An excellent example of classic American literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby effectively captures the moral decay America experienced during the Roaring Twenties.
When Nick Carraway travels to New York in the summer of 1922 to try out the bonds business, he finds himself thrust into the world of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious socialite who frequently throws lavish parties. As Carraway learns more about Gatsby, his ex-lover Daisy, and her arrogant husband Tom, he pulls the reader through a time when alcohol ran as freely as water, and affairs were as common as marriages.
Fitzgerald’s clever use of woven-in symbolism, though sometimes heavy-handed, is admirable. Colors such as gold, red, white, and blue are used frequently and make the reader stop and ponder whether the American Dream has turned into the American nightmare. With a complex vocabulary that beautifully depicts a grim picture of the shallow elite, the average readers should probably keep a dictionary nearby while navigating their way through this book.
If you’re searching for a story that shows a darker side to the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby is for you. With its elaborate descriptions, readers are pressed to reminisce about the value of money, friendship, and love. Though set almost a century ago, this book is a timeless piece of art that continues to maintain its relevance today.