Lecture Notes: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Introduction to The Great Gatsby

• Considered one of the best novels of the 20th century.
• Depicts a party-filled, decadent summer in Long Island.
• Known as both a masterpiece and a popular novel, frequently adapted into films and television.

About the Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Born in 1896 to an upper-middle-class family in America.
• Became a famous writer in the 1920s, the "roaring 20s".
• Fitzgerald's experiences influenced The Great Gatsby, reflecting societal changes and American rise to global power.

The 1920s Context

• Known as the "roaring 20s": jazz, flappers, cultural shifts.
• Flappers: women who challenged social norms, influencing early 20th-century culture.
• Fitzgerald captures the era's freedom and cultural change in his work.

The Great Gatsby: Key Themes

• Contradictions of American rise and society.
• Questions American exceptionalism and the American Dream.
• Explores wealth disparity: new money (Gatsby) vs. old money (Tom Buchanan).

Storytelling and Narrative Style

• Told from a first-person perspective by Nick Carraway, not Jay Gatsby.
• Nick shares similarities with Fitzgerald: family background, Midwest origins, migration to New York.
• Gatsby's mysterious background highlights themes of wealth and identity.

The Role of Money and Love

• Money central to the narrative, possibly Gatsby's true love over Daisy.
• Daisy represents wealth and is portrayed as a flat, hollow character.

Plot Overview (Non-spoiler)

• Gatsby's rise from poverty to wealth, motivated by love for Daisy.
• Questions around Gatsby's wealth and societal position.

Critical Reception and Legacy

• Continues to resonate due to its depiction of timeless societal issues.
• Reflects the end of the Jazz era and societal shifts pre-1929 Wall Street Crash.

Personal Reflection and Recommendations

• The novel is a classic and recommended for its rich narrative.
• Encouragement to read for a deeper understanding of society and historical context.

Conclusion

• The novel's storytelling is its biggest strength.
• Encourages readers to engage with the text beyond its plot.
• Invitation for readers to share their thoughts and requests for future reviews.