Posted by GH Bullen on August 09, 19100 at 14:28:47:

In Reply to: What is the most interesting angle for in-depth study of Gatsby? posted by Adam on July 05, 19100 at 05:57:48:

Adam:

What is sometimes difficult for folks is to get past the period trappings to the heart of the book. We tend to picture the flappers, the decadence, the parties, the opulance, and get lost in dreaming of the world of the rich. Fitzgerald is nothing if not a hopeless romantic, and one way of seeing that is to write a story in your head about Nick. Then see how you would describe Gatsby. Jay Gatsby was born a nobody (at least socially and in his own eyes) and he died alone, like a dog, ed back down into the mire of lower middle cl America. At the same time he is much nobler than the "beautiful people" he is trying to become and especially better than the object of his affection, who in the end chooses wealth and security over true love. Gatsby is great (to Fitzgerald) because he never lets go of his youthful dream, clings to it obsessively and refuses to accept reality, and this obessiveness eventually destroys him. His ideals smash against the hard truth that money makes the world go 'round. Hope that helps!

PS: An interesting contemporary look at similar emotions can be found in Donna Tartt's "The Secret History," which I'm sure you've read. She might have named it "Henry the Great." The one difference is that our modern demons are inside us.

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