Blog Topic #5: Personal Review:

            The novel The Great Gatsby is interesting and captivating, it really allows the reader to become part of the story and see the lives of these fortunate New Yorkers from the eyes of a not so fortunate man working in the bond business. Nick Carraway, the very relatable onlooker, allows a link from our society into the high society of the people he spends his summer with. The characters at first seem very pretentious, but you later realize that if you pay attention to their lives and what they have gone through, you may be able to understand where they are coming from and why they act the way they do. The novel overall was a page-turner and I always wanted to know what would happen next.

            I was very surprised because most assigned books are not very enjoyable and are difficult to read, but this book always left me wanting to read more. Though it is not the most exciting book I have ever read, I enjoy how most of the action occurs at the end of the novel. It all leads up to the death of Gatsby and I personally had no idea it was coming. I didn’t dislike anything in the novel, I felt like it grabbed my attention just enough and was a great story. The thrill of what happened at the end in the swimming pool leaves room for the reader to decide what they want about what happens to the rest of the characters. I enjoy the way Fitzgerald leaves room for interpretation.

            The piece is unique in its use of rhetorical strategies, diction, and syntax. I felt that it was on the easier side when analyzing it because Fitzgerald was more obvious about the strategies than some other writers are. There were many lessons taught throughout the book and they can be interpreted many ways, but two that I believe are very important are the idea that just because someone is part of the upper class doesn’t mean that they are better than you, and striving to work your hardest and do your best will take you very far in life.