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Eleanor Rigby
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 Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:13 am Post subject: The Great Gatsby |
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| Personally, speaking in terms of reading for enjoyment, this book was absolutely spectacular, especially the last few paragraphs. They take your breath away. But anyway, I need to write an essay on it for the beginning of May, and I just wanted to know what everyone else thought of the book. I see it as an overwhelming critique on American captialism and class distinction, but please, tell me if your opinions differ. This is what I need to know. Thanks! |
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Galatea
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| Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:28 am Post subject: |
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| Adored it! If you need any help, I've written several essays on the Gatsby, just let me know. |
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Meshugenah
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| Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:38 am Post subject: |
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I'm almost finished with it.. and i might have to do an essay as well.
What type of essay, do you know yet?
As for what I see.. definite commentary on class differences. How insanely complicated money can make things; I mean, two pairs of married couples, and a single guy (WIlsons, Buchanan, Gatsby). one husband is cheating with the wife of the other, the wife of the cheater has the hots for Gatsby.. it's crazy. Actually.. that part reminded my vaguely of some Shakespeare, but that's another story. |
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Eleanor Rigby
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| Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:24 am Post subject: |
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| We have a bunch of essay topics to choose between, ranging from: 1) Why this is a literary masterpiece; 2)What does it say about America; 3)How and why is it all about money?; 4)What does it have to say about the American dream; 5)Is Fitzgerald's America the 'city on the hill'?; and 6)Why is Gatsby such a tragic figure? I think I'm going to go with #4; it's the most interesting, and the most challenging I think. Plus, since its an American Lit. course, my teacher's been hitting us over the head with ways that we could answer that question. So, I suppose if you have anything to say about that subject in particular about this book, then by all means, speak. |
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LamaLama
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| Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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Why do I seem to be the only person in the world who understands how bad that book was? Save for the teacher that made us read it, he hated it too.
Something about the innermost thoughts of the wealthy during prohibition is not only boringly uninteresting, but socially its the worst topic to choose from at the time.
Write an essay on that!
You might be better off choosing a different question to answer. A lot of times, teachers will run into a spot where 90 percent oftheir students answer the same question, and so the expectations for that question start getting higher and higher. Your more likely to get a better grade if you go with something that fewer people are likely to answer.
They are all open ended questions which she will no doubt expect literary reference to support, which makes the american dream question the hardest to answer.
My personal opinion? This says nothing about the American dream, at least not anymore. I think the people in Gadspy are the worst representation of not only the American dream, but Americans in general. Fitzgerald propbaly chose these characters for just that, because they were high class people who didn't have to work for what they had, (reason no. 1 I hate this book.) and wrote about their 'feelings.' (reason no. 2-233 I hate this book.) But most people in America, even the rich, are willing, and in fact demand to be employed. The dream isn't about being successfull. It involvs earning your success, and making it to the top. People that are already there can't have that. They've never had to work a day in their lives, and don't know what its like to need to work. The American dream can't be accomplished without working for it. Folks who win the lottery, like those fella's that just won the largest lottery in history, worked in a meat packing plant in Lincoln Nebraska. Several of whom were imigrants. They worked their asses off, and for what? Menial wages and long hours? For them, upward mobility was next to impossible. For their children, maybe, but for them personally it would never happen. Now they have a chance to see it, and they won't work for a while sure, but eventually, most of them will be back doing something. If not, so what? They contributed all their lives, now they get to enjoy it.
Its people like Gatsby who contribute absolutely nothing of value to society (reason no. 234-560 I hate this book.) and are leaches on our culture. |
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| Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Those are valid points, LamaLama. But, correct me if I'm wrong -- wasn't Gatsby a self-made man? If I remember correctly, he didn't inherit his money, but worked from the lowest ranks to get where he was in social standing. Unfortunately, he did have his downfall ... such a tragic ending. |
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| remember: all the mentions of colors, mean something. Nothing is just there. EVERYTHING has a deeper meaning. |
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