you mean when you talk about how diving deeper and analyzing everything led to a different understanding of the story. I remember watching the movie a few years ago and only watching it as if it was a story. I did not analyze it as much as we did in class, and I definitely was able to understand more about how symbolism played a huge role in Fitzgerald’s piece after we analyzed it in class. When I first watched the movie, I did not realize that almost every detail has a significance in what Fitzgerald was trying to convey. However, when we watched the movie in class, I was able to place all of the puzzle pieces together in order to develop a greater understanding of the social classes, the colors, and the eyes and how they tie into the idea of the American Dream, which is definitely something that I did not notice when watching the movie the first time.
I really enjoy reading The Great Gatsby. This book is one of the most famous English Novel in China, after I finished it I known why. First, this book give me an idea of how developed are New York City when China is still an empire. Second, this book not only severely criticizes capitalism and the distorted American dream, but also makes full use of American freedom of speech. Therefore, this book it should be included in the American literary canonMy take away from this book is when I grow up, don't follow money blindly. Love the person you love more. This book must be shown to high school students, because high school is a time for a person to establish his outlook on life and values. Reading this book at this time can minimize the number of people like Tom, Daisy, Jordan, and so on. Add more people like Nick.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I found it interesting how Fitzgerald showed how corrupt America, more specifically New York was at the time and how the American dream plays a big role.
DeleteI agree with your take away Chuanwu as Gatsby did eventually ended up getting killed by his actions and it's also interesting to me that the book is famous in China and the comparison between the U.S and China
DeleteI agree on your notion on the Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is about the American dream and how Gatsby worked to achieve it. It is also about capitalism as Gatsby capitalized on his drug store business with Meyer Wolfsheim.
DeleteI agree with ChuanWu on how The Great Gatsby severely criticizes capitalism and the distorted American dream as the American dream itself is a corrupt or uncertain dream where even though everyone believes that the American Dream is something that they should chase after and believes that they would be rich and wealthy like in their dream, the end result is their failure and demise it's only a minute amount of people that actually achieves their dream and stops before they dive too far into it.
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DeleteI would have to agree with the idea that you have on the book The Great Gatsby. The book does teaches many values in life and teaches us how there's many different types of people based on the social class. I really liked how in your explanation you gave a fun fact on the book. I didn't know that the book was famously known worldwide. Its nice to know that an American book that we read is also other foreigners favorite book.
Reading The Great Gatsby was iconic to say the least, since the 8th grade, my English teacher warned me about the literary devices and secret messages. I genuinely enjoyed reading every chapter, the characters kept it fun, the love story, the jealousy, the rich lifestyle made it so vivid in my head. F. Scott Fitzgerald is a true mastermind behind this masterpiece of a book. I had no idea that Gatsby would represent America and it’s corruption. This book truly shows how corrupt and selfish some rich people are. It seems that in the 1920s the poor always lost the battles against the rich, but I genuinely think the poor and rich are now hand in hand with the same rights, with some restrictions of course. I believe this book should be read in high school because of the high Lexile Level vocabulary, the deep thinking, virtues and sexual affirmations that occur throughout the book. This should definitely be in the American Literature Canon because this is an American book that was based in the 1920s. The studying of Chanel and the flapper look set the stage for this book as well.
ReplyDeleteCan totally agree with you on not expecting Gatsby would represent America and it's corruption!! I honestly looked at the characters as just characters and nothing else. And although I don't recall my English teachers in middle school talking much about literary devices it is very clear that keeping track of literary devices is important and it makes reading more exhilarating , causing one's self to be even more engrossed in the book most of the time.
DeleteI relate to how you said this book was surprising. I was also completely unaware of the book’s true message in the beginning. I didn’t expect the message to be so deep and thought-provoking. I expected a story about an artificial society; although it is, Fitzgerald critiqued his own society. I believed that everyone would be at the same class.
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby because it had a very interesting plot. I liked how the characters changed throughout the book and how the side characters contributed to the plot. The author also used lyrical writing style. Studying the Great Gatsby was fun because the book had interesting vocabulary. In the book Gatsby became a successful man and played a good role in the book of bringing together the main characters. The Great Gatsby was about the American dream, and how the main characters influenced Gatsby. I think that the novel should be included in the American literature Canon because it has good vocabulary words and a nice writing style.
ReplyDeleteThe complicated nature of America of the 20s marked the renaissance of American culture that through The Great Gatsby is profoundly portrayed as a paradoxical outcome of the war. This novel tells the story about the American Dream, success, love and life of Tom, Daisy, Jordan, Gatsby, and Nick. This novel captures the sentiment of modern America as well as the beliefs of the past America. What becomes most significant about the book is the parallel to an advancing society that although majority of its accomplishments serves as a double-edged sword, its content is significantly rich in symbolism and dramatic elements. I found it amusing how Fitzgerald’s satires America of the 20s but it's able to show the reader the pointless sacrifice of life for physical satisfaction instead of spiritual fulfillment. This novel is adequate for analyzing in High School, I believe that it lets the readers have a fonder understanding of the American culture and I’m some way help them find their identity and role in society. Therefore it should be included in the American canon. If not, what would’ve told us the meaningful impact World War I and capitalism would have had such a big impact on American culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the complicated nature of america because even today society is still measured up and complicated. It wasn't as bad as the books time period but it still very bad. The understanding of American culture is so weird to understand but Fitzgerald was actually able to fit the 90s culture and crazy way of life at that time period into the book for people to understand.
DeleteWhen I say "should it be read in hs"? I mean, should it be one of the 18 books you read in the four years you are here? Did you get something out of it? Does it seem important? Should teachers teach it?
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading "The Great Gatsby" and I loved studying it because I like the setting and in more general I do not prefer fiction but i like what Scott Fitzgerald did in his novel of mixing fiction and his reality. I think Fitzgerald did I great job of using Nick as our narrator and presenting the people side of the story. I think my takeaway from this novel is that our past shape us for who we are in the future and who we are going to be and our character. This novel definitely should be thought in high school and should be included in the American culture because in my opinion this is the most American story that i studied till now.
I agree with your statement in "mixing fiction and his reality." It really made the story spicier and with the discovery that his past lovers were based on the characters of the story made it even more fascinating. Fitzgerald is a literature genius who was ahead of his time. The extravagance, the depicted lifestyle of the wealthy make me think differently of them hence I agree with your statement.
DeleteI agree with the setting and mixing reality and fiction because you can demand details to reality to make it more in depth( and spicy) in order to get the message to people about the symbols. I also like the time setting this was taken because I don't know much about how New York was like and this book gave me how the Nee York style was and how crazy this time period was.
DeleteThis novel was really interesting indeed. I loved the way drama was able to make connection the reader and effectively portray nature of the 20s. I also liked the narrator because, one of the biggest take away was mainly it's his regret to what he could've done to help Gatsby. He was pissed towards the shallow nature that shared the elite society.
DeleteI agree with everything you said about your opinion on the book. I liked how you talked about the setting and it being an important role because it shows the type of people we are dealing with in the book. I also liked how you included the narrator Nick. I think that having Nick as an narrator plays an important role because he gives us the reality and the truth of things. He isn't biased but he is just based on facts.
DeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby, I found the book really insightful and deep. It definitely made me think about our own society and societies in general and why things are the way they are. It also fueled some cynicism towards the rich especially in times like this (where we have people like Jeff Bezos). I really enjoyed the contrasting of societies and characters and how it really nicely came together to reveal Fitzgerald’s message and critiques on American lifestyles. Adding on, I did enjoy our study of the book. Without studying and analyzing it together as a class, I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed reading the book as much. I definitely would’ve missed all the symbolism and messages. Reading it together helped me change the way I read and analyze books. I found myself nitpicking small details and finding a lot more hidden messages by paying close attention to things that seemingly had no meaning. This book has helped me appretiate the craft and thinking that Fitzgerald put into writing The Great Gatsby. The takeaway I got from the book is to never think highly of the rich no matter how good and pure you think they are; no matter what, they’ll never care about you and will always be numbed by their money. I also saw the message on the American Dream and how easily people can be corrupted by the culture we’ve built as a modern society. You see the damage done in the book and in our own world as well. This book should be read in High School, it is a classic but it also has a lot of important messages that can change your outlook on society as a whole and how rotten capitalism and consumer culture really is. This book must be included into the American literary canon, it’s fundamentally an American book right to its core. It speaks a lot of truth about the reality of how America has changed from the old age to now.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on what you said, I feel like if social classes and how wealthy someone is didn't interfere in people's life, then this world would've been much happier. It's b/c types of these things that makes this world toxic. Why people doesn't want to live in this world? However, where there's light there will always be darkness. One can't coexist without the other. It's our choice if we want to change this or not.
DeleteI also found The Great Gatsby to be very insightful and deep. I agree with it giving a different perspective of the world we live In today. It’s made me look at things differently especially with the color green. My idea of social class was also changed while reading and analyzing The Great Gatsby. Analysing the book In class helped me better comprehend what Fitzgerald was trying to convey through different colors, characters and social class etc. I also agree with the book needing to be put in the American literary canon because of its deep message on the reality of America and the American dream.
DeleteYes, some books are fun to read alone, and some books need to be read in class! I love being in class discussing books with smart people! I first read Gatsby in 11th grade as well, and again in college in an American literature class, and again in grad school in a teaching literature class- it was different every time because my classmates and my teachers were different!
DeleteI enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby, I like how Fitzgerald keeps it very short and does not drag out the plot. The book had only nine chapters and told a story that was very thought out and developed. Every chapter had a major event and was served a purpose. For example in chapter, Myrtle dies in Chapter 7 and then Gatsby dies in Chapter 8. I was engaged throughout the whole book wanting to read more. I also enjoyed studying The Great Gatsby because you had to analyze very little things such as colors and clothes which represented bigger things about society and Fitzgerald's views on the people of the 20s. The color white and cream not only were the color of people's clothes but represented social classes between the characters. With the people who wore white represented old money and their careless actions while cream represented people who wanted to be like the people who wore white striving to act like them. This novel should be read in highschool it really makes the students think finding symbolizes and hidden meanings that won’t be seen at first read. It also provides some history on the 20s and the morals that some had. One example of this is the mother and daughter relationship between Daisy and Pammy which is very different to other time periods. Daisy raised her daughter through a nanny giving her no real emotional connection. I believe it should be included in the American literary canon because it provides and in depth look into American society but more specifically you learn about the American dream which Gatsby represents. The determination and strive that Gatsby showed to get with Daisy showed how Americans chase their dream which led to clouded judgement and his demise. It showed how Americans can never dream too big but never take a step back to analyze what’s going on.
ReplyDeleteThis book indeed was an interesting read. High schools should definitely have this book in their curriculum. We learned how to use certain rhetorical devices in so many ways and paying attention to every sense of detail. Without the lessons in class no one would've enjoyed the book as much and the takeaway wouldn't have been as strong. Your analysis of Fitzgerald's use of the American Dream is really interesting, the last sentence really drew me in.
DeleteI really did enjoy The Great Gatsby b/c it was so interesting seeing Gatsby chasing Daisy, proving that these types of things also happened back then as it happens now. It proves that the things we go through, people also went through that same exact experience back then. This book had lots of mystery, always putting the readers on their feet, making them think every time what's going to happen next. Also it was very nice how Fitzgerald kept mentioning Gatsby but didn't introduced until the third chapter. That was very original and clever, making rumors about him and saying all kinds of things about Gatsby builded suspense. If Fitzgerald wrote the story like every story out their, the story would've been boring. It was how Fitzgerald made it short and simple, he went straight to point, some authors doesn't know how to do that, they use two-three chapters to explain one event. Fitzgerald explained each event in 6-7 pages in one chapter. Fitzgerald also portrayed his life so perfectly in The Great Gatsby. It was as if we were reading about Fitzgerald's life and not Gatsby's life. Maybe Gatsby was Fitzgerald, maybe Fitzgerald desire was the same as Gatsby, being rich and getting wealth. Studying The Great Gatsby was good b/c I learned so many new vocabulary that I can use anytime. Over all, The Great Gatsby was a very spectacular book that I recommend everyone read. I wish that The Great Gatsby had a second book or more chapters.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gastby was fun to read. Every character was interesting to take apart and although the beginning was boring and there were already many things that were introduced at once, it helped me dig deeper into the climax of the story in the end. After getting used to annotating every chapter, I understood many parts of the story better; I caught on to many foreshadowing events, symbolism, metaphors, etc. when I read while annotating at the same time. Studying The Great Gatsby was even better. I now have a liking towards diving deeper into the meaning of a book thanks to this class. Knowing that there is a purpose to a novel fascinates me because I have this mindset where every writer just writes for fun, and that there is no important message whatsoever, unless clearly stated. My takeaway from this novel is mostly about the very rich. Fitzgerald made it obvious he wanted to let the readers know that the people of old wealth are trouble, and nothing good comes out when you associate yourself with them. Maybe Fitzgerald just couldn't let go of his resentment towards Ginevra, like how he still loved her for a long time after their break up. But it is clear that there is a wide gap between the old wealth and other classes. Another takeaway was social classes. It will never be possible for someone to blend in to another social class, and that in the end they would be pushed back down into where they belong by the truth. I firmly believe The Great Gatsby should be read in high school. The novel gives a sense of reality and a glimpse into American society. Everyone belongs to a social class whether they like it or not. And it should be learned properly rather than brushing the surface of it through outside knowledge, which can be misleading. It also should definitely be included in the American literary canon because of its purpose. Fitzgerald's novel was also about America itself that was going through change. It pointed out the change within America after World War I and showed a very clear distinction on the before and after. It indirectly calls out America for being corrupted, and that it also corrupted the people and their dreams. The Great Gatsby is an incredibly important novel that should be acknowledged and understood properly.
ReplyDeleteI am little disagree with you that "It will never be possible for someone to blend in to another social class, and that in the end they would be pushed back down into where they belong by the truth." Even though Gatsby can't become old money, but he did successfully became new money from a dirty poor. Which shows that people could change their social class."
DeleteAngel I agree with everything. The book was honestly good. Even though the beginning was boring the whole book in general was good. I do agree with the part where you said “ It will never be possible for someone to blend in to another social class, and that in the end they would be pushed back down into where they belong by the truth.” As I mentioned it too people can’t really can’t change their class. You grew up to this social class and you will stay there for a long period of time. If anything you if you do move classes it won’t be a drastic change.
DeleteNicely stated Angel, love how you included Ginevra into your response. I agree with all your points except for one, and that is "It will never be possible for someone to blend in to another social class, and that in the end they would be pushed back down into where they belong by the truth." Gatsby in comparison to a historical figure like Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller established immense wealth and were the talk of rare stories of "rags to riches." I believe that it is not possible to blend in another social class, but drastic change has happened, one must do smart investments and then one could be richer than an old money man/women, it's not even about trying to fit in, if you made it, you made it. Nicely stated though!
DeleteYou're absolutely right with Gatsby being able to move up his social class! Though when I wrote that part, I was mostly thinking about Myrtle who barely tried to work and relied on other people's wealth to support her. I apologize if it wasn't specific enough! Also thank you Mirza >:]
DeleteI completely agree with you. Learning the backstory behind what most likely inspired Fitzgeralds to write this novel in the first place is almost as interesting as the book itself. The values discussed in the book hold such significant messages because they are all still so relevant today. The book shed some light on the truth of America and how messed up it really is. No one in this book reached their American Dream and the only people who are happy by the end of the story are those who never needed to work for what they want.
DeleteI agree that the beginning is packed with a lot! I always get nervous teaching the beginning of Gatsby because there is so much to take apart!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading and studying The Great Gatsby as the plot of the story told was quite interesting but I was spoiled to the end of the novel as I had the chance to watch the movie about it back in eighth grade and the ending just stuck with me. My takeaway from the novel is Fitzgerald’s idea and thoughts on what is an American and what is the American Dream as he uses Gatsby to symbolize an American and Gatsby’s dreams being the American Dream. Everyone had their own definition of the American Dream as we liked different things and we all have different experiences. I believe this novel should be read in high school because it goes along well with the topic of American literature and the novel also gives us a glimpse in the way society operates back in the 1920s. This novel should be included in the American literary canon as it depicts the life style of the 1920s and the way society works at the time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Hao Lin that Fitzgerald did use Gatsby to symbolize America and it's down fall. Where he fall for consumerism where he bought a lot of expensive clothes and real books as well as creating gaudy parties to hopefully gain the attention of a rich girl which is Daisy herself, with out understanding the true difference of himself and her. Also I agreed that this book depicts the life styles of the 1920, there for show be in American literary canon to sure fit the role of remembrance of the past.
DeleteI agree with you Hao. There is many people in this world who believe in many things. People also tend to have many dreams that they want to be fulfilled. But everyone has different dreams and different view points on what the American Dream is. I totally agree that it should be in the American literary canon because it does relate to the history. It would also give us a better understanding during that time.
Delete"American" is really a peculiar and difficult world to analyze. I also found interesting that Fitzgerald was able to present his definition of an"American" through Gatsby's life. America of the 20s was painted by immorality and corruption, it was the birth of a liberal society that really defined America. This novel was a great work that portrays society and shows the values that were disregarded.
DeleteI enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby even though it's a short book. It does have its moments and really makes you think. Studying the Great Gatsby was definitely a challenge but at the same time enjoyable. It’s hard to think when many literary elements and hidden meanings are spread across the book. Especially the last part of the Great Gatsby is hard to comprehend as interpreted many different ways when reading it over and over again. Books like these always comes with a message and my takeaway from the novel was that America in the 1920s was corrupted by desire and had impacted Americans for the worst, to show how desire can take one’s life in a different direction into a spiral of negativity. Books like these should be read in highschool as it reflects the era of the 1920s and educates people of the history of America. Especially with all the meanings and symbolism behind each item and character that builds up throughout the novel. Colors were also a big part of the novel as it was a theme in the novel piecing together different characters in the book. I believe that The Great Gatsby should be included in the literary canon as it has history, meaning, and a great plot for a book to have and could be interpreted many different ways. They do have a section for authors in that specific field of writing so why shouldn't The Great Gatsby be in the literary canon?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that "that America in the 1920s was corrupted by desire and had impacted Americans for the worst, to show how desire can take one’s life in a different direction into a spiral of negativity". At the same time I feel the author is very very brave, because he is publishing something that against the entire society.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading and studying the book The Great Gatsby. I was worried since the text would be confusing at times. Also if I was missing something or wasn’t just getting much information from the text. But luckily we read the book in class, did annotations, and had questions for homework. I feel like the annotations helped me actually understand the text deeply. This is because I’m basically breaking down the text into couple of sentences. I’m also jotting down any ideas and or thoughts that come across while reading the book. If the text seemed confusing what I would do is go home and read it multiple times to comprehend it. The book itself had a good plot and good characters. One thing I liked about the characters is that both Daisy and Gatsby reunited after being apart for 5 years. Showing that true love is still out there and how people can easily click even if they drifted apart. My biggest takeaway from this book would be that money doesn’t define who you really are. Money and your so called status doesn’t define you in any way. You should always remember your background and where you came from. Also you should be yourself and not lie about your true identity. One day the truth will come out and also lies do build up. So the best thing is to be yourself. Yes, The Great Gatsby should be read in high school so teenagers can take away many lessons that were in this book. Also going back in history it was somewhat an important time period. So while reading this high schoolers can get a better understanding of how life was. I also say that this should be included in the American literary canon due to its history.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was a very influential novel. Studying the novel was quite enjoyable, seeing that one character helped readers drive through the book. The essence of each page, the silkiness in each imagery filed paragraph, and watching how one character helped drive readers into reading the chapters. Fitzgerald put a lot of emphasis into putting his personal ideas into the writing. He put his viewpoints of America and the American Dream into the Great Gatsby. My biggest takeaway from this novel is that, when trying to accomplish something and being successful at it you shouldn’t cheat your way through. If you do, it’ll all just come crashing down. Hard work and efficiency takes you places, not corrupting the system. I do strongly believe that this novel should be read in high schools. It helps teach students about the importance of symbolism, figurative language, and morals in life. It should also be included in the American literary canon because it’s a book by an American giving his perspective on America and the American Dream. It’s a moving novel and in some aspects a guidance into how us Americans should come live life here and achieve our happiness rightfully. That is what makes America, America after all.
ReplyDeleteI also found The Great Gatsby to be gratifying. F. Scott Fitzgerald did a fantastic job using the English language to convey more than just words on paper. Fitzgerald's use of symbolism with color, characters and setting aid the reader in getting a different perspective of what the American dream is and how it changed as a result of the war. I agree with your take away of the book, needing to do things the right way in order for you to really accomplish something. In addition I think a key take away is not all dreams are meant to become a reality, some dreams are meant to stay that way.
DeleteI agree that literary devices Fitzgerald used throughout the book helped convey his themes. Fitzgerald not only inserted his own beliefs and viewpoints, but he also sprinkled parts of his own life into the book which I found intriguing. When a writer writes a book and it relates to their personal life it makes the feelings you experience throughout the book intensify. I would argue however that hard work and good morals and values won’t guarantee your success. It's like the Puritan beliefs we learned last unit that builds the foundation of America. The hardest workers in America have nothing in comparison to the wealthiest people in this country. Everyone can work hard but not everyone's accomplishments can be defined as the byproduct of their hard work.
Delete"silkiness in imagery" -- I love that!
DeleteMehwish: i 100% agree with you when you say that in order to be successful you must not cheat to get to that point Gatsby was an individual that took the short way and ended up suffering the consequences for his actions. You have to work hard in order to reap the full benefits, something that Gatsby should have done instead of cheating his way to the top and sadly ending up dead.
DeleteI agree when you said that even though it was a tragic love story, there was still meaning to it. It wasn't like any other cliche love story, it hit the readers in a deeper level then does any ordinary cliche love story. Also, I loved how you said that status and money doesn't define who we are, it's our personality who defines us. We're so much greater when nothing negative gets in our way to be successful. One day whether it's our generation or the next generation, we'll show them that it's true.
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ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald due to it’s sophisticated language and construction containing many subtexts, as well as symbolic images that keep my interest. And also I did enjoy studying it due to this is also a great study of human psychology and sociology in societies. And it’s a cruel sarcastic criticism upon modern materialism fueled by Gilded pride which used to be against reality. Which is the loss of morale and lack of understanding of others true precious values. My takeaway from the novel is Fitzgerald’s understanding of the American Dream, which is to not fall in the empty callow success of materialistic wants, which only grows with greed. But to be successful in the obtaining of what you need also to maintain the humbleness to understand and be grateful for what you have while not falling in many wants. At least from my interpretation. I believe this novel should be read in high school, since high school is the age where most started to mature, then to explore the depth of humanities, this book acts as a stable for one side of humanity the darkside where we mostly to experience once “officially” in society. This should be included in the American literary canon due to it’s a primary source inference from the author's life during the gilded age period of american history. Which serves as a landmark for reference to that period.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby. I found it interesting how some parts from the movie were different from the book. The way the characters look, their actions etc. Studying it was challenging and time consuming but it was worth it because if we didn't study/read it in class together, then I probably wouldn't have gained the same knowledge. My biggest takeaway from the novel is that you can't fake your way in life. Gatsby tried so hard being someone he's not just to impress Daisy and in the end it was for nothing. This book should be taught in high schools because it gives us a different view on the American dream.
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby because it really gave an insight on Nick life as an introvert. Nick gives us an understanding that it is hard keeping others’ secrets. People’s words of choice can affect how one may interpret the message. Behind every word and thing envisioned in this book, had a deeper behind it and we as readers got to explore around it. I enjoyed studying it because it went to show that even though something came up once in the book it, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. Every little detailed matter accumulating to the theme, big idea, and plot. For example in the beginning of the book the Gatsby was seen looking over a green light which at first may of seemed suitable for more detail but as the book evolved it was found to have a deeper meaning. The green light was a to represent Gatsby’s dream of conquering Daisy after years of struggling to get in contact with her. He was so close that he could almost grasp it. In chapter 7 Gatsby wasn’t looking over the green light but nothing. My biggest takeaway from this book was the fact that no one got to notice Gatsby’s feelings and life as much as Nick did. If only Gatsby let more people know the truth about him then people would be more understanding towards him and wouldn’t of gotten his dreams run over selfish, greedy, careless rich people. Gatsby should of never kept very thing bottled up in himself. Gatsby should of been surrounded by people that cared but he wasn’t. I definitely think that we should be able to read this book in high school because this book contains hidden and deeper messages that readers can interpret in many ways and forms and not be wrong. I think that it should be included in the American literary canon because it thought us a valuable lesson about America and that in order to achieve the American Dream on must work very hard and not take the easy way out. There are plenty of other valuable themes expressed in this book that could teach a lesson to the reader.
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ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading the great Gatsby because it was very informative I learned a lot of what happened back then because it the novel has a variety of symbolism. I enjoyed studying the Great Gatsby because I learned about fashion what they use to work and how was life back then and how it was to live indifferent social classes. I learned that love doesn't buy happiness and that poor people back then struggled a lot to move up a social class and how you knew someone was from a certain class by the way they talked. I also enjoyed the book because of its intense imagery we the readers were able to have a better understanding of the passage. Also I got to see gender roles woman were expected to just be pretty and had less opportunities and their value was their beauty. My biggest take away is that the American dream is hard to achieve but isn't impossible with out hard work and the clash of social classes how the high class will beat the lower class because of their wealth and ability to cover things up because their rich. Also to not fantasize about something that will never happen and to not be blinded by love or become a romantic hopeless like Gatsby. The novel the Great Gatsby should be read in high school because it made you read between the lines and how when someone says something their can be a different meaning and the novel had many messages. This should be included in the American literary canon because it teaches us about the American dream and America and how you should never be ashamed of who you are and not change for someone else and be led by greed and fall in the wrong path.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly I did enjoy reading the great Gatsby. I've heard a lot about how the book has a lot of hidden messages, and it can be hard to read at a young age, but with all the lessons which helped explain what the book was about, I loved reading it. I loved getting more and more into the storyline, not knowing who daisy would end up picking, and then towards the end it got fun, since we've already made assumptions for what was going to happen. Mine turned out to be right. As I said, the lessons we did on this book, the colors, and the messages which weren't as clearly expressed in the book if you were just to read it, were very helpful in understanding what Fitzgerald wanted to express. My takeaway from this book is that some dreams are too far to reach, and even though you might try your all to get somewhere, if your intentions aren't right you won't succeed. I also understood that the American dream isn't what America makes it seem. When I lived in Europe, New York was seen as the city that never sleeps. A city where you can dream as big as you desire, and you will get what you've always dreamed about. Coming here has opened me up to the real world, where only in certain cases you actually make it to the top. There are always barriers which will knock you down, or keep you from climbing up, and only a few can succeed that. I think this book is an amazing choice to be read in High schools, if it's taught the way it was taught to us. While teaching this book i think you have to go into depth on some parts, to make them understandable for us. If this book wasn't taught to me the way it was, i don't know if I would've liked it. I also think it should be in the American Literary canon. It seems like a book which has caught a lot of attention when it first came out, and still to this day people are fascinated by it. This is why ai think it deserves the proper higher recognition of getting a spot in the American Literary canon.
ReplyDelete-Emma Jumpelt
Omg same here Emma :) Reading the Great Gatsby there were lots of hidden messages that were discovered in further detail and with deeper meaning as we kept reading each chapter. Fitzgerald used clever ways to incorporate hidden messages to convey the reader about the themes present in this book. Everything he chose to talk/write about had to deal with the theme which gave us many ways to interpret was the author really means.
Delete-stephani
DeleteI agree with you it was great book and the lessons on it help a lot to understand it. I also can see why you say there was hidden messages and how that help with getting more into the storyline. I experience a similar thing I came from a different country and people in my country would have make America a big deal and New York was just a dream, but now that I am here I realize the same thing that you still but in a different era. I still have to work as hard as in my country.
DeleteI disagree with the statement that we are a lost generation and also that everyone is less connected with the world. I feel as if us teens have a sense of our community and surroundings more than any other generation. We have started many movements such as Greta Thunberg who leads a very impactful movement that targets the many problems with today's society and she’s only 16. You also pointed out that we are more expressive toward one another and share our feelings which shows how we are not a lost generation. We understand our wants and needs at a young age. We are able to communicate these feelings tackling our problems head on instead of passively.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading The Great Gatsby I understand why it is considered one of literature's finest. I enjoyed reading this novel because the social commentary Fitzgerald makes about class is still prevalent today and is still something we witness in modern society. The characters in The Great Gatsby are flawed and complicated and it seems impossible to connect with them but we understand them despite how corrupt they are. It was frustrating to see how there wasn’t a happy ending for anyone (except the Buchanans) but it was also refreshing to see how reality really is. My biggest takeaway from this book is the American Dream comes with a great cost. You pay such a huge price for your dreams but there is always the possibility that the things you want won’t come true. For a moment all Gatsby ever wanted was in reaching distance but that wasn’t enough. As much as I hated Daisy, I felt bad for her because she was just a symbol of Gatsby’s ability to conquer the socio economic caste system of the 1920s. The topics and themes discussed in the book hold significant value and the story was very powerful. Fitzgerald constantly hits you on the head about how the American Dream is unattainable if your desires are selfish and greedy you would inevitably never get what you want or be satisfied (unless your last name is Buchanan). Fitzgerald floods the book with the injustices and cruelty in America that stem from the empty people who lack morality. I would recommend highschoolers to read the book because it is filled with lessons we all need to learn. It presents us with the harsh truth of America. I will admit that this book might not be for everyone because it is hard to follow along but you would always just read it a second time. It isn’t another typical story of another poor man becoming rich and finally getting everything he ever wanted because Gatsby ended up with nothing at the end.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed The Great Gatsby even though it was a bit hard to understand with all the symbolism. It help me learn on how the simple words have such depth. There was a lot of drama that kept me interested. Thete story was so twisted and played with a lot of emotions. My takeaway of the Great Gtasby is that everyone and everything wears a mask. You see the bright and fake side but underneath the ugly things and dark side of the dad truth. Words can be twisted and inside lies a lie. Rich people will al aks Ys have the upper hand and can get away with anything. I definently think that this book should be read in high school because it not only challenges your vocabulary and your ability to find the symbolism and meaning of the book. The plot is also very good. The book should be included in the American Literary canon because it does tell the truth and sad part of the "American Dream". It tell the depth of the pain many people had suffer and lost with the fake words that is suppose to give people hope but show once the mask is removed, America's ugly side shows.
ReplyDeleteIf it was easy to understand we wouldn't have to read it in class right? That's what I'm here for!
DeleteI would say that I did enjoy reading the book The Great Gatsby. Reading the book helped me learn many aspects of love and different social classes we have in our society. To be honest when we first started reading the book the first chapter I was so confused and didn't get what was happening. I was very lost. But then, as I started reading more of the book I finally got to understand what was happening and started to like the book more. The beginning part threw me off but as more I read the more I understood. The thing with me is that if the first part of the book doesn't keep me interested, most likely I wouldn't read the book. But since then, we read the book and talked about it in class with our classmates and heard their opinion on it. I started to gain interest. I think studying The Great Gatsby is very beneficial because it helps you understand the reality of things that happen in our society. Also, how based on a certain social class you are in, it shows the different treatment you get and how people see you as. For example, as we all know Gatsby is from the West Egg and he's self made and from new money. Also, Tom and Daisy are from East Egg and they're known to be old money and they 've been rich for a long time. However, in the end Tom and Daisy basically betrayed Gatsby and was selfish to not think about his death. That shows the type of people that are from that social class. I guess reading that book made me understand the type of love people would have for people but still stab them in their back. Yes, the novel should be read in highschool because it gives in inside look of our history and the times that have been like that time like after World War 1 and it's a good book to read for teens since it involves romance. In addition, it challenges a student's mind to think deeper and grasp the reality of the non rich and the rich. It causes the students to realize the types of people are in this world and ways how people reached their successes then can also lose it. I think the book should be included in the American literary canon because it's a classic book from the early 1900s.
ReplyDeleteCritical Analysis for The Great Gatsby - Blogger.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was an amazing novel that accurately depicted the fall of a man who was too obsessed with having his dream come true. Gatsby’s life and the mysterious aspect to him in the beginning of the novel is exciting to me as a reader. When he throws these grand and over the top parties and having only personally invited just a handful of people, but a whole load of strangers show up, none of them knowing who he is is kind of interesting. They all can just go to this stranger's house and not know what he looks like and have all these suspicions and assumptions about his life. The whole stranger thing is kind of strange. I also found it captivating that Gatsby was living his whole life trying to find and please this one woman from his past. We know that before the war, Gatsby had a lover by the name of Daisy who was a woman of high status and she was from old money. Daisy at one point actually liked Gatsby and on the day of her wedding to Tom, she sobbed for him and then got over it and ended up marrying Tom. However, Gatsby was not over her at all and went to the extremes in order to impress her. Gatsby was striving to become wealthy and he wanted to achieve his dream of being with Daisy. When he does everything, he does it for his love. The parties, the house the lies everything was for Daisy. It was almost sad to see that Daisy did not share the same love that he had for her. But as time passed by it was evident that she no longer had love for him. Gatsby’s dream and the American Dream are connected in a way because, Gatsby dreamed of being a better person and becoming wealthy and making a name and life for himself.
Sally: I agree with you when you said you enjoyed the book because I enjoyed it as well. I believe that reading it as a class made it 10 times better due to the fact that we were able to have class discussions on what we read. I also enjoyed hearing my classmates perspectives on certain topics, events and characters.
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