(Book Review) "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

             

1.Summary

The Great Gatsby, written as a first-person point of view by a narrator Nick Carraway, was published in 1925 by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

It's a tragic love story of Gatsby, who ought to make a fortune to gain love.

Here's the plot.
 
The background of the novel is America of the 1920s, called the "Jazz Age." After World War I's victory, Americans enjoyed abundance and luxury, like jazz's sweet melody.

Born as a poor farmer's son, Gatsby craved to get out of poverty by all means. Gatsby is the symbol of the American dream achieving something from nothing.

Being a soldier, he met Daisy at a party and fell in love. Their love contained a tragedy due to the social status gap of the two.

As Gatsby participated in the war, the two lost touch, and Daisy got married to Tom. Both Tom and Daisy came from wealthy upper-class families. 

Gatsby, who returned from the war, earned enormous amounts of money from alcohol smuggling during the U.S. Prohibition era. Gatsby tried to get Daisy back.

Gatsby bought a mansion in West Egg in the Long Island Strait near New York City. He threw a grand party every weekend, waiting for the party-loving Daisy to show up one day.

Gatsby finally met Daisy. He wanted Daisy to divorce Tom and return to him. Gatsby's love was blind. He could do anything to win the heart of Daisy.

One night, a woman named Myrtle was killed by a car, which belonged to Gatsby, but was driven by Daisy at the time of the accident; Gatsby hid this fact for Daisy's sake.
 
However, Tom told a lie to Wilson, the deceased Myrtle's husband, that Gatsby drove the car. Wilson got fury and shot Gatsby to death.

Daisy traveled with Tom without knowing the death of Gatsby.

Gatsby threw many parties for hundreds of guests, but Gatsby's funeral was too lonely.

There was only one mourner at the funeral, an owl-eyed man who'd been one of Gatsby's party guests.

2.Lessons

In this novel, all messages are focused on the scene of Gatsby's funeral. In a way, we can say that this novel was written to show the background of Gatsby's funeral.

Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

What makes Gatsby great? Some would say that his achievement in the American dream was outstanding, and others would say that his love was great. But either way, the essence is earthly.

The funeral scene shows the vain ending of their love that would be gone like fog.

Gatsby, who had devoted everything to Daisy, ironically lost Daisy and destroyed even himself.

Many of the people who enjoyed Gatsby's party also disappeared as soon as he passed away.

It reminds us of Ecclesiastes 1:2, "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

Let's ask ourselves: What kind of death do I want to face? Then how should I live?

The novel ends up with a monologue of Nick, who is the narrator.

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
 
If, as Nick said, we can continue rowing against the current, that'll be great. However, if it is only that, we cannot avoid another meaningless death like Gatsby.

Wholly and urgently, we must change the direction. Which way? Towards the Gospel!