The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Dear Readers,

Hooray! I recently started a book club at my school. A couple of friends of mine, a wonderful English teach, and I are included in the group. Our first book to read was The Great Gatsby. I really can't tell you why we chose this book. I pushed it because I bought a copy of it at a used book store and I wanted an opportunity to stop everything and read it. And reading it for a book club was the perfect excuse.
Going in this book I really didn't have a clue what it was about. I had a vague idea. I knew that it was about the 1920's, but beyond the time period I had no idea. Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Actually I was more than pleasantly surprised, I was on the verge of love.
I could not put this book down. It was almost impossible to stop reading and go to work today. You are sucked into the story right from the beginning. The narrator of the story Nick Carraway sort of confused me at the beginning, but as you read you develop a relationship with him. His eyes are the ones through which you get the experience the man Gatsby.
Gatsby is a very devoted character. He seems to go whole-heartily into whatever he is doing. On top of his devotion Gatsby is very hospitable. He throws parties every weekend and just about everyone is invited. I am not going to lie though. I thought that Gatsby would be older and more wise, which would makes sense with his title Great. But really he is just a youngun' at the age of 30. And he definitely not without his flaws.
Gatsby is living in the past. He fills his time worrying about what he didn't get that he cannot see what he has. By writing about Gatsby Mr. Fitzgerald was trying to show us what living in the past can do to a person.
One thing I realized about this book is that you really can't like any of the characters. They all have one thing that just turns you off. Even that narrator, Nick, isn't very likable. Nick just goes long with whatever. He allows these people to get him involved in their lives, but he's really not there. It hard to describe, but when you read it you will understand. Nick doesn't really care about any of the people he calls friends. He knew Gatsby for all of three months and only ever gave him one complement. I hardly call that friendship. When he learns about Tom Buchanan's cheating he doesn't feel the need to tell Tom's wife, Daisy, and Daisy is related to Nick. Nick has a facade of caring but underneath he is just observing these people living without really caring about what happens to them in the end.
Tom and Daisy are both characters after what makes them feel best and what is easiest at the time. Tom has an affair because he wants to. Daisy marries Tom because he is rich and available, and she doesn't want to wait for Gatsby to come back. They both just sort of irritate me.
I love the book, but somehow I hate everyone in it. Weird... But somehow it works. Read it and you will understand.
Lindsey