Onondaga Central
The Great Gatsby is a fantastic classic written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald. The irreproachable novel has been acclaimed by many as it dips into the depths of America’s Roaring Twenties and is considered to be a generational read. Wealth, love, fantasies, and realities mix together in creating this iconic novel. Capturing the American dream has been an aspiration for generations. Everyone from pioneers to 20th-century immigrants were after the same goal; making it rich in America. It was infectious, and Jay Gatsby was no different. Prosperity was at its peak for Gatsby, living in a luxurious mansion, hosting party after party, week after week. He was enigmatic and charming, seemingly having everything one could ever want. But nothing is ever as it seems. The book is narrated by Nick Carraway, set in 1922, Long Island. Nick was originally a Midwesterner but pivoted into a New York city bondsman. His rented bungalow, seated next door to Gatsby’s lively house. The story unfolds as Nick visits his distant relative Daisy Buchanan and her husband, an imposing man with great wealth. There, Jorden Baker, an amateur golfer, is introduced to Nick. The story is driven by these four people’s relationships. Nick gets pulled into Gatsby’s personal quandaries. Jay is undeniably in love with Daisy, but as a married woman, she would have a choice to make. As the intimacy of their relationship grows, so does the tension and drama between the four. Fitzgerald propels the novel down a path of money, jealousy, love and gin, during an era of bootleggers and flappers. Overall, the novel was adroitly written, with symbolism peeking out from every page. However, the moral of the story seems to demean the power and candor of the American spirit. Although short, the novel gets its message across and would drag on too much if any longer. After everything said and read, I would rate this story a 4 out of 5. Brought to you by the renowned author Louisa May Alcott and author of Little Women, Eight Cousins, is a heartwarming tale that tells an endearing story of a fragile young girl, who blossoms into a strong young woman. Although this is considered an easier reading level than other classics, the message sent from within the book is timeless, spanning and touching any and all generations. Rose, a sickly girl who was recently orphaned, was sent to live with her six aunts and seven exuberant cousins, all of whom happen to be boys. At first, her delicate mental state was overwhelmed by her new life. A reserved young girl, used to the austere classrooms of a boarding school, was dropped in the middle of a sprightly and animated home. When Uncle Alec arrived, Rose’s world as she knew it and how she lived in it was completely reversed. Her attitude and demeanor took a complete 180 when she was exposed to the great outside and rejuvenating sunshine that not all young girls got to experience at the time. Much to her aunts’ dismay, Rose explored and played with her seven cousins. Not only did she venture into new environments, but she also journeyed into a new part of herself. Uncle Alec was a progressive-thinking man who does not accept the gender roles of his niece. In addition to his new hobbies for Rose to enjoy, he rejected the fashion of a “respectable woman” of the times and favored Rose to wear healthier and less inhibitory clothes. Beyond her clothes, Rose plunged once more outside the gender boundaries as Uncle Alec educated her just as a boy her age would be. Eight Cousins highlights a girl who was thrown outside the social norm after tragedy struck her life. With a lot of courage, Rose discovers a world unknown and even considered inappropriate for women at the time. What is even more powerful is how Rose came to unearth the resilience and vigor of family, thus earning this book a 5 out of 5.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Tiger ProwlCurrent Editon Archives
October 2021
Categories |