Contrary to most dull, seemingly mundane books that we have to endure in the typical high school curriculum, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proved to be a pleasant surprise in its captivating plot and interesting characters. Fitzgerald creatively crafts a beautiful and engaging story of success and love, of truth and tolerance. I quite enjoyed Fitzgerald’s extensive use of artful language to really give me a picture of what was happening. His vivid imagery and insightful commentary through Nick made me feel like I was living in the 1920s and seeing its sights. The Great Gatsby was also easy to read and follow, yet still at a sophisticated level of vocabulary and writing. I liked Fitzgerald’s style of flowing sentences yet varied sentence structure and attractive dialogue to really portray the story. I thought the book was interesting in that it was atypical; there was no real happy ending—Gatsby died and Daisy was never heard of from Nick again. Nick walked away from the story wanting to go back to Minnesota. Not only was the ending interesting but the entire book was a surprise to me as well. In the beginning, I had no idea that the novel would turn into a love story between his cousin and neighbor. I was attracted to the elements of surprise in the novel to keep me engrossed. I also liked how this novel expressed the moral of “money cannot buy happiness.” Gatsby had all the money he could want, but he really sought Daisy; even when he did win her back momentarily, he was still not content. Overall, The Great Gatsby was unquestionably a gratifying read thanks to the inspired vision of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
As I was reading your review, i found myself awed at your insightful understanding of the story and its meanings, and your prodigal use of diction is outstanding. This review is effective because it makes the connection between your take on the novel and your previous blog tasks, ultimately summarizing your entire blog project. "Money cannot buy happiness" is an extremely cliché statement, however it is valid in reality. Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" was most definitely a refreshing read compared to many of the required curriculum, in that it thoroughly detailed a story of forbidden love, and ended with an unexpected twist.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading your review I was nodding my head in agreement. I too was drawn in by an intriguing story, complete with personable characters that one can really connect to. You listed all of the features that made Fitzgerald's writing a true feat of language; and his narrator Nick Carraway is a true feat of fiction and storytelling, and kept the reader's interest through lavish parties, tortured encounters, and heated conflicts.
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