Milwood Classics Book Club

In the publishing world, there is the myth of the 'Great American Novel.' No one seems to know what that means, but there are books that continuously get tossed about in those discussions and The Great Gatsby is usually towards the top of that list. Originally published in 1925, it wasn’t until it showed up on the Armed Services List in 1945 that it became a bestseller and hence, a ‘Great American Novel.’

Gatsby is considered a novel about the American Dream, but also one that criticizes that dream. It might be about class, gender, immigration, racism, or identity. One thing is certain; it has remained one of the most important works of the twentieth century and one of the most debated. Of course, this is something that sits at the center of any classic. Its ability to be interpreted not just as it was written, but over time as society moves and changes around it.

Written by Fitzgerald to be more symbolic than literal, Gatsby can seem implausible. But its focus of feel and feeling is one of the aspects that makes it divisive. This is one of those books that people can be very opinionated about, which is part of the reason to read it for yourself. Another part is that this one book would become a major influence on American fiction for decades to come.

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