The Great Gatsby

Was Gatsby really great? I don’t know!

Maybe he was great because he didn’t yield to his circumstances, rose to the challenge presented to him in life, and willed himself to exactly where he needed to be. Or maybe he wasn’t, because, ultimately, he was a slave to his passion, and, that, in the end, destroyed his life.

Open to discussion! This is what makes The Great Gatsby one of my favourite books of all time.

As a side note, I also think the people who say The Great Gatsby is about the American Dream have an exceptionally narrow view of the human experience. The book is about Gatsby, his obsession, his relentless pursuit of it, and where it ultimately led him. Is that really a uniquely American experience?