The Great Gatsby

In1922,F.ScottFitzgeraldannouncedhisdecisiontowrite"somethingnew--somethingextraordinaryandbeautifulandsimple+intricatelypatterned."Thatextraordinary,beautiful,intricatelypatterned,andaboveall,simplenovelbecameTheGreatGatsby,arguablyFitzgerald'sfinestworkandcertainlythebookforwhichheisbestknown.AportraitoftheJazzAgeinallofitsdecadenceandexcess,Gatsbycapturedthespiritoftheauthor'sgenerationandearneditselfapermanentplaceinAmericanmythology.Self-made,self-inventedmillionaireJayGatsbyembodiessomeofFitzgerald's--andhiscountry's--mostabidingobsessions:money,ambition,greed,andthepromiseofnewbeginnings."Gatsbybelievedinthegreenlight,theorgiasticfuturethatyearbyyearrecedesbeforeus.Iteludedusthen,butthat'snomatter--tomorrowwewillrunfaster,stretchoutourarmsfarther....Andonefinemorning--"Gatsby'srisetogloryandeventualfallfromgracebecomesakindofcautionarytaleabouttheAmericanDream.It'salsoalovestory,ofsorts,thenarrativeofGatsby'squixoticpassionforDaisyBuchanan.Thepairmeetfiveyearsbeforethenovelbegins,whenDaisyisalegendaryyoungLouisvillebeautyandGatsbyanimpoverishedofficer.Theyfallinlove,butwhileGatsbyservesoverseas,Daisymarriesthebrutal,bullying,butextremelyrichTomBuchanan.Afterthewar,Gatsbydevoteshimselfblindlytothepursuitofwealthbywhatevermeans--andtothepursuitofDaisy,whichamountstothesamething."Hervoiceisfullofmoney,"Gatsbysaysadmiringly,inoneofthenovel'smorefamousdescriptions.Hismillionsmade,GatsbybuysamansionacrossLongIslandSoundfromDaisy'spatricianEastEggaddress,throwslavishparties,andwaitsforhertoappear.Whenshedoes,eventsunfoldwithallthetragicinevitabilityofaGreekdrama,withdetached,cynicalneighborNickCarrawayactingaschorusthroughout.Spare,elegantlyplotted,andwrittenincrystallineprose,TheGreatGatsbyisasperfectlysatisfyingasthebestkindofpoem.--Thistextreferstoanoutofprintorunavailableeditionofthistitle.