October 2019 Classic of the Month: 'The Great Gatsby'

Why F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' is more than just another tragic love story.

'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 182 pages - Instagram @c_reads_books

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The classic of the month for October 2019 is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I picked this book as the first classic of the month because it is one of my favorite books, and has been for a very long time. The Great Gatsby is the first book I read that I truly fell in love with. I read it for the first time when I was 12, and have read it another seven times since. There is not another book that I can quote as exactly or appreciate as deeply.

Jay Gatsby is a character that I feel I can completely relate to, not that I have ever pined for someone or been in love at all, but I relate to Gatsby’s clinging to the past. Gatsby holds onto the past and the idea that he has of Daisy as a way of giving himself hope. He believes that he can repeat the past, but, as Tom tells him, he can’t. Gatsby refuses to give up on his hope for a life with Daisy, and refuses to see his plan’s obvious flaws.

Gatsby wastes his time waiting for someone who has moved on, and even when Daisy does come back to Jay for a time, it is obvious that he is still not content, and is only in love with the idea of her. Gatsby really is a sad character, when you think of his unceasing desire for more, that will never be satisfied. Jay continues to hold onto his idea of Daisy and the life they would have together, which causes him to waste away, without truly living.

It is beautiful that Jay is so in love with Daisy that he buys a mansion across the bay from her and throws extravagant parties, hoping one day she will stumble inside, but it is also very depressing. Gatsby struggles to find contentment and happiness in his own life, that he creates a fantasy life to give him hope.

I also love Nick, as he is a narrator, looking into the other characters’ lives, and trying to understand them. He recognizes that Tom and Daisy are careless people, and loves Jay’s hope, even though he finds it crazy. Tom and Daisy are actually similar to Gatsby, as they are all unhappy and lying to themselves. Nick is amazed by everyone’s selfishness and greed, and proves to be the only person at Jay’s funeral.

This book is one that truly demonstrates the selfishness and gluttony of people, which leaves readers with a desire to do better. Jay’s death and the lack of people by his side, besides Nick, reveal Fitzgerald’s themes about humanity.

Not only do I love the complexity of the characters, but I also love the symbols in the book. Gatsby believes in the green light, the light at the end of Tom and Daisy’s dock, which symbolizes his unceasing desire for love, his own American Dream, a hope that will never be fulfilled.

In addition to this being one of my absolute favorite books, it is also an amazing book-to-movie adaptation, which is very uncommon, in my opinion. The movie leaves out only one or two scenes, and I love the casting. The movie truly brings the book to life, with beautiful imagery that adds yet another layer to this great (no pun intended) story.

I have read this book numerous times at different points in my life, and each time I have understood and loved it more intensely. The Great Gatsby is much more than just another tragic love story. It is a book that never fails to impress me, and one that seems to get better with time. This is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read, and I think it is a classic that everyone should read at least once!