The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
Although the book was lying on my shelf since a year and my efforts to begin the novel always went in vain. The reason for this will surely be accounted to the toughness of this book. It's a book that needs certain amount of attention yet it does no seek for it. Perhaps its Jay Gatsby's personality and his unquenchable thirst for love that attracts us.
The 2013 movie with the same name was just the perfect way to experience the content I had absorbed from the book and the way in which I had imagined the characters to be. Someone once told me its best to read a book first rather than watching an adapted movie. I guess the people who skip this step of reading the book are losing something big.
The story of Jay Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway. He is somewhat the mediator, like a guy who bring Gatsby's long lost love back into his life. He is shown as a guy who is not selfish but does things without even giving a thought or maybe his thoughts are just squashed by the optimism that Gatsby carries. Gatsby is just the opposite of Nick. A rich guy who owns a big mansion and throws big parties for all the people around feeling that one day Daisy might just land in his party. Due to his optimism he invites Nick to his party. Nick is the only one to have an invitation. Jay treats him well, takes him to famous places and introduces him to rich and powerful people. Nick also meets Meyer Wolfsheim who is Gatsby's so called business partner.
Now the question that arises in everyone's mind is why on earth Mr. Gatsby is being so generous and kind to Nick who is basically a nobody in terms of wealth or fame. Its revealed in the earlier stages of the story that Daisy is actually Nick's cousin. Now writing about their past relationship and how they get separated will be too pretentious and those parts are usually the same in all the movies.
What happens next once they meet after 5 years and how complicated their life becomes is just how the story progresses.There are more characters in the story arch like Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, Myrtle Wilson,etc who have some important role in the plot but the main story ultimately revolves around Gatsby.
The reason why this book or the movie for that matter made a difference to me as it showed some important aspects about life. It shows how some things can never be changed and past cannot be repeated. There is this absurdly arrogant way in which Gatsby thinks that he can win Daisy back but he forgets that it has been 5 years and whatever happens you can never bring the past back in your present. It not only ruins the present but has after effects on the future. It also gave a hard hitting message that a person like Gatsby had no one in the end except for Nick whom he had met months ago. This just goes to say that people are less bothered about you and more interested in your fame and wealth.
There is this line where Meyer Wolfshiem says to Nick that let us show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead. A guy like Nick is more affected by Gatsby's untimely death rather than anyone who knew him for years as they just knew him for the person he was. Nick knew how Gatsby was exactly. He may not be the best but he was better than the rest. He gladly says that his last words to Gatsby were,"They're a rotten crowd. You're worth the whole damn bunch put together".
Coming to the cast of the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby was great. That guy can really pull off such roles. Tobey Maguire plays Nick Carraway with ease as he connects with the role magically. Rest of the casting is great as well. The cinematography,sets and the costumes are just beyond imagination. Movies like these are often hard to make as people expect a lot and maybe that's why this movie didn't hit the right chords with the audience.
I guess reading the book prior to watching the movie had a different impact on me altogether.
Comment down what you felt about the book as well as the movie.
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