Final Thoughts on The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby
has slid into a sterling spot amongst the classic novels of the ages. Forever it will be enshrined next to many of
the other classics works. I appreciate
the novel because of the descriptive and elevated language that Fitzgerald used
to sculpt his masterpiece. The words
rise up off the page and create an illustrative imagery assisting the reader
into the fantastic world of Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby exudes elegance, it
presents a picture of the nineteen-twenties that a reader can see before
him/her.
That being said, the plot and storyline of The Great Gatsby is deceptive and
unpleasant. I think this is as far as I
could ever delve into any sort of romance novel (sorry Twilight fans). Although I
am not in the place or circumstance of any of the main characters, I find
myself reeling with frustration by their poor and petty decisions. I do not presume that my decisions would
warrant any different results from a modern audience; however, I should think I
would not have pursued Daisy after
the finality of her marriage.
Above all else, this novel serves as a warning. It tells us to beware fixating feelings
toward one idea or dream. If we continue
in pursuit of something, which is so harmful to us, it will prove our utter
ruin. Undoubtedly, the most depressing
part of the novel is the lack of realization of Gatsby. Often those who are most deviant and deranged
in their thinking are completely oblivious to the fact. What voice of reason can penetrate their
loaded ears? Whose heavy hand will rise
to indicate the correct course? In this
novel there is none. What Gatsby needed
was a better friend. That is easy to say
with the facility of hindsight, but Nick Caraway should have expressed some
sentiments concerning his obsession with Daisy.
Recently, I heard a wonderful story, “about a girl that
[Jeffrey R. Holland] had tried to reach and could not, that her mother
had tried to reach and could not, that her bishop had tried to reach and could
not, that her stake president had tried to reach and could not. Nobody could
reach her—except her girlfriend, who took her by the collar, shook her, started
to cry, and said, ‘Don't you see? Don't you see what you're doing to me? You
break my heart!’ She sobbed. She just shook, and she shook her friend. That
girl, when nobody (it appeared) on the face of this earth could touch her,...
her mother could not reach her; her bishop could not reach her; but a friend
reached her and literally grabbed her and shook her and said, ‘You're breaking
my heart!’” [1]
What Gatsby needed was a friend who
would shake him. Although Caraway said,
somewhat hesitantly, “you can’t repeat the past.” He needed to get his attention, being bold
about it. Although, this also possibly
could have not made one lick of difference, Nick Caraway could at least say to
himself, I did all that I could.
[1] (Holland, Jeffrey R. "Remembered and Nourishedby the Good Word of
God." speeches.byu.edu. 2012.Web. <http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=867>.)
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