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Summary: If You Read Only One Book This Year...
Review: My high school English class read this book this year, and at first I figured it would be like the other not-so-interesting books we had read, and that I'd just get the Spark Notes. However, the few people in the class who had read it before raved about it, so I decided to give it a shot. I found it a little hard to get into, but as soon as I did I absolutely fell in love with it, and it has become one of my all-time favorite novels. The honesty and accuracy that Fitzgerald writes with makes The Great Gatsby a timeless piece of literature, and the social comments that Fitzgerald makes are as relevant today as they were in the 1920s. I can honestly say that The Great Gatsby allowed me to see society in a way I never had before. If you read only one book this year, make it The Great Gatsby.
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Summary: Can you get past the beginning? Then read it!!
Review: Really, the start of this book is sooooo painful. It is confusing and boring. But if you take my word for it, the rest is worth it. I'm very sorry I judged this book by its first pages, considering how great it turned out. ...What I want to know is how a classic like this can resemble a soap opera so much?! And be so entertaining? It has adultery, murder, suicide, parties, abuse, long-lost love, deceit, everything! Though its language isn't as easy to follow as today's modern language is, the book still retains its clarity. Aside from its ability to enthrall, The Great Gatsby also addresses the American problem of superficiality and greed. It proves that "money can't buy me love" and greed gets you nowhere.
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Summary: Great Fun
Review: Fitzgerald's masterpiece presents memorable characters in a memorable setting. Gatsby is a mysterious tycoon that throws wild parties although no one seems to know him. Although Gatsby's intentions are to become wealthy and well-regarded, he is actually after something much more difficult to attain: the affection of a high-status woman. Fitzgerald's style keeps one guessing throughout the book and is highly entertaining. I'll probably read it again someday, it was so much fun.
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Summary: A true master
Review: F. Scott Fitzgerald was a writer who truly understood that "writing is revision." The story of the Great Gatsby covers an era of decadence and lavish living that most of us can't imagine. But within the glitter and excitement, he weaves a tale of loves lost, struggles with personal demons and upward mobility. There are some descrepancies within the story but, beyond that, the writing is phenomonal. Fitzgerald takes the English language and plays with it, subtly. Giving us beautiful phrases and lingering images that were quite exciting in his day. As we live in an age of hurry up and hurry up, reading his work is a real pleasure. It's a fast read but you don't want to run through it. You must savor each word, the masterful phrasing, while enjoying this classic. I give it a thumbs up. I promise you won't be disappointed.
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Summary: American Literature.
Review: THE GREAT GATSBY is one of those books that people either love or hate with no inbetweens. There are many who consider THE GREAT GATSBY to be the great American novel. I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but there is no question that it is a great book and a classic piece of American literature. The book evokes a particular time and place like very few writings can. The words in the novel flow together like cool water in a fresh-water mountain stream. However, what I find most amazing about THE GREAT GATSBY is that even though the novel doesn't have any truly redeeming characters and has a plot that is pointless and somewhat predictable, the story unwittingly sweeps the reader into the world in which it takes place so that before one realizes it, the story is over and the book is finished. Not very many stories can do that. It's not difficult to understand why Andy Kaufman loved this book so.
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Summary: Brilliant Social Commentary
Review: This Review refers to the paperback edition of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald with additional content by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Charles Scribner III. The Great Gatsby is a book which deals with the actions and consequences surrounding life in which an individual has no purpose. It deals with the quest of one with a purpose, and his attempt to attain it and the purposeless person accompanying it. This copy includes the sections; 'Forward', 'Preface', 'The Text of The Great Gatsby', and 'A Brief Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald' by Matthew J. Bruccoli, "Publisher's Afterword" by Charles Scribner III, and (very useful) 'Explanatory Notes', "Further Reading", and "Publisher's Note About the Author" in addition to the novel. The added material is useful and informative, providing the reader with welcome information on various aspects of both the author and book. The book is quite faithful to its time period, presenting a world uniquely of its own, a world content to be defined as the 1920s. There are many historical inclusions, creating an atmosphere of unexpected reality. The author also sticks to his thoughts concerning social matters, being sure to complete and keep up any attempted efforts in the area. The literary style is very involving, not giving a hint of boredom or disinterest in his work. His countless corrections and drafts prove their worth in the masterful storytelling ability of its conceiver through the work. However, Fitzgerald displays more than a few discrepancies regarding geographical and chronological matters. The style the contributing author, Bruccoli, presents conveys a sense of at least slight disinterest in the topic, damaging his rather valuable additions. Scribner presents a style that is slightly over praising, but does contribute meaningfully. The chronological and geographical discrepancies detract little from The Great Gatsby, as its true worth and meaning are presented in the lives and actions of the characters. In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is a very pleasurable read and deserves its classification of literary masterpiece.
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Summary: Perfect
Review: I was skeptical that this novel could really be as good as its reputation. I was wrong. It is that good, and then some. I won't go into the myraid of reasons why. Others have said it all better than I can, but let me say this: I thought it was hugely entertaining, but seemed to lack the sort of magnetism that some great novel possess. It wasn't tugging at my heart very hard. I wasn't caring so much about the characters. But then I got to the very last paragraph and tears burst from my eyes. To pull it all together so perfectly at the last moment is beyond genius. Read this beautiful novel. It's like one long, sweet, dreamy poem.
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Summary: A classic novel about class
Review: This is justly termed one of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century. This relatively short novel is a biting commentary on the nature of class distinctions in American society in the early 1900s. Gatsby, the 'hero,' is an extremely rich man who lives in a mansion and throws extravagant parties. But he has not always been that way. Once he was a pauper. Gatsby is in love with Daisy, a married woman who comes from a wealthy family. Though Gatsby now has money, he has 'new money'--in other words, he has not come from a long line of wealthy individuals. This, in some ways, makes him inferior, at least in the eyes of Daisy and her husband. The power of this novel, the lasting appeal it has, lies in Fitzgerald's poignant commentary on American upper-class mentality. Nick, the narrator, comments that the rich are often "careless people," and that they "smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money...and let other people clean up the mess they made." What makes Gatsby great is his driving ambition, his burning desire to penetrate the upper social strata and get the heart of the woman he loves. This novel is very tragic, but Gatsby himself seems to be more of a pathetic hero. This is one of the things which gives the novel its appeal, and which makes Gatsby 'great'--he can be seen as the underdog clawing and fighting his way to the top, only to realize he isn't welcome there. Besides being beautifully written, well told, and enjoyable to read, the Great Gatsby has a very important message to convey--sometimes (unfortunately), money IS everything.
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Summary: classic masterpiece
Review: Need I say more? It seems inane to review The Great Gatsby because of its proverbial timelessness and consistent crowd of faithful readers, especially at my age and lack of literary experience, but it also seems blasphemous not to pay homage to Fitzgerald by indulging in his brillant novel. He intertwines the moral value of the rich vs. the poor in the early 1920's, and the general thematic virtues of life in an exceptional storyline. Fitzgerald tactfully constructs the plot throughout the majority of the novel, resulting in a crescendo of clashing characters and settings, but then slowly extinguishes the tension with a calming resolution. Several literary philosophies/movements are threaded throughout and it is an extraordinary read. I suggest it to anyone who likes classic literature or just books in general.
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Summary: The wrong outlook on life
Review: The Great Gatsby is a story about a group of characters that all see things in the wrong perspective. Gatsby, the main character, lives an illegal life for the love of a silly married rich girl named Daisy. Daisy thinks that ignorance will get women far in life. In my opinion she is pretty ignorant her self. Tom, Daisy's husband, thinks that money and power gives him the right to do what he wishes to do, including hit women and cheat on his wife with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is also married and hopes to one day live a glamorous life with Tom, but Tom is lying when he said he would leave his wife for Myrtle. Myrtle's husband, George Wilson, is a depressed man that looks at life as though it were covered in ashes. The others live in West Egg also known as New York, the city of sin. These confused individuals all have one thing in common and that is that their outlook on life is all wrong.
In the story I found that F. Scott Fitzgerald used colors to help express the characters. He did this by using the green light outside Gatsby's house to show that he had money; he used white dresses that Daisy, Daisy's daughter, and Jordan wore to show they were rich. The Valley of Ashes is a gray gloomy dark depressed place. The author did this to describe the setting more clearly to the reader. I enjoyed the color coordination in the book. The colors make this book more interesting and unique.
The characters were overall selfish people that really did not care much about anyone else. Gatsby's love for Daisy clouds his mind and the facts that Daisy is married already and has a child. Their love affair could jeopardize Tom and Daisy's marriage and the daughter. Tom cheats on his wife regardless that there is a child involved. No one in the story really mentions anything about the welfare of the child. Everyone seems to be much too involved in other things. George just wants to up and leave so bad that he overlooks Myrtle's feelings. Myrtle hurts George to the point of depression, and won't even go to a church when his friend suggests it to him. Daisy leads Gatsby on, knowing that she can't and won't leave Tom. Nick's need to be friendly to everyone blinds him to the point were he can't prevent the tragedies that occur when it's possible to do so.
If I could change one thing about the book The Great Gatsby it would be Gatsby's love for Daisy. The whole love thing between Gatsby and Daisy dose not make sense at all. I would change this because Gatsby's love for her leads to tragedy. Gatsby could have done better. Gatsby was a strange guy that did too much for too little. Gatsby let himself be taken for granted.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is selfish or someone that looks at love, money, power, or dreaming as though this means everything in the world. These things may be good to have but, like in The Great Gatsby, too much can lead a person to his end. This is a book that made me really think about the consequences that result from selfish actions. This book has a great message about life.
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