In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write ""something new--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple + intricately patterned."" That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned, and above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. ""Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--"" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream. It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. ""Her voice is full of money,"" Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.
F.Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist and short story writer known for his works that captured the glitz and glamour of the Jazz Age. His most notable works include "The Great Gatsby," a novel that explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream, and "Tender is the Night," a novel that delves into the complexities of human relationships.
Fitzgerald's writing style is characterized by his lyrical prose, keen observations of society, and his ability to create vivid and dynamic characters. He is often credited with portraying the decadence and excess of the Roaring Twenties with elegance and insight.
Fitzgerald's contributions to literature include his exploration of the American Dream, the impact of wealth and social status on individuals, and the complexities of human nature. His works have had a lasting influence on the literary genre of the modernist novel and continue to be celebrated for their timeless themes and enduring relevance.
Overall, F. Scott Fitzgerald is remembered as one of the most iconic writers of the 20th century, with "The Great Gatsby" standing as his most famous and enduring work.
Other related
The Annotated Great Gatsby
100th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
