The Great Gatsby: Why It's the Most Misunderstood Novel

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is frequently cited as the world's most misunderstood novel. While many readers see it as a simple romance or a celebration of wealth, literary analysis reveals a complex critique of the American Dream. The novel explores the hollowness of the upper class and the corruption that underpins material success.

Nick Carraway's narration provides an unreliable lens through which to view Jay Gatsby's tragic pursuit of Daisy Buchanan. The story is not a celebration of the Jazz Age but a cautionary tale about the dangers of obsession and the impossibility of recreating the past. Understanding the novel requires looking beyond the surface glamour to see the deep social commentary on class disparity and moral decay in 1920s America.

At first glance, The Great Gatsby appears to be a story about a wealthy man trying to win back his lost love. The novel is filled with lavish parties, expensive cars, and the trappings of high society. This surface-level reading often leads to the misconception that the book glorifies the lifestyle of the rich and famous during the Roaring Twenties.

However, a deeper analysis shows that Fitzgerald intended to expose the moral vacuum at the heart of the American upper class. The characters are driven by greed, boredom, and a profound lack of empathy. The parties are not celebrations but empty rituals of excess. The novel serves as a social critique rather than a romantic endorsement.

One of the primary reasons for the novel's misinterpretation is the character of Nick Carraway. As the narrator, Nick claims to be one of the few honest people he has ever known, yet his account is biased and subjective. He filters the story through his own judgments and affections, particularly his admiration for Gatsby.

Readers often accept Nick's version of events as absolute truth. This leads to a sympathetic view of Gatsby as a tragic hero rather than a bootlegger who manipulated the system. The complexity of the narrative structure requires readers to question the validity of the information being presented.

• Nick's Midwestern background colors his perception of East Coast elitism.
• His romanticizing of Gatsby distorts the reality of Gatsby's criminal activities.
• Nick's final judgments are subjective, not objective facts.

The central theme of The Great Gatsby is the corruption of the American Dream. The traditional ideal—that hard work leads to success—is twisted into a pursuit of wealth by any means necessary. Gatsby rises from poverty to immense riches, but his success is built on crime and deception.

The novel argues that the American Dream has become unattainable and corrupted by materialism. The 'green light' at the end of Daisy's dock represents an unattainable future and a past that cannot be repeated. Fitzgerald suggests that the class divide in America is rigid and that no amount of money can truly buy entry into the established aristocracy.

Fitzgerald draws a sharp distinction between Old Money (Tom and Daisy Buchanan) and New Money (Jay Gatsby). Despite Gatsby's wealth, he is never fully accepted by the established elite. Tom Buchanan represents the cruelty and entitlement of inherited wealth, while Gatsby represents the striving of the self-made man.

The Buchanans are described as 'careless people' who smash up things and creatures and then retreat back into their money. This highlights the moral decay of the upper class. The novel's conclusion, where no one attends Gatsby's funeral, serves as a damning indictment of the society Fitzgerald depicts.