The Great Gatsby is one of the most significant American novels of the 20th century, written by F Scott Fitzgerald and published in 1925. The story follows mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his obsessive love for beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan.
The Great Gatsby novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to New York and finds himself living next door to the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. Through The Great Gatsby: Nick's perspective, we witness the unfolding drama of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, who is married to Tom Buchanan. The novel explores themes of decadence, idealism, and excess in the Jazz Age of the 1920s. Key characters include The Great Gatsby Myrtle Wilson, Tom's mistress, and her husband George Wilson Great Gatsby, whose lives become tragically intertwined with the main characters.
Among The Great Gatsby themes are the hollowness of the American Dream, the corruption of wealth and power, and the impossibility of recapturing the past. The Great Gatsby symbols play a crucial role, including the green light at the end of Daisy's dock representing Gatsby's hopes and dreams, the Valley of Ashes symbolizing moral and social decay, and the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg suggesting the absence of divine presence in the modern world. The novel's tragic ending, where Gatsby is murdered by Wilson and The Great Gatsby Daisy chooses Tom over him, reinforces these themes while critiquing the empty pursuit of wealth and status in American society. Through its masterful storytelling and complex character development, the novel continues to resonate with readers, offering a powerful commentary on wealth, love, and the American Dream that remains relevant today.