I found The Great Gatsby to be a throughly engaging novel. I felt I could relate to the the theme of the moral devaluation of the american dream in such a time as when millions of americans over leveraged their homes, and maxed out credit cards just to “keep up with the joneses” and fulfill material wants. Just as Gatsby’s earnings from his illegal liquor business were not legitament, neither were the billons earned in bad faith through the shady dealings of the mortgage industry.
Another piece of the novel that I found particularly interesting is the very nonchalant nature of the cheating and affairs. It seemed that everyone was involved somehow, which was puzzling to me that up untill the end, these actions seemily were without repercussions. I will note though, that when the consequences came, they were severe, as it resulted in the death of most of the main cast.
The vivid imagery was another pull factor for me, I really felt like I was able to visualize Fitzgerald’s accounts of the lavish parties, and oh did they seem truly great. As I read, I loved to bask in the dream of one day becoming as rich as someone like Jay Gatsby, who could throw such great extravagant parties for practically the entire neighborhood. Ironically it could be argued that this is the exact sort of thing that Scott Fitzgerald is trying to prevent, by showing us the destructive nature of such an extravagant and superficial lifestyle. While it is not without its consequences, the lifestyle of a billionaire “living it up” on Long Island certainly has its appeals, which was what made the novel its self so appealing to me, in that it allowed me to become lost in that sort of world, almost like a dream.
The idea of "the moral devaluation of the american dream" is made evident in the area we live in, making the novel quite easy to relate to. Many people in Orange County, an area known for extravagant purchases and riches, are often overly concerned with material items. Similar to in Orange County, social standing is based on wealth in West and East Egg. I also enjoyed Fitzgerald's use of imagery throughout the novel. However, i noticed the negative aspects of Gatsby's life more than the positive aspects. As i read, Gatsby's lifestyle never appealed to me, for his and his peers' unhappiness seemed to mask the thrill of living extravagantly.
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