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?
The Great Gatsby! Another American classic that I had on my “want-to-read” list that I never got to and the novel did not disappoint! In a masterfully written novel by legendary American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, we are introduced to American society and lifestyles during the Roaring Twenties. The story itself is beautifully written with a fascinating fast paced plot and a hidden meaning so deep and exposing of Fitzgerald’s viewpoint on his generation, society, the American dream, and the whole nation of America itself. Through the lens of narrator, Nick Carraway, we are provided a firsthand account into a classic story of American determination and dreams to rise to the top. We watch along interested in every word spoken, every detail written, as we find Nick stuck in the middle of a love triangle, with two men of completely different backgrounds competing for the hand of the golden princess, Daisy Buchanan. As the story progresses, readers get exposed to more facts about our intriguing and shady star of the show the “great” Jay Gatsby. We begin to develop emotional connections to some of the characters and feelings of hatred towards hypocritical others (Yes, I am talking about Tom Buchanan). With ups and downs, lies and truths, rumors and facts, love and money, alcohol and death, you have a true American classic and a heck of a page turner of a novel. Would I add this to the American literary canon? Of course, it is a true American classic with hidden meanings concerning American society and the beliefs of a member of the “Lost Generation.” I assume The Great Gatsby is already in the American literary canon as its omittance would be a great surprise and highly unlikely. Would I recommend this to be read on the High School level? Definitely YES!! While a high school student may not notice there is a hidden meaning or that the whole novel is an allegory, it is still an American classic that must be read by students to educate themselves on American literature and culture. As for the exploration of the allegory component and symbolism throughout the book which describes the issues with the American Dream and the social class system, this is a topic that most students will cover when they reread the book in college or later in life using those highly developed analytical minds of theirs. Overall, a great book and a must read that I would recommend to others. RIP GATSBY :(
ReplyDeletei agree with the fact that it is a classic and it should be read by others. I think others would have their minds changed about the problems talked in the book. I definitely had some emotional connections with some of the characters and pure hatred for some of them. ALSO, yes, RIP Gatsby lol
DeleteIt is a good book , it does deserve the title of an "American Classic". but what grade would you recommend?
DeleteI also had this book on my list to read for a while and I am very happy that we finally did. I definitely disliked Tom from the beginning of the story too and feel that this book has like a million hidden messages and symbols.
DeleteI agree，its a great American Novel. It should be read in high school，like you said It is a American classic that must be read by students.
DeleteThe novel definitely should be considered an American classic that many people should have the chance in reading because it is an eye opener with its messages, the background behind the novel, and overall who are our characters and what happens to them. We get to see Fitzgeralds commentary on America and its society.
DeleteI absolutely loved reading The Great Gatsby! let me tell you, I made a joke referencing the great gatsby with my mom and was laughing at the fact that I made the connection. I was too proud of myself for that. I honestly forgot what we were even talking about. I think studying it was the best! If I were to read it as it was I wouldn't have understand and read between the lines a deep as Ms. Dishner made us do. I think that the book should be read by High Schoolers because they have the more developed minds to understand the main idea of the whole book such as the social classes and the american dream. They also would have the knowledge of the Harlem renaissance and the first world war because would have already covered that in middle school and in US history class. I think that knowing about the inspiration about the book and why Fitzgerald wrote the way he wrote it made the story much more interesting. I would love to add it to a literary canon, it's a great book and talks about a lot of the social problems.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree I loved the Great Gatsby so much and normally I'm not really like a reading person but this book really caught my attention. Also same I think I would be kind of lost and confused on some parts of the book if Ms. Dishner never helped us out.
DeleteBrittany, I like that you believe it should still be taught in high school because it'll prepare students for analyzing tougher things in college.
DeleteI agree with you，reading and study it was really fun，I probably will read it twice.
DeleteThe reading and studying we did as a class was fun for this novel as it really picked at our Brains and made us see more than a romantic tragedy. I think this was one of the most engaging yet interesting novels we did as a class. I think a lot of us we were really engaged in it.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby and so far its my favorite novel we have read this year. I'm honestly a fan of romance novels and The Great Gatsby was just so interesting and kept pulling you in, wanting you to read even more and more. By biggest take a way from The Great Gatsby is that the American dream is unattainable. Gatsby was born into a family of poor farmers and made his way on top illegally and had attained great wealth and status. Gatsby's dream was to be with Daisy his one true love but no matter what he did, his dream didn't come true, it also led to his downfall. The Great Gatsby should be read by high schoolers because its a great read first of all and it allowed us to deeper understand what the American dream and how social classes changed it back then. This would also help them understand what the Harlem Renaissance was and the Great Gatsby is filled with many different themes such as greed, betrayal, the American dream and more. I would include the Great Gatsby to a literary canon because its a great American Novel. Poor Gatsby though, wasted his whole life waiting for Daisy and it was basically unrequited love which all led to his downfall.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I like romanced too but I also like how it was deeper than that and it wasn't clichés and you did not expect it. I feel bad for Gatsby too but kind of his fault, should have just live his life and not based it on a girl he did not really know.
DeleteI agree with your opinion on reading this book in high school. There is a bigger message than the romance, it shows that everything isn’t as it seems
DeleteI agree with you that this book discusses social status can play a huge role in the way you act, others opinion on you and how you're viewed. It should definitely be included in the American Literacy canon due to how it helps you gain a perspective into this era.
DeleteI enjoy reading The Great Gatsby because the story is very interesting and it attracts me. The only problem with me reading it is that there is too much that we need to analyze because the book makes it more complicated. I like to read books with my brain turned off, that way I can just simply enjoy the story written by the author. But overall the book is very good in my opinion. The biggest takeaway from this book is how the book starts with the foreshadowing of Gatsby. Also the fact that it makes Gatsby more mysterious. And with that it attracts me to want to learn more about Gatsby and want to continue reading it. I would recommend this book to high schoolers because it is an interesting book. And a great learning resource for high school students. It should be included in the American literary canon because it is a great book to read and has a lot of hidden meaning. And the problem that society has.
ReplyDeleteThe book is truly filled with symbolism and contains a plethora of hidden messages and meanings through the utilization of allegory which allowed author F. Scott Fitzgerald to comment on America and American society during the post-war Roaring Twenties. Furthermore, the mystery of Jay Gatsby was quite interesting alluring readers into progressing through the pages to uncover more about this ever so mysterious character
DeleteI agree, I think the mysteriousness behind Gatsby was very interesting, which is why so many readers enjoy this novel. However, I did like analyzing the novel because it unlocked a lot of the deep meanings and symbols that Fitzgerald was trying to convey.
DeleteI enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby because I like the surprises and plot twists. When I first started reading the Great Gatsby I never would have thought that it will end the way it did and I like that. Most of the times I guessed how the book will end but I didn't this time which is good. I like studying the Great Gatsby being of the deeper meaning of the characters and how each characters represents something. My biggest takeaways from this book is the message about the American dream and how reaching for something that you can not have can untimely lead to your death. This teaches people to not be selfish and just be honest. Yes this book should be taught in school because it would be a good way for the students to interpret a story. Yes it should be included in the American Literacy canon because it's a good book that have a lot of twist and plots.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there were many plot twists to keep you interested in the book. And it is a great depiction of the American Dream.
DeleteI agree I thought The Great Gatsby would just be a normal romance novel but I didn't expect Gatsby to die whatsoever. I really loved all the surprises and plot twists as well and its an amazing depiction of the American Dream
DeleteI enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby because of the plot and storyline . I personally love reading romance novels and I think the Great Gatsby really captured that forbidden and obsessive love. At first when I started reading it, I was lost and didn't understand where the story was heading. However, as I kept going I got so involved in learning more about the characters. I liked studying the Great Gatsby because you understand a deeper meaning of the objects and characters of the novel. This book shows the difference in social status such as the lack of desire there was for the old money people. This book should be included in the America Literacy because it's a book that has many themes and deeper meaning than you think.
ReplyDeleteSo true, I was very confusing at the beginning as well. I could never saw something so deep before coming into Ms. Dishner’s class :) And yes, social status we found in the book is actually very similar to today’s society.
DeleteI agree I think the storyline was overall really good. I think the best thing this book had to offer were all of it's twist and turns which made it so much more interesting.
DeleteReading the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was a very interesting. It is a good novel if you want to get a glimpse of a fake character. I did enjoy reading it however I would not read it more than 3 times in my opinion yes it has a lot of literary elements in it which add extra depth to the book but most of it is just meh. It isn't very exciting even with the parties that are described in it. It's not a horrible book by any means it just feels bland for some parts like when we meet Daisy and Tom. But then again that is their character traits. My takeaway is trying to change your social status by taking the easy way out is not something that fate likes. I firmly believe that it should be read in at least 11th grade but nothing lower than that. It is a good challenge to analyze so that is why 11th grade is my recommendation. It should be in the American Literature canon because it shows how corrupt and desperate the people in 1920s were for alcohol. It has a lot of deeper meaning that should be explored by a lot more people so yes it definitely deservers to be placed in the American Literature canon.
ReplyDeleteI agree that some parts of the books were very boring and mediocre, I guess it had to do with us always analyzing parts of the story as we read and the symbols were a bit crazy I guess you could say. The color of their clothes isn't something that I would usually pay attention to and analyze, it just seems like its just there for like decoration or something.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby, and I am happy I read it in class because if I didn't I would not have understood or recalled all the hidden messages. I normally don't really like any books that we have to read for school but I definitely loved reading this one because of all the suspense, mystery, romance, and depth. This book was one of the deepest books I've read because theres a meaning to everything, nothing is put there without meaning. Another thing as said before would be the romance I love these types of books and the love triangle always kept you wanting to know more. I also liked Gatsby's character and the ambition he had, he was a true dreamer, but then he died which is sad. I actually knew that before we got to that part since when I like a book too much I always read some pages in the end or look something up and spoil it for myself. I also like how Fitzgerald made Daisy look so innocent in the beginning and made me like her but then in less than a page turned her character around and transformed my love for her into strong dislike to say the least. One thing I wish there was would be more to the story or more detail because it was a very simple one at that but I guess standalones are fast paced like that, I prefer series more. I think that this book is definitely a classic everyone should read and it should be taught in highschool. It should be taught because there's so many hidden meanings that someone reading it without studing it would never find and it would probably not be as great of a read. I also think they should read it because it provides a great depiction of America and the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteIm also glad I read this in class! There were so many things that Ms dishner pointed out that I didn’t even think twice about. For example the colors in the beginning of the book.
DeleteI loved reading The Great Gatsby! It was nothing like I’ve read before. The main reason why I liked reading this book was because of the setting. I love learning about decades in the 1900’s. I wish we did in US history. The 1920’s was a jumpstart to everyone we have now. From fashion, to music, to the economy, to dancing. It was interesting to see a storyline take place in that setting. My takeaway from The Great Gatsby is Gatsby’s story is a tragedy. He was born and grew up poor, fell in love with a rich woman, became rich himself trying to follow the American Dream, and the dies when he realizes his dream has failed. I do think the novel should be read in high school because it might change someones perspective on life or even what they think they want to do for the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree this decade had a very impact on numerous forms of art and has been the "seed" that led to how things are today in society. And it really discusses what people think the American Dream should be.
DeleteI agree and I love the setting as well. I get to know more about the Roaring Twenties, and really well written by using a love story to explore about our society and the American Dream.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby because I never read a book that got so into detail about the roaring 20's like this book did. At first it was a little confusing to understand what was going on in the book but as you read more and more into the book you gain a better understanding of what is going on. I really enjoyed how Fitzgerald brought in elements that people deal with today like having desires, and a forbidden love. a Not only this, but you can also see how often times your social status in society can affect you and not only how people view you but how you view yourself and the things you have to do. This book should be included in the American Literacy canon because it has so many twists and hidden messages.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, this book was detailed and you learn a lot about how social status can affect a society
DeleteI agree with you, this novel really goes into detail about the 20s. In addition, I was confused in the beginning to especially about Gatsby. But as we read more I understood all the characters.
DeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly, and would also like to add how it is not only social status that determines your social standing, but also how one can feign status to get into high places. The story of Gatsby is also story of putting on a mask--a facade--all in the name of attaining the object of your desire.
DeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby, it was something new and different to me and although it wasn't a happy story, it was very interesting and I enjoyed reading something new. I athought that studying it was a pain but it was also fun, being able to analyze it and connect the dots made me proud of myself sometimes, it was a nice feeling. My takeaway of this tragedy novel was to always keep a clear head and realizing that you are in reality and that going to the top with shortcuts won't always end good, its good to work hard and make your way up with your own efforts. I think this book should be read in high school because it will definitely help you with your analyzing skills and will help you be able to read more intricate books in the future. I think this book should be in the American Literacy Canon because it has a lot of messages that Fitzgerald is trying to convey to the readers and people will definitely learn something after finishing this book or even while they are reading it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! I don't really read romantic books but I really enjoyed this one. I actually thought it would be boring but I enjoyed it so much.
DeleteI agree with you because I always find romantic books and movies to be super cringey. However, this one was different since there was more to it than just love.
DeleteFrom all the books we have read I enjoyed The Great Gatsby the most. I enjoyed watching the movie as well even though some part of the book weren't added in the movie. I loved when Lana del ray song was played! It goes so much with the movie especially because it's about love... High school students should be reading The Great Gatsby, they will enjoy it as much as I did. This book will make them really analyze every symbol and message that Fitzgerald is giving out.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Out of all the books we've read, this has to be the best one. The movie and novel were very well put together, even though there were some parts cut out from the movie.
DeleteI love reading The great Gatsby and I really enjoy study it. This book help me a lot on the mindset part and it's like a teacher to me. This is a book that I don’t need others to spur me on to keep me reading，the biggest take away is to understand the American dream is not to blindly pursue the life of a high-level society and find what really is your dream，match what is yours. I think it really should be reading in high school and it is a perfect time to read because our mind at this level could understand this book’s message，and also reading “The Great Gatsby” could give us more inspiration about our society in the past then we could compare it to now. I think it must be included in the American literary canon because if this book not in I don't know what other book could in. its a great American Novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the book relates to many Americans trying to pursue the "American Dream" and also taught me lessons on how things operates within the American society.
DeleteMy opinion on the Great Gatsby is it is a boring read in my opinion. Sure it had its moments nearing the end but overall it was boring and unexciting for me. Studying it was somewhat different, there are some aspects we studied that seemed interesting such as studying the symbolism of certain things such as the heat, eyes etc. But on the same subject, there were some “symbols” that were a stretch, to say the least, but it was somewhat of an interesting study. A take away from the novel would be an understanding of another plot and the skill to analyze symbols more thoroughly. Why not, it should be recommended to high school student to read. Yes, it should be in the American Literary cannon because it can be interpreted differently by everyone and enjoyable to most people as a classic.
ReplyDeleteKris you're boring- yes I agree there were some boring parts and pages that felt so dull when reading. The symbols we studied were all fair shouts, if you did not see the meaning behind it then you have got to work on your analyzing skills my friend 😂🏁
DeleteAlso you should expand on your reasoning for recommendation to high schoolers
I disagree with you on it being boring. Yes, I was also bored in the beginning, but I think it was very interesting at the end. But I do agree that it definitely strengthen our reading and writing skills. =)
DeleteI personally loved reading the Great Gatsby. I enjoyed how mysterious the characters were. You really didn't know who the characters truly were inside. Especially the character of Gatsby and Daisy. I had such different opinions of them in the beginning vs how I feel about them now. I did not expect al the parties to be thrown to get Daisy's attention. I believe that this novel should be read in class. This novel had such a deep meaning behind it. It showed that what you want the most is the downfall.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the book really makes you question people's true intentions, opinions, and backgrounds.
DeleteI agree Tasnuva, I agree that Fitzgerald did give us that wonder that made the book intriguing to read.
DeleteI loved reading The Great Gatsby. I enjoyed the suspense that was given to us throughout the book and the love that Gatsby and Daisy secretly had. I wish that they could've had an happily ever after and that Gatsby didn't have to die. My takeaway from the novel is that love cost pain and money changes people. I say yes that this book should be read in high schools b/c it has such a good meaning and I feel like everyone should experience the feelings in the book. It was a wonderful book and I wouldn't mind reading it again.
ReplyDeleteSame Monika! I wish he didn't die but I guess Fitzgerald I trying to show readers the consequences of being greedy.
DeleteI am someone who is very picky when it comes to my reading, but The Great Gatsby was truly a phenomenal novel. It consisted of characters being a mystery, plots thickening, and getting to know every character. My takeaway from this novel is that friends will always backstab you if they are the ones being blamed. Gatsby was just someone reaching for his dream and yet Daisy and Nick took that away with lies and deceit making this story a tragedy. I think this should be read in high schools because it really has a lot of deep meanings and life lessons.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this novel was amazing. It was really fun to analyze some of the parts of the novel. I, too think that this novel should be read in high school because this novel can help us understand the reality of the world.
DeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby because I loved analyzing the book and figuring out the symbols in the novel. It helped me understand a darker world during the 1920s and it also helped me understand the world today as well. My takeaway from the novel is to never cheat your way to gain things in life because it'll all come back to you and your dream will die sooner or later. I feel like this should be read in high school and be included in the American literary canon because it shows the reality of the world, which is something some people should understand.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby because I thought it was very interesting. I really enjoyed finding the double meanings to the story and I liked how Fitzgerald associated colors with social status and personalities. The messages I got from the story is that being greedy can lead you to your downfall and also you have to be born into wealth to reach the american dream. I do think it should be read in High schools because it helps students really think, reread, and develop ideas, while reading the story. I also do believe it should be included in the American literary canon because the story is well written.
ReplyDeleteYes, I also think that being greedy can lead to one's end but I also think that being greedy could also be a good thing as long as you do it correctly, being greedy can lead you to success, it'll make you do anything as long as you get it. Being clear headed with have the greed is a good thing but if you are greedy while having this bad personality and being clouded will definitely lead to your downfall.
DeleteI agree with your takeaway, the greed is the main cause of the downfall for Gatsby and Myrtle, and how the American Dream can’t really be achieved by people who are not from the upper class. There’re many deeper meanings behind the story which makes it really fascinating.
DeleteThe Great Gatsby is a really deep and interesting book, I really enjoy reading and learning it. When we were dissecting a chapter in parts, I really found a lot of things that has more value and depth. I’ve learned a lot from the book, about materialism, the American Dream, desire from human beings, love and even friendship. Nick is the narrator but he had show respect and friendly before Gatsby died, as well as in Gatsby’s funeral. Additionally, there’s many adults have trouble like Daisy, for not knowing what they want and mixed interest, profit with love. It was a novel that shows the American Dream in a bigger picture and digging deep into the different faces of humanity. It really should be a book that could considered while you’re in High School because it is a novel that can cause to think deeply, widen your mind and eyes towards our world and society, and is a great novel for entertaining. Lastly, it should definitely be included in the American literary canon because it was a novel about the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this novel shows a bigger picture and meaning to the American Dream. It gives us a new understanding to the world and society.
DeleteI do agree the book is deep but only if you are reading it properly because one would think that it’s just about Gatsby trying to relive his past in the future. It also does have many lessons the one about the American Dream intrigued me the most
DeleteI honestly did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby because the drama and plot within the story kept me from falling asleep. I also enjoyed studying The Great Gatsby because I have never read a book so connected with very deep meanings and symbols. The novel should be taught in high school because it was a good challenge and taught me to see how a story can have an entirely different underlying message. 100%, it should be part of the American Cannon. The book talks about a fundamental part of American culture and many people’s desire to be wealthy, which I think most Americans can relate to.
ReplyDeletei agree because the plot within the story was very interesting and kept me from sleeping
DeleteI agree because the symbolism of the colors is something that I never would have caught on if I hadn't studied it in class!
DeleteI very much enjoyed the Great Gatsby. You know that scene where there's fireworks behind Gatsby and he lifts up his glass? I've always wondered where that was from, I've seen that picture on many memes. Besides that, The Great Gatsby was a roller coaster for me. I thought it was going to be a typical romance story and some guy just gets drunk, but it was the total opposite. Studying the novel was very interesting and it gave me a bigger idea to what the American Dream can be and how no one really can accomplish it, even though it's something that everyone wants. I really liked studying the colors involved and what it can represent. Adding on, the cars and East/West Egg. High schools should deficiently be reading this in high school because it can give the students a bigger mindset and help us think deeper into the book, allowing up to create ideas for the books. It should be American literary canon because all of this is based on the American Dream. It can teach us Americans that achieving the American Dream is something not to strive for, even if you try to take it through the easy way.
ReplyDeletei agree at first i thought it was a typicalromance story but it was different and the american dream is not some to strive for.
DeleteI agree that reading The Great Gatsby feels like riding a roller coaster, you just don’t know where it’s heading to. And I thought this would be a typical romance story too, but it is actually really deep and gave me a new perspective of the American Dream.
DeleteI truly enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby and it's my favorite novel we have read this year. my biggest take away from The Great Gatsby is that the American dream is unattainable. Gatsby was born into a family of poor farmers and made his way on to achieved awesome riches and status. Gatsby's dream was to be with Daisy his one genuine adore but no matter what he did, his dream didn't come genuine, sadly he died and was unhappy and did not accomplish his dream.
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby, it is one of the books I’ve heard for so many times but didn’t really get a chance to read until now. I used to think this is about a person’s great life story or just simply romance, but it turns out there’s so much more behind just Gatsby’s stories. This is one of the novels that really catches my feelings, Fizerlad really knows how to attract readers’ attention and bring up their interests, no one can really guess what’s gonna happen next. Studying The Great Gatsby is interesting too, I enjoyed looking deeper at the symbols in the book and learning from others’ ideas, and learning about the characters really helps me to reflect on myself. Do we have the same mistakes? Do we have the same American Dream? My biggest takeaway is that it is better to not dream about something that doesn’t belong to you, both Myrtle and Gatsby lost their lives for their dreams, it is better to be satisfied with what you have. I think this is a great novel for high school students, because Fizgerald is writing this book to criticize alcoholism, materialism and the unrealistic American Dream to warn the future generations not to repeat the past mistakes, so it would be good to learn by the teenagers. And it should be included in the American literary canon because it is one of the classic American literature I read so far, and it included many American elements and discussed the life of the Americans.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I definitely thought the book was going to be a lot more simple than it turned out to be and all of the symbolism also helped to keep it interesting.
DeleteLana Santiago
ReplyDeleteI personally did enjoy reading the novel The Great Gatsby as it is a deceiving novel. My initial thought process on the novel was that it was a book written of a tragic romance when really there are layers to its story. It is not a romance novel. I do not believe those were Fitzgeralds initial intention to create a romance novel. However I believe that is a majority of peoples takeaway from glimpsing over the novels pages, common knowledge of the novels story, or simply from watching the movies. However the novel has layers to it. Majority of people see its surface which would be Gatsbys and Daisys love affair however they do not see it as the commentary of american society and individuals. I’m glad I’ve gotten the chance to view different perspectives and thoughts of the novel other than my initial thoughts of the story when I first seen the movie. This novel should be read in high schools and considered a classic as it is a deceiving novel and it can allow students to view beyond the cover. Also students should get the chance to read a classic novel!! The novel is more than a romantic tragedy. That is all i have to say...
Yes, I agree I also thought it was mostly going to be romance so it made me lose some interest in the book.
DeleteI really like that there are different themes in this book, not just romance!
Deletethe book did have many different themes and I think that was what hooked us in the book because it was always something new
Deletehi
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading The Great Gatsby because I enjoyed analyzing it and being able to make inferences on what would happen next. I loved the setting that it was placed in because it showed the large difference between the statuses very clearly. My take a way is that the American dream is not worth chasing and instead we should focus on our own happiness. I think it definitely should be taught in high school because it talks about the American dream and it teaches a really great lesson on that dream which a lot of people strive to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteI actually didn't enjoy The Great Gatsby that much. The book is good but all of the characters are very frustrating and difficult to actually like so it makes the book a little less enjoyable. I personally had some ideas about what the book would be about and it surprised me in who the characters really were and their true motives. Although the book wasn't my favorite I did enjoy studying it. It helped me get a better understanding of reading between the lines to find the true meaning to symbols or phrases, something I'll defiantly use going forward when reading. Something I took away from the novel is that the American dream is achievable but only for those who actually work for it but not the people who try and find an easy way to it. I think this is a good book to read in high school because it helps with picking out small details that build up the story and it has a core lesson some can take away from. Lastly I think it should be included in the American literary canon because it gives an insight to life in the 1920s and America overall that is very important for everyone to see.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading Gatsby because the plot was very interesting because you couldn’t really expect what was coming next. But I was deceived because I thought it was about romance and big balls because of the Gatsby themed parties I’ve seen i thought it would be something very similar to Romeo and Juliet . I do recommend the book because of how interesting Gatsby is himself how he begins as a mystery but he unravels throughout the book. Yes it should be read in schools not because of the plot but the many itself but the messages about the American dream and how unrealistic some of them may be.
ReplyDeleteI agree b/c the book constantly left you with cliff hangers and I also agree that the message in the book is strong and that everyone should get a chance to deeply understand the message of the book.
DeleteI also agree the book did leave you on Clift hangers but by doing so that how we wanted to read more and more
DeleteI enjoyed reading and studying The Great Gatsby because it was a story that I've heard about my whole life but I wanted to wait until I was in high school to read it so that I can have the appropriate level of understanding to understand the book because it is a little bit hard. I like the theme of the 1920s and how glamorized it's made out to be in both the book and the movie. More specifically, I like the whole orchestra of Gatsby's party in his mansion. I like the alluring aspect of it like the bright chandeliers and the champagne being flown around like twilight. My takeaway from this novel is not to put someone on a pedestal just because they happen to have an abundance of currency because with Gatsby, his tragic fall happened when he died and hardly anyone showed up for his funeral except for Nick. It should definitely be included in American literature because I think that everyone should read The Great Gatsby at least once in their life because it really covers a broad range of topics and themes such as materialism and affection and even marriage because of the relationship between Daisy and Tom. Marriages can be hard and what they had with the affairs, that's extremely common in marriages so I think that if anyone were to ever be unlucky enough to experience that in their life, they would have something to relate to because they read this book.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your takeaway from the story, as we see how Gatsby's idealisation of Daisy led him not only to his own destruction but, ironically, to him ruining his relationship with Daisy. He believed she was just an object to be gained--and that was it. But he was sorely mistaken, and ended up paying for that mistake in the end.
DeleteThe Great Gatsby was a great novel to read. With help of dissecting subtext and symbolism lay underneath all the ongoings of the story from this class, it made the story evermore exciting to read. I especially loved the thread of irony that slowly revealed itself throughout the story as we see Gatsby's true motivations unfolding before us. At the beginning, we see him as an almost one-dimensional character with all of his greatness, status, wealth, well-manners, and classy demeanor on full display; but what we see below that facade, as the story progresses, is a greedy, obsessive, and self-destructive man who is interested only in the sufficement of his desires. Such a slow reveal of Gatsby's nature was very exciting to read and to dissect in class. Not only within the story, but within the broader social climate wherein the story was written was my enjoyment of The Great Gatsby increased for it was also a commentary on contemporary American society: the facade of high culture, classiness, and nobility amongst those within high society, but the materialism, greediness, and seething resentments that lay underneath and are the driving force behind that facade. Such a commentary was very eye opening for all of us to read this great American classic.
ReplyDeletethe great Gatsby is a good novel, I enjoyed reading it . I don't personally like reading but this book was really fun reading. While reading this book it also opened up my eyes to many different themes throughout the book. I do recommended this book to read, it's very interesting and there's never a dull part in the book which is good for people who have a short attention spam
ReplyDelete